Seri Selangor Golf Club is a club that will soon be in limelight. It may be a public golf facility but make no bones about its lofty aspirations. It has already hosted three professional tournaments within the past 18 months and starting this Thursday it hosts a qualifying round of the World Golf Championships’ World Cup.

This is a wonderful opportunity for Seri Selangor to show off its tree-lined course that boasts some of the toughest greens in the country. Definitely not among the biggest of putting surfaces but very undulating with breaks that are tough to read.

Match those undulating surfaces with green speeds of around 10.5 on the Stimpmeter and the World Cup qualifier could spring some surprising results.

At the Malaysian PGA Championships last January, the winner Iain Steel finished at even par 288 after four rounds, a clear indication that birdies are not easy to come by under such conditions. During that event the green speed went up to 11 -- quite unheard of in this country. 

The Asian Tour, which is organising the World Cup qualifier on behalf of the International Federation of PGA Tours, has requested that Seri Selangor maintain its green speed of around 10.5. Despite its growing reputation for offering tough challenges from the black tees, the Asian Tour also requested the club not to trim the rough since a month ago. 

To make it that little more tough, the Par 5 18th hole that is reachable for most professionals, will be played as a Par 4 for the qualifier. Hence the course will play to a par 71. 

“We’re proud to be given the opportunity to host such an important event on the professional calendar,” said Seri Selangor general manager Hairul Hisham Mohd Zaini. “We’re positioning ourselves in such a manner that as a public course, beginners and social golfers can derive enjoyment from the white and blue tees. 

“But from a professional golfer’s perspective we intend to make Seri Selangor one of the more challenging tracks in the region. Who knows, perhaps one day we’ll be given the chance to host even the Malaysian Open.” 

Hairul said he hoped to see enthusiastic golfers turning up to watch the tournament unfold. “We should support our own players but more importantly this is as good a time as any for budding golfers to learn from the professionals on how to handle difficult greens such as ours.” 

Seri Selangor was designed by Queenslander Ross Watson who was responsible for such gems as Robina Woods and Palm Meadows on the Gold Coast, Impian Golf & Country Club and Kota Permai Golf & Country Club. With Graham Marsh, Watson co-designed The Vines in Perth, Staffield Country Resort and Tropicana Golf & Country Club. The pair went their separate ways after Tropicana’s first 18 holes were completed. 

The nations who have confirmed participation in the World Cup qualifier include hosts Malaysia, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Switzerland, Philippines, Italy, Ghana, India and Taiwan. A total of 15 teams are expected to compete for two spots to the World Cup scheduled to take place at the Sandy Lane Resort in St James, Barbados from Dec 7-10. 

Seri Selangor is also down to host another pro event, which will be the Selangor Masters in mid-December. The RM200,000 tournament will see 40 of Malaysia’s best competing against 50 foreign players and 44 leading amateurs. The State government sponsors the event.

END

 with JOE CARLOS - StarGolf (10th SEPT 2006)