Johor Golf vs Batam Golf. Pros and Cons

Typical weekday round trip to Kulai, The Legends or JB Tg Puteri.

Round trip toll RM 33 + 160 km journey petrol RM 45 + internal toll ? + Golf fee RM 100 each

Journey time include Jam 1.5 hrs x 2 = 3 hrs. Worse ~ 6 hours.  Stressful. Peeing no time!

Risk ? Car stolen. Robbery.


SiN / MAL toll exchange rate 2.55


Typical weekday round trip to Batam, Tering Bay IDR 950,000 = S$99 = RM 253 include golf with caddie + tip say RM 25 = RM 278. + Car park @ Changi S$ ?

Ferry journey 45 mins Changi to Nongsapura + early check-in waiting time + ?  Relax

Risk ? Missed ferry. Golf equipment mishandling


Will Batam officials entice more Singaporeans to its island? Revenues.

Match cost of transport + food + golf that of Johor, yet save time at checkpoints Jam ?

Have not been to Batam for a couple years nice courses there but not really missing it yet   As for JB can drive and more freedom to move about.  For me more pros than cons although in last couple years more stress due to immi delays over weekend and school holidays.  If usual weekdays, it is considered pretty good.  Here are some observations:
1. From wakeup to reach golf resort (eg. Palm, Putri, Pulai) is about 2 hours with breakfast at JB coffeeshop.  If you skip it and munch bread along the way, then only 1.5 hours.  This assume one got to wake up at 5am for weekends.  I believe seasoned golfers don't mind can tee earlier before 730am and enjoy sunrise.  During weekdays no stress can be later wakeup around 530am.
2. For weekdays, best is to avoid Fridays and near PHs.
3. As for return to SG, it is really per group arrangement (for ECA) hence timing is more flexible and no worries about missing ferries

Happy golfing.

For me, I think going to Johor for golf is easier than going to Batam. 

If you have an early tee-off, then there would not be much jams, especially for weekdays. December might be an exception though, due to school holidays and generally end-of-year mood for everyone. 

Risk of car being stolen is low (my opinion), if you park at the golf clubs. If you're having your meals outside, then it might be another story. Of course, we try to park it in a place where we can see it all the time. 

I feel like there is some savings, when you pump petrol in Malaysia, together with the cheap meals and all. 

Then again, I've never been to Batam for golf :/ so my opinion can be biased towards Johor.

Batam or JB about the same except Batam waste too much time

Nowadays I prefer Batam cos the jam at checkpoints can get very excruciating, whereas Batam time spent more consistent. Now old already. Tend to get more impatient.

Here's my comparison for weekend (on a Saturday) as I can only play Weekends.:-

Malaysia eg. Tanjong Puteri, Palm Villa

18 hole AM game: RM 240
Toll: RM40 (round off)

Total around Sgd93 (1:3 conversion for RM)
Time Spent: 0600hrs to 1500hrs (Depending whether you still go for massage and jams at checkpoints)

Will not take Petrol savings/cost as consideration as the kms travelled to and fro and jams at causeway would have easily wiped out whatever patrol savings.

Batam eg. Tering Bay

18 hole AM game with return ferry : Rp1.3 million
Caddy Tips : Around Rp 150k to 200k
Parking an TMFT: Sgd 15 (thereabouts)

Total around Sgd 170 (1:9800 conversion for Rp)
Time Spent: 0600hrs to 1600hrs (Firm as long ferry never delay)


Malaysia Pros

Malaysia definitely gives better savings compared to Batam comparing golf and travelling related fees. (About Sgd80) Even more savings if you play PM game in Malaysia. But be prepared one day weekend will burn as you would still have to meet around 9am and come home easily only after 8-9pm for a weekend game. 

Agree Malaysia has more flexibility. You can choose what you want to eat and activities to undertake after game. But in Batam day trip, you can only be in the course, ferry and terminal most of the time. A 2D1N trip to Batam is a different story though.

Malaysia Cons

Jams at Checkpoints can be frustrating. Time spent varies. For Batam, time spent is more or less confirmed with the ferry schedule. You can confidently predict what time you would be on your way home. Malaysia hard to say. 

And yes, security is a factor.

Batam courses are better maintained than 3/4 of the courses in JB.

There you go.

Afternote: For me Malaysia waste more time because we will standard go for massage and food aftergame, hence easily 12 hours. Whereas Batam, no choice.

Non school holidays go JB. School holidays go Batam. 

Costs wise, Batam is certainly more expensive than JB.

For those who do not drive. JB and Batam is roughly same price (factor in car transport fee). Batam you'll need a few hours extra.

anyone wanna play batam next week?

lol.. oldie-newbie

we have a 6ball going southlinks next week. 

Heads-up: we are all beginners!

thanks for the information

Marco wrote:

Nowadays I prefer Batam cos the jam at checkpoints can get very excruciating, whereas Batam time spent more consistent. Now old already. Tend to get more impatient.

Here's my comparison for weekend (on a Saturday) as I can only play Weekends.:-

Malaysia eg. Tanjong Puteri, Palm Villa

18 hole AM game: RM 240
Toll: RM40 (round off)

Total around Sgd93 (1:3 conversion for RM)
Time Spent: 0600hrs to 1500hrs (Depending whether you still go for massage and jams at checkpoints)

Will not take Petrol savings/cost as consideration as the kms travelled to and fro and jams at causeway would have easily wiped out whatever patrol savings.

Batam eg. Tering Bay

18 hole AM game with return ferry : Rp1.3 million
Caddy Tips : Around Rp 150k to 200k
Parking an TMFT: Sgd 15 (thereabouts)

Total around Sgd 170 (1:9800 conversion for Rp)
Time Spent: 0600hrs to 1600hrs (Firm as long ferry never delay)


Malaysia Pros

Malaysia definitely gives better savings compared to Batam comparing golf and travelling related fees. (About Sgd80) Even more savings if you play PM game in Malaysia. But be prepared one day weekend will burn as you would still have to meet around 9am and come home easily only after 8-9pm for a weekend game. 

Agree Malaysia has more flexibility. You can choose what you want to eat and activities to undertake after game. But in Batam day trip, you can only be in the course, ferry and terminal most of the time. A 2D1N trip to Batam is a different story though.

Malaysia Cons

Jams at Checkpoints can be frustrating. Time spent varies. For Batam, time spent is more or less confirmed with the ferry schedule. You can confidently predict what time you would be on your way home. Malaysia hard to say. 

And yes, security is a factor.

Batam courses are better maintained than 3/4 of the courses in JB.

There you go.

Afternote: For me Malaysia waste more time because we will standard go for massage and food aftergame, hence easily 12 hours. Whereas Batam, no choice.

Good Stuff. Thanks for sharing.