Image: Danang

Southeast Asia has become the go-to destination for golfers in search of winter sun, but with ever-increasing options, the hardest decision is choosing where to go. Let us offer some suggestions

BEST TROPICAL LINKS
1: Danang Golf Club, Vietnam
Built on sandy loam soil, the Greg Norman-designed Dunes course at Danang Golf Club echoes classic Scottish links and the courses in the sand hills of Carolina — and is every bit as enjoyable to play. The 16th is a highlight. An elevated tee tempts golfers to attack the putting surface, beyond which the white sand of China Beach pours down to the aquamarine expanse of the South China Sea while the distant mountainous Cham Islands rise in green, jungle-clad bulk towards the cobalt sky. Another distinctive test is the long 10th, which plays towards the Marble Mountains through a funnel of imposing sand dunes. (Pictured above). Green fees from £100. dananggolfclub.com

BEST FOR HISTORY BUFFS
2: Phokeethra Golf Club, Siem Reap, Cambodia
When French explorer Henri Mahout popularized Angkor in the west in the 19th century, he couldn’t have foreseen top-class golf courses being constructed within a long-iron shot of the ancient temples. Golf knows no boundaries when it comes to breaking new ground, however, and the course at Phokeethra Country Club is a majestic test in sympathy with its fabled immediate environment. Indeed, the layout has incorporated original Angkorian elements into its design in the shape of an 11th-century bridge that links the 9th green with the 10th tee. Of the holes, the finest is undoubtedly the par-five 18th, which entails a double carry over water and an approach shot to an island green. Green fees from £90. photeethragolf.com

Samui Santiburi

BEST FOR TROPICAL LOUNGING
3: Samui Santiburi, Thailand
Carved through coconut plantations on the unspoiled north coast of Koh Samui, the premier club on the Thai paradise isle is as attractive a golfing test as you’ll find anywhere. The visual thrills soon start to mount as the elevation starts to rise. The islands of the Gulf of Thailand are famed for their splendour and the panoramic view of Maenam Beach and Koh Phangan, Samui’s neighbour, across the cobalt tropical waters, is worth any number of fluffed shots. The course is far more than just a pretty face, though. Tight winding fairways make accuracy paramount while rock outcroppings on add to the challenge. Green fees from £120. sanurisamui.com

BEST FOR ENCOUNTERS WITH NATURE
4: Dalit Bay, Malaysia
Ensconced within the 400 acres of Shangri-La’s acclaimed Rasa Ria Resort, the Dalit Bay course offers an exacting challenge with water coming into play on virtually every hole. The course, however, is far from a monster and wide fairways and generous greens make it a fair test for low and high handicappers alike. Away from the golf, the Rasa Ria resort offers sumptuous luxury amid an area of outstanding natural beauty where guests can relax on a white-sand beach or play with baby orangutans in the resort’s Orangutan Education Centre. Green fees from £50. dalitbaygolf.com.my

BEST FOR FLEEING THE BIG CITY
5: Masters Course at Southwoods Golf and Country Club, Manila, The Philippines
The Masters course at Southwoods Golf and Country Club, a Jack Nicklaus signature layout, is regarded as one of the best in the country and one of the toughest in the region. A straightforward par-four is a slightly misleading opener given what comes after. Fifteen holes incorporate water as a hazard and the presence of plentiful bunkers alongside the lakes and streams makes the layout relentlessly intimidating. The toughest hole on the course is the dogleg 415-yard 6th which throws deep bunkers, a pond and a river in front of the green into the mix. Green fees from £50. manilasouthwoods.com

Ria Bintan Golf Club Ocean Course Hole 9

BEST FOR VISUAL MANNA
6: Ria Bintan, Bintan Island, Indonesia
The Ocean Course on the island of Bintan in the Riau Archipelago near Singapore is regularly ranked among the best in the region and, for visual thrills alone, it is hard to beat. The par-five first requires a pinpoint drive and a carry over water to the green. It’s the holes around the turn, however, that Ria Bintan’s fame is deservedly built upon. The ocean reveals itself halfway down the 7th, a gorgeous downhill par-five. The undoubted star though is the short 9th where the tee shot is played over an inlet to an undulating green backed by towering trees. Greens from £50.
riabintan.com

BEST FOR THOSE WHO LIKE A CHALLENGE
7: Saujana Golf and Country Club, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The challenge presented at Saujana is of the sternest calibre. The pick of the layouts at the club is the Palm, a regular host of the Malaysian Open and a genuine beast of a course. Indeed, its undulating fairways and small, heavily contoured greens have humbled some of the biggest names in world golf. The course, which is nicknamed ‘the Cobra’ was renovated by leading architect Ron Fream in 2015, adding further length and two completely new holes at eight and nine. More forgiving is the resort’s second course, the Bunga Raya, which is also testing but somewhat less exacting than its counterpart. Green fees from £60. saujana.com.my

BEST FOR SKYSCRAPER VIEWS
8: Sentosa Golf Club, Serapong Course, Singapore
More than three million cubic metres of sand was pumped and dredged from shipping channels to reclaim land and construct the Serapong course. The result is a masterpiece. The first nine holes are mostly laid out over the existing land and have a more sheltered feel to them while the bulk of the holes on the back nine are routed over reclaimed land and are open in character. The 14th, a long par-four, is played into the prevailing wind towards the towering skyscrapers of Singapore’s financial district while the 15th and 16th are classic death-or-glory set pieces played along the water’s edge. Green fees from £200. sentosagolf.com

BEST FOR CONTRASTING NINES
9: Bali National, Bali, Indonesia
The two nines at Bali National are completely distinct. The first nine holes turn away from the ocean and wind their way up, down and across the hilly Nusa Dua hinterland. After a tricky start, the course soon gets into a less penal groove and obvious birdie opportunities present themselves at short but striking par-fours such as the 2nd and the 8th. The back nine, meanwhile, utilizes level coastal land and works through coconut trees and several man-made lakes. Great holes include the 17th, a par-three with an island green, and the 18th, a short par-four with a double water carry. Green fees from £130. balinational.com

Laguna

BEST FOR HOLIDAY GOLF
10: Laguna Golf Phuket
An extensive revamp back in 2014 brought this layout up to the level of the other championship tests on Phuket, Thailand’s premier holiday island. Despite the improvements, though, there’s nothing to scare off high-handicappers. With wide fairways taking the pressure off tee-shots, holidaymakers have more scope to appreciate the beautiful tropical setting near the island’s Bang Tao Bay. Standout holes include the 17th, a long par-five with plentiful watery danger, and the fine closing hole, which offers a decent chance of a closing birdie. Green fees from £120. lagunagolf.com