Royal Palm Golf & Country Club

Palmers, the 350-yard par-4 opener, sets the tone with a gentle dogleg right, trees and mounding tightening the line from the tee. Its narrow, shaped green has bunkers on either side, so a controlled start is more useful than a full-blooded driver. Royal Palm Golf & Country Club continues in that thoughtful vein across an 18-hole, par-72 layout by Malaysia-based LDR Consultants. The 205-yard second, Treasure Island, brings bunkers tight to both sides of the green and a lake waiting beyond, while the 518-yard third, Chemin De Fer, asks for a tee shot that carries water after 150 yards, with out of bounds following the right side. At the fourth, Mughulpura Plateau, a 150-yard par 3, the raised green falls sharply from back to front and water lurks right. The course runs through 140 acres of rolling ground and mature trees on the former Pakistan Railways Golf Club site, giving the round a settled, green setting despite its Lahore location.

Between rounds, the club has plenty of places to linger. Palmers is a rooftop sports lounge looking over the fairways, serving Continental, Chinese and local dishes, while Café Scarlet faces both the course and swimming pool for breakfast, afternoon tea or a relaxed dinner. