Move follows appointment of a new General Manager at the club
Desaru Coast; Johor, Malaysia – As international travel resumes, the multi-award-winning The Els Club Desaru Coast’s new General Manager Harris Abdullah is gearing up to welcome golfers from around the world to grace its stunning fairways and abundant wildlife again.
A familiar face among regular golfers at The Els Club Desaru Coast, Harris Abdullah, who recently succeeded Steven Thielke, is known for his amicable and hospitable disposition. Harris’ stellar career has been one of consistent high-quality performance in the golf industry; earning him the stamp of approval to become the obvious choice for the top position of General Manager.
His appointment as General Manager at The Els Club Desaru Coast is set to drive greater value to this Troon Golf-managed facility to continue drawing enthusiastic golfers to Desaru Coast via a combination of strategies. Diving into action, Harris’ immediate task is to ensure business scalability with the reopening of the international borders while his mid and long-term goals comprise customer-centricity and sustainable development.
General Manager of The Els Club Desaru Coast; Harris Abdullah said, “We’ve been receiving many enquiries lately from travellers on golfing at The Els Club Desaru Coast. We believe many more regular travellers to Malaysia are eager to resume their golf outing in Desaru again.”
Harris; 46 joined The Els Club Desaru Coast as a pioneer team member in 2016 with more than 23 years of experience in a semi-private club and resort. He was greatly involved since the club’s pre-opening where he worked with the ownership to establish the 2 stately clubhouses, the 27-hole Ocean Course, 18-hole Valley Course and The Els Performance Golf Academy with complete facilities. Harris was also instrumental in the implementation of standards that are aligned to Troon Golf’s policy every step of the way.
Harris began his career in 1996 at Cherry Hills Golf Club in California, USA where he learned the ropes of golf operations. A year later, he returned to Malaysia to join Pulai Springs Resort in Johor; followed by a 15-year stint at Ria Bintan Golf Club & Resort in Riau, Indonesia where his last position was Resort Manager. He successfully directed several major tournaments at amateur and professional level. Many of these events have provided first hand collaboration opportunities with international golf brands such as the Asian Tour.
Desaru, which is located in Southeast of Johor is only a 45 minutes’ drive from the Senai International Airport and one and a half hour’s drive from Singapore. The soon-to-be opened Desaru Coast Ferry Terminal is set to transport passengers from Singapore directly to Desaru Coast.
Popular for its Stay and Play packages, The Els Club Desaru Coast offers golf with accommodation at Desaru’s quintessential The Westin Desaru Coast Resort, Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast and Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas from RM900/SGD291 onwards. Also available are Stay and Learn Golf packages from RM1,525/SGD492 onwards. Meanwhile, regular golfers at The Els Club Desaru Coast are encouraged to opt for a Privilege Pass for unlimited golf rounds per year* at only RM6,969/SGD2,247.
Prior to the reopening of the borders, the agronomy team has seized the opportunity to nurture the golf courses and maintained these award-winning golf courses in the best conditions.
In the months of January and February this year, The Ocean and Valley Courses went through scheduled upkeep routines and are gradually recovering beautifully in anticipation of the larger number of golfers to this Troon-managed facility upon the reopening of Malaysia’s international borders. Further scheduled upkeep routines of the golf courses are expected in May, June, September and October to maintain the courses in world class conditions.
*for 355 days
About The Els Club Desaru Coast
Nestled within Desaru Coast; a leisure destination listed in Time Magazine as one of the World’s Greatest Places of 2021, The Els Club Desaru Coast comprises the handsomely manicured Valley and Ocean golf courses, a world class golf academy, international standard dining and hospitality facilities; all within the surrounds of abundant wildlife species in the Southeast of Johor, Malaysia; intertwining nature and panoramic vistas of this tropical paradise.
The stunning 27-hole Ocean Course, designed by the club’s namesake and four-time major champion Ernie Els; overlooks the breath-taking South China Sea. The Ocean Course can comprise of any two of the three 9-hole courses on-site, offering unique variability. Each course layout has its individual character and personal touches by Els; while drawing similar inspiration from the famous links courses spread across the UK with vast rolling greens and firm run off areas designed to place a premium on a sharp short game.
