Bintan: 4 Golf Courses That Are Above Par
Photo source: Artsycook007 via Ria Bintan Golf Club
Think a lake is the worst kind of water hazard you can face? How about the ocean?
With tropical greenery, sweeping coastal views and courses shaped by some of golf’s biggest names, Bintan’s golf courses are as beautiful as they are formidable. One moment, you’re lining up a shot between towering trees. Next, you’re hitting the perfect swing with the ocean as your backdrop.
Here are fore golf courses in Bintan that are likely going to be your cup of tee.
1. Ria Bintan Golf Club (Ocean Course)
Photo source: Ria Bintan Golf Club via Facebook
Designed by nine-time major champion Gary Player, Ria Bintan’s Ocean Course takes golfers through native Riau jungle before revealing its coastal scenery. Gary Player ranks Ria Bintan as one of the 10 favourite golf courses he’s designed.
The 18-hole, par-72 layout stretches 6,470 metres from the black tees, with the sea coming into view at Hole 7 and surrounding the eighth green on three sides.
Then comes the famous ninth: a par-3 challenge involving a rocky coastal inlet. It’s the sort of hole you’ll want to take a shot with your camera before taking your shot.
While scenery is a major draw, it also adds to the challenge. Coastal breezes can turn club selection into a small negotiation, so listen to your caddie before committing to that seaside approach.
Ria Bintan also has a 9-hole, par-36 Forest Course that takes you through mature woodland, lake views and a quieter inland setting, but it’s currently closed for maintenance and upgrades.
2. Laguna Golf Bintan
Photo source: Laguna Golf Bintan via Facebook
Originally designed by two-time Open champion Greg Norman and subsequently revamped, this 18-hole, par-72 course winds through forest, wetlands and beachfront coconut groves. The changing scenery gives the round a sense of discovery - almost like advancing from one stage to the next in a video game.
Early holes offer sea views before leading you past lagoons and through dense jungle dotted with natural rock formations. But the big coastal moment arrives at Hole 17, where a tee perched over the sea sets up a shot across spectacular rocks. Most people take at least two shots here: one with their club and another with their phone. It’s the most photographed spot on the entire property.
Sitting at the property’s highest point, the clubhouse offers sweeping views over the course and beyond - a scenic setting for a post-game meal and drink. If you like your golf with variety, challenge, and a generous helping of scenery, Laguna is above par in everything but your scorecard.
3. Bintan Lagoon International Golf Club (Sea View Course)
Photo source: Bintan Lagoon International Golf Club via Facebook
You don’t need to follow professional golf to recognise the name Jack Nicklaus. With a record 18 men’s major championship victories, the “Golden Bear” is considered one of the greatest golfers of all time. He has also been designing golf courses since the 1960s, with his company being one of the largest golf design practices in the world.
At Bintan Lagoon, his Sea View Course combines jungle-lined holes with coastal scenery across an 18-hole, par-72 layout. Here, multiple tee positions allow golfers of different abilities to choose a suitable starting point - super useful if your holiday group includes regular players and newbies.
The course is designed to give you room to enjoy the setting, but with enough bunkering, water hazards and demanding approaches to keep the round interesting. As the layout moves towards the coast, the sea provides a scenic reward for your efforts.
4. Bintan Lagoon International Golf Club (Woodlands Course)
Photo source: Bintan Lagoon International Golf Club via Facebook
If the Sea View Course highlights the coast, the Woodlands Course invites you deeper into Bintan’s greenery.
Designed by 1991 Open champion Ian Baker-Finch, this 18-hole, par-72 layout is known for its tree-lined setting and undulating terrain. It offers a contrasting experience to its seaside sibling, with the landscape’s slopes and wooded surroundings shaping the challenge.
Here, the pleasure lies in working your way through the course rather than simply trying to overpower it. Your driver may enjoy being the centre of attention, but it doesn’t always need to be.
Tee off your next golf getaway from Berjaya Waterfront
Photo source: Laguna Golf Bintan via Facebook
Whether you finish with a birdie or a ball you’d rather forget, there’s more to a Bintan golf holiday than the scorecard. Leave room for a leisurely meal, a stroll along the beach and an afternoon with nothing else planned. You’re on holiday, after all.
When you’re ready for your next round, Bintan is a ferry ride away from Berjaya Waterfront in Johor Bahru. Or, if Bintan is not enough golf for you, there’s always neighbouring Batam to explore.
Click here for our list of golf clubs in Batam
Click here to check out ferry schedules and book tickets to Batam & Bintan
