Clearwater Sanctuary Golf Resort

The verdict

Clearwater Sanctuary is one of golf's better second acts. The land it sits on, in the Kinta Valley near Batu Gajah, was once a working tin mine, the industry that built this corner of Perak. When the tin ran down the ground was reclaimed and reshaped, the old pits filled and softened into a chain of lakes, and a 27 hole resort course opened across it in 1994. The result is a green, water laced sanctuary where dragonflies and birdlife have moved back in and the mining past survives only as the shape of the lakes.

For the traveling golfer it is a genuinely pleasant resort round rather than a championship grind. Water is the defining feature, in play on a large share of the holes, so the round rewards a tidy, thoughtful game over raw power. It pairs well with a visit to Ipoh, the underrated Perak city famous for its food and limestone caves, and it slots neatly into a north south Malaysia tour between Kuala Lumpur and the island of Penang.

The holes worth the trip

Water is the theme and the test at Clearwater. The reclaimed lakes that define the property sit beside, in front of or all the way around a high proportion of the holes, so the round is a steady series of decisions about how much you are willing to take on. The smart play is often the conservative one, laying back to a comfortable yardage and trusting an iron over the water rather than chasing the hero line.

The par 3s are where the lakes bite hardest, several played all carry to greens set on the far bank with little bailout, the kind of shot that asks for one more club and a committed swing. The par 5s tempt the longer hitter to flirt with the edges of the water on the second, and the reward of a reachable green always comes with a wet penalty for the miss.

None of the three nines is overly long, and from the right tees this is a fair, scenic round rather than a slog. The challenge is discipline: keep the ball dry, take the percentage line, and Clearwater gives back a relaxed, picturesque day. Push too hard at the water and the lakes that make it beautiful will also make the scorecard ugly.

Where to stay nearby

Clearwater Sanctuary runs its own on site resort lodging, which makes a stay and play the simplest option: sleep by the lakes, walk to the first tee and play 27 holes without a transfer. It is a quiet, green base, well suited to a group that wants golf and calm rather than nightlife.

For more to do off the course, the city of Ipoh is a short drive north, with its celebrated food, colonial old town and the limestone cave temples of the Kinta Valley. Travelers building a longer trip can string Clearwater together with the Kuala Lumpur courses to the south, such as Kota Permai, for a Perak plus capital itinerary.

Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Clearwater Sanctuary.