Forest City Classic Course Rises 14 Places to No. 36 in Asia; Retains Malaysia No. 1 for Seventh Year
JOHOR, MALAYSIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 22 May 2026 - Forest City Golf Resort announced that the Forest City Classic Course recorded its largest year-on-year rise in rankings to date in the 2026 Asia Top 100 Golf Courses, advancing 14 positions to No.
36 in Asia and retaining its status as Malaysia's top-ranked course. Adding to the momentum, the on-site Forest City Golf Hotel was recently recognised with the 2025 Agoda Gold Circle Award. As Malaysia gears up for Visit Malaysia 2026 and Visit Johor 2026, the resort expects heightened regional interest in golf travel.
Strong Rankings and Asia Golfing Trend Underscore Forest City's Readiness for Increased Demand
According to Forest City Golf Resort, it hosted more than 100,000 golfers in 2025. Driven by national and state campaigns and expected rising interest in golf, 2026 is expected to see continued growth in visitor arrivals, especially among recreational and leisure-focused golfers.
Visit Malaysia 2026 and Visit Johor 2026 are complementary, government-led tourism campaigns designed to stimulate inbound and domestic travel through coordinated promotion, marquee events, and service enhancements across key gateways and destinations. With ambitious targets — Visit Malaysia 2026 aims to attract 47 million tourists and generate RM147.1 billion in tourism receipts, while Visit Johor 2026 targets 12 million visitors and an estimated RM42 billion in economic impact by year-end — these initiatives are expected to drive increased demand for hospitality, events, and leisure around Forest City SFZ throughout 2026.
Meanwhile, Asia has seen a growing interest in golf participation and travel. Urban driving ranges and family-oriented mini-golf are broadening entry points to the game, and independent data from the R&A, one of the two governing bodies globally determining the rules of golf, revealed in 2024 that Asia leads the global golf population ahead of Europe, Canada, and all other R&A affiliated regions (excluding the US and Mexico, which are affiliated with the USGA). International golf travel into Asia is also growing, with Southeast Asia in particular strengthening its position as one of the most attractive regions for golf tourism due to championship courses, quality hospitality, and diverse cultural experiences — signalling a broad-based upswing supported by participation growth, investment, and tourism.
Against this backdrop, with the Forest City Classic Course ranking No. 36 in Asia and No. 1 in Malaysia for 2026, the resort is well positioned to translate demand into stay-and-play bookings, corporate golf events, and family getaways. Forest City Golf Resort also recently won the 2025 Agoda Gold Circle Award, reinforcing its appeal as an integrated golf-and-hospitality proposition designed to support stronger occupancy, longer lengths of stay, and higher per-guest spend through 2026.
Classic and Legacy Courses Anchor Forest City Golf Resort: Seven Years, One Consistent Verdict
Forest City Golf Resort in Johor, Malaysia, offers two 18-hole championship courses: the Classic Course, designed by veteran course architect Liang Guokun, and the Legacy Course, a signature collaboration between Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II. Both have achieved strong rankings in Asia.
Co-hosted by the Chinese and Korean editions of Golf Travel magazine since 2016, the Asia Top 100 Golf Courses ranking evaluates course design, playability, landscape aesthetics, and technical difficulty. The Classic Course first entered the list in 2018 and has maintained an unbroken presence through 2026.
In 2026, the Classic Course placed No. 36 in Asia — an improvement of 14 places. Within Malaysia, three courses were recognised; Forest City ranked No. 1 nationally, with the others at No. 55 and No. 73.
Forest City views this sustained recognition as evidence of relentless operational refinement and consistent course quality. In a competitive ranking where many venues rotate in and out, seven consecutive appearances reflect consistently high professional standards in design, conditioning, and the playing experience, as well as a deep commitment to achieving higher levels of excellence.
Course Design Philosophies: Return to Nature, Calibrated Challenge
Forest City Golf Resort's 36 holes present complementary architectural signatures at international championship standard.
