New Golf Courses Opening in Malaysia, 2026
Malaysia is not opening a wave of brand new courses in 2026. Instead the year belongs to refinement, with the Els Club portfolio reworking and reopening its best resort golf, led by the Ridge Course at Desaru Coast and the award winning rainforest course at Teluk Datai.
Photo via Google.
A year of refinement, not new builds
If you are scanning for a clutch of greenfield Malaysian openings in 2026, the honest answer is that there are very few. The country's headline golf news this year is about reinvestment in courses that already rank among the best in Southeast Asia, rather than a building boom. The most active force is the Els Club group, which is putting its Johor and Langkawi resort courses through a serious cycle of renovation and grow in.
That makes 2026 a good year to watch Malaysia closely rather than to chase an opening date. Below is what is genuinely new and changed, the reworked nines and recently opened courses worth building a trip around, with the usual caveat that resort renovation timelines can move, so confirm a course is fully open before you plan around it.
New and reworked Malaysian golf, 2026 at a glance
| Project | Where | Status in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| The Els Club Desaru Coast, Ridge Course | Desaru Coast, Johor | Reopened in April 2026 after a 12 month enhancement, with regrassed fairways and rebuilt bunkers |
| The Els Club Desaru Coast, Lakes Course | Desaru Coast, Johor | Entered its next phase of major renovation from May 1, 2026 |
| The Els Club, Teluk Datai | Langkawi, Kedah | Recently opened rainforest course, named a World's Best New Golf Course |
What is actually new
The Els Club Desaru Coast keeps evolving
The biggest story is at Desaru Coast in Johor, where the Els Club has run a long programme of work across its 27 holes of Ocean Course golf. The Ridge nine reopened in April 2026 after a 12 month enhancement by the club's in house agronomy team, with fairways regrassed for more consistent surfaces and every bunker refurbished with new sand and upgraded drainage. With the Ridge back, the Lakes Course began its own next phase of major renovation from May 1, so a 2026 visit needs a quick check on exactly which nines are in play.
Teluk Datai, the award winner in Langkawi
On Langkawi, the Els Club Teluk Datai remains Malaysia's most significant recent new course. Routed through rainforest down to the Andaman Sea, it earned recognition as a World's Best New Golf Course after opening, and it is the one genuinely new big ticket course a visiting golfer should prioritise. It pairs naturally with the resort polish of Desaru on a two centre Malaysian trip.
The wider picture
Beyond the Els Club, Malaysia's pipeline of brand new championship courses is quiet in 2026 compared with the development booms in Vietnam and Thailand. The country's strength remains its deep bench of mature courses around Kuala Lumpur and on the islands, which is why the smart 2026 trip is built on proven names refreshed by recent investment rather than on chasing an opening ribbon.
Our take
For the traveling golfer, Malaysia in 2026 rewards patience over hype. The Els Club is quietly raising the ceiling of its resort golf, and a trip timed for after the Desaru renovations settle, paired with Langkawi's Teluk Datai, gives you two of the best conditioned courses in the region without relying on an unproven opening.
Our advice is to anchor a trip on the established names and fold in the reworked Els nines as they come fully back on line. Our Malaysia destination hub and the best courses in Malaysia list are the places to start, and our team can confirm exactly which Desaru nines are open for your dates before you commit.
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New Malaysian courses, your questions
Are any brand new golf courses opening in Malaysia in 2026?
Malaysia's 2026 golf calendar is led by renovation rather than greenfield openings. The Els Club Desaru Coast Ridge Course reopened in April 2026 after a 12 month enhancement, and its Lakes Course began a major renovation on May 1. The most significant recent new course is the Els Club Teluk Datai in Langkawi, which opened to wide acclaim.
What changed at the Els Club Desaru Coast?
The Ridge Course reopened in April 2026 with fairways regrassed for more consistent surfaces, all bunkers refurbished with new sand and bunker drainage upgraded. The Lakes Course then entered its next phase of major renovation from May 1, 2026, so check which nines are open for your dates.
Where is the Els Club Teluk Datai?
Teluk Datai is on Langkawi off Malaysia's northwest coast, a rainforest course running down to the Andaman Sea. It was named a World's Best New Golf Course after opening and is the standout recent addition to Malaysian golf.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Malaysian course renovation and opening status compiled June 2026 from Asian golf media and Els Club announcements; renovation timelines are subject to change. Last reviewed June 2026.