The Mines Resort & Golf Club in Seri Kembangan was built by Malaysian businessman Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew with exclusivity in mind, and it helped to establish Malaysia as the country with the best championship golf course.
Seri Kembangan and the surrounding neighborhood's real estate prices started to rise.
More and more developers stepped on board, purchasing land there to construct homes, apartments, offices, and retail spaces.
It all began when young Lee met Tan Sri Kazumasa Suzuki, the then chairman of Mitsui & Co., at his office in Kuala Lumpur in the 1980s, where he was advised to take on the challenge and construct the most exclusive golf course in the world for Malaysians.
People with knowledge of the matter told NST Property that Lee's mind was still caught on the word "exclusive," and he continued to work toward his goal of creating the best championship golf course in the world.
A Selangor corporation had a sizable plot of land for sale surrounding a mining area in Seri Kembangan, and Lee was searching for suitable land to buy when he discovered it.
The corporation had more than 2,000 acres of land in Seri Kembangan at the time. The majority of the desirable land that was located far from the mining area had already been sold to Selangor Turf Club and other builders.
Lee decided to buy the remaining parcel of land in the mining region.
Industry sources said that Lee constructed the Mines Resort & Golf Club on his own dime, without assistance from the government.
Lee purchased a total of 1,000 acres of land from the Selangor corporation for RM50 million, or RM50,000 per acre for the golf course, and to build houses, apartments, hotels, offices, retail and recreational facilities.
"Since the land was in such poor condition, many people believed that development was not conceivable. To stabilise the land and rehabilitate the soil, extensive re-engineering was needed. The fairways were lined with a foot of sand to protect against contaminated soil and to also offer great drainage, particularly during the frequent monsoon rains," said the source.
In 1993, the Mines Resort & Golf Club was essentially constructed on top of the largest open cast tin mine in the world, repurposing a desolate wasteland that was formerly rich in priceless materials into a top-tier resort and golf course.
It is a private club that is run and controlled in part by Lee's Mines Excellence Golf Resort Berhad.
When Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad, the then prime minister of Malaysia, paid a visit to the area, he inquired about Lee's assessment of the project's viability.
According to the source, "Lee respectfully replied by asking Mahathir to be his first client to support the development, and he ultimately acquired land within the resort area and built his property."
The Mines Resort & Golf Club was developed into a prestigious 246-acre, 18-hole course thanks to the foresight of Lee and the skill of renowned architect Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Greens were allowed to mature for a year with the highest standards of maintenance following completion in 1993.
The golf course has a lot of variety, making it a fun place to play. The landscaping and design are successful in avoiding the over-ornamentation trap that so many high-profile golf projects in Asia seem to fall into.
There are a lot of alternatives to this course, which makes it one of the most enjoyable golf courses to play.
According to the source, Lee, who has the same initials as Singapore's Lee Kam Yew, is a big fan of the way he built Singapore and mapped out the landscape of the nation.
"Lee firmly believes that golf can be used to benefit the country by serving as more than just a sport and by creating a stunning national garden. Lee views this as more than simply a source of pride. His vision is to make Malaysia known around the world by creating the most prestigious golf club there," the source said.
The Mines Resort & Golf Club was named a Top 100 Course, the #2 Course in Malaysia, and a Top 10 Course in Asia, among other significant honours.
Tiger Woods appeared at the golf course for the CIMB Classic. Having won the 1999 World Cup of Golf, this was his second time playing on the same course.
Reigning champion Bo Van Pelt and Ben Crane of the United States joined the field, giving the Mines Resort and Golf Club a significant boost. Some 48 golfers competed in the CIMB Classic, including 10 from the Asian Tour and 30 from the USPGA Tour.
The Mines Resort and Golf Club is "too exclusive"
For a very long period, Mines Resort and Golf Club was a private, members-only club.
The club received little improvement when it was leased to a private firm for five years of management
"Every golfer in the community felt sorry for the club. Lee took over the running of the club and persisted in bringing it back. Now that there is a liaison committee for the club, they have complained that it is becoming too exclusive. Additionally, the non-member golfers who visit the Mines to play golf are also saying that it has grown too exclusive, which is good for the business and brand.
"Only a few exclusive clubs exist in Malaysia today. One has a membership cost of RM250,000 and a 36-hole golf course with 4,000 participants. Another club has 27 holes and 6,000 members. The Mines Resort and Golf Club is 20 minutes from downtown KL and has 200 VIP members. Exclusiveness can be advantageous," added the source.
According to market rumours, a person can sign up for membership at the Mines Resort and Golf Club for as little as RM10,000 per year.
When contacted, Lee informed NST Property that he would be announcing the new membership fees and its advantages for the club, which might include access to a private jet.
The championship golf course, which Tiger Woods has played on is advancing, Lee said.