The Classic Course, by veteran architect Liang Guokun, exemplifies his "Return to Nature" philosophy through multi-layered landscapes, sculpted bunker lines, and lake vistas integrated strategically across every hole. The lakes form part of the course's water management system, delivering visual drama and functional sustainability in tandem. Liang's standing is independently validated: both the Classic Course and his Holiday Island Golf Club feature in the 2026 Asia Top 100.
For golfers, the Classic Course translates design intent into experience: each shot invites thoughtful decision-making, rewarding precision and course management while immersing players in a carefully composed natural setting. The result is a round that challenges skill and strategy while offering a sense of progression through a living landscape.
The Legacy Course, a signature collaboration between Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II, adds a distinct counterpoint. This rare father-and-son design balances calibrated challenge with aesthetic appeal, catering to players who seek a different test from the Classic Course while maintaining championship credentials.
Both the Classic and Legacy courses are GEO Certified, underscoring verified environmental stewardship rather than self-declared claims. In 2025, Forest City Golf Resort hosted several major tournaments and welcomed more than 100,000 golfers, confirming the venue's role as an active stage for diverse styles of play as well as an exceptional destination for visiting golfers.
| | Classic Course | Legacy Course |
| Designer | Liang Guokun | Jack Nicklaus & Jack Nicklaus II |
| Yardage | 7,138 yards | 7,386 yards |
| Holes | 18 | 18 |
| Design Signature | "Return to Nature," lake integration | Challenge × aesthetics balance |
| GEO Certified | Yes | Yes |
| Asia Top 100 (2026) | No. 36 — No. 1 in Malaysia | Previously recognised (Asia-Pacific) |
| Design hallmark | Lakes integrated as water management + strategic challenge | Pulai River mangrove edges, elevation changes, water carries |
Beyond the Courses: Forest City as a Golf Tourism Destination
Forest City Golf Resort operates as an active international competition venue as well as a premier leisure destination. Its regularly held tournaments and growing visitor numbers underscore consistent utilisation throughout the year. These metrics also complement the Asia Top 100 recognition and reflect the resort's capacity to stage events at scale while maintaining a high-quality guest experience.
Set within Forest City's wider leisure ecosystem, the resort benefits from approximately 4 km of coastline, curated mangrove boat tours, sea-fishing, and year-round food and beverage options. This natural and amenity-rich setting supports repeat visitation: close enough to Singapore for convenient access and continually evolving to reward the return visit with rich and diverse experiences and itineraries.
Beyond golf, Forest City Golf Resort has secured nearly 20 industry accolades since 2018, contributing to Forest City's portfolio of more than 40 international awards overall. For organisers, these third-party validations, combined with proven MICE infrastructure and cross-border connectivity, translate into a reliable platform for corporate golf days, incentive travel, and multi-event calendars — breathtaking for the new, heartwarming for the familiar.
Resort Overview
- Location: Forest City, Johor. Approximately 2 km from Singapore at the closest point.
- Access: Approximately 40 minutes' drive to Singapore's CBD via the Second Link Crossing (travel time subject to traffic).
- Accommodation: Forest City Golf Hotel (five-star; recipient of 2025 Agoda Gold Circle Award) and garden villas. Golf Villa show units renovated with a "limitless space," intended for groups and families.
- MICE and corporate: Conference and event facilities available for corporate golf days, incentive travel, and board-level meetings. Catering and breakout spaces available.
- Visitor volumes (2025): More than 100,000 golfers visited; among Malaysia's most visited golf clubs.
- Booking: Tee times, stay-and-play packages, and corporate event enquiries are available via the official site at https://fcgolfresort.com/.
Sustained recognition in the Asia Top 100 reflects consistent investment in course quality, operations, and environmental management (including ongoing GEO certification) — commitments Forest City Golf Resort expects to carry forward through 2026 and beyond. As the Visit Malaysia 2026 and Visit Johor 2026 campaigns take effect, the resort anticipates stronger demand across stay-and-play bookings, corporate events, and family leisure. These conditions, combined with its proximity to Singapore and integrated amenity offering, strengthen Forest City's value proposition as a golf tourism destination and integrated resort platform for golfers, organisers, and long-term stakeholders alike.
Hashtag: #ForestCity
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