Johor Golf Association

The game of golf in Johor was played in the Istana Besar, the Royal Palace ground during the era of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim in the early twentieth century. The game was later played at The Royal Johore International Club at Pasir Pelangi. Before the 1960s, there were also golf courses sprawling in the State, a few holes on each course, which were carved out by the planters within their grounds, mainly for the employees of their respective plantations.
In the 1960s, nine hole golf courses were available in the State of Johor in the districts of Johor Bahru, Muar, Batu Pahat, Kluang, and Segamat and were opened to the public to serve as recreational points for the town folks. District Golf Clubs were formed to manage these golf courses.

The first Golf Club with an 18 hole golf course in the State of Johor was established in Johor Bahru in 1968. It was not until the mid-1990s that there was a sudden surge of golf courses being built in the State, especially in the District of Johor Bahru. There are now 27 Golf Clubs in Johor.
	In 2008 His Majesty Sultan Iskandar gave his blessing to His Royal Highness Tunku Bendahara Johor, who together with the golf clubs in Johor institutionalized The Johor Golf Association. The main objectives of the Association are to assist the Clubs to develop golf tourism, to coordinate and promote the game by organizing tournaments and to develop a junior programme for budding golfers at their tender age.

The blue riband tournament of the Association is the Iskandar Johor Open which had its inaugural meet in 2007. This tournament which begun with a prize money of US$ 300,000 has grown in stature year by year and in its fifth edition in 2011, the prize money is US$2,000,000. The first four editions of the Iskandar Johor Open were sanctioned by the Asian Tour; however, in the fifth edition the tournament is jointly sanctioned by the Asian and European Tours. Besides the professional tournament, the Association also organizes amateur tournaments for its members. The Johor Golf League is among the highlights of the Association’s golfing activities. The Johor Juniors Centre was set up for the development of junior golf. The Association endeavors to open as many junior centers for the children where there is a need in an area. A total of 6 junior medals competitions are played each year as well as a Grand JGA Junior International Open.