Voted as Malaysia’s Best Golf Course 2021 and 2020, the multi award-winning Valley Course is a formidable 18-hole golf course designed by Els’ close associate and major champion, Vijay Singh along with the Ernie Els Design team. The Valley Course traverses the valleys and stream of Desaru Coast with significant elevation changes providing picturesque sceneries. This championship course spans 41 hectares with 187 bunkers to enable a challenging and rewarding feat.
Complementing the two fantastic golf venues, each course boasts a full-service clubhouse. The Ocean Course clubhouse is a dramatic masterpiece at 45,000 square feet. It is also home to the 261 Bar & Restaurant; the ultimate 19th hole and the world renowned Big Easy Bar & Grill. Meanwhile, The Valley Course clubhouse charms with an al fresco dining area named Lembah; is fondly frequented for its popular Southern Indian cuisine.
A golfing paradise for nature lovers, The Els Club Desaru Coast promises an immersive golfing experience that welcomes you with the gentle ocean breeze; surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature. Amidst the stunning ocean, lakes and jungles, it is possible to spot and experience an abundance of wildlife species in its natural habitat. One may encounter a variety of lizards, otters, dusky leaf monkeys, crab-eating macaques, white-handed gibbons and over 100 species of birds including fish eagles, hawk eagles, black-shouldered kites, herons, whistling ducks, oriental pied hornbills and the list goes on. For the nature-loving golfer, The Els Club Desaru Coast is truly an experience beyond golf.
For more information, please visit www.elsclubmalaysia.com or email reservations.ecdc@elsclubmalaysia.com.
About Desaru Coast
Desaru Coast is an integrated destination resort located on the south-eastern coast of Johor, Malaysia. Recognised as TIME Magazine’s World’s Great Places of 2021, Desaru Coast is home to a portfolio of internationally 5-star renowned hotels and resorts including, Asia’s first One&Only Desaru Coast, Malaysia’s first Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas, The Westin Desaru Coast Resort and Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast. The destination also boasts a curated and refined mix of attractions and experiences, including The Els Club Desaru Coast with two world-class courses and the region’s largest waterpark, Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast. Desaru Coast also offers a fully equipped conference centre and tailored MICE programmes for businesses of all sizes. With wide-open spaces, 17 km of pristine beachfront, the destination is set amid a rich bio-diverse location and with great connectivity to the region, Desaru Coast offers the perfect beach escape for the most discerning of travellers.
Desaru Development Holdings One Sdn. Bhd. is the master developer that operates and managers of Desaru Coast. The company is a subsidiary of within the Themed Attractions Resorts & Hotels Sdn. Bhd. group of companies.
About Ernie Els Design
Ernie Els Design is a full-service golf course design company wholly owned by its principal, four-time major champion and World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els. The international scope of Ernie’s 70 professional career victories is mirrored in the increasingly global reach of his designs, with signature courses and renovations making an impact in emerging and established golf markets alike. Ernie Els Design enjoys unique relationships with the world’s finest developers who share the company’s ambitions, creating attractive destinations that adhere to the principles of sustainable development and sound environmental practices. Since its formation in 2000, the company has received global recognition with a string of prestigious accolades. Notably, in 2015 Ernie was voted ‘Designer of the Year’ at the World Golf Awards. In addition, many of Ernie’s signature courses have won prestigious industry awards including ‘Best New Golf Course in the World’ for The Els Club Teluk Datai in 2014. In 2016, it also became the first layout in the Ernie Els Design portfolio to be listed in Golf Digest’s prestigious ‘World Top-100’.
About Troon Golf
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf management company providing services at 680-plus locations around the globe, including managing 665-plus 18-hole equivalent golf courses. In addition to golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s award-winning food and beverage division operates and manages 630-plus food and beverage operations located at golf resorts, private clubs, daily fee golf courses and recreational facilities. With properties located in 45-plus states and 30-plus countries, Troon’s family of brands includes Troon Golf, Troon Privé, Troon International, Indigo Sports, CADDIEMASTER, True Club Solutions, Cliff Drysdale Tennis, Peter Burwash International, Casa Verde Golf, and RealFood Hospitality, Strategy and Design. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com, or connect with Troon on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Troon Chronicles, Press Room, or subscribe to Troon Magazine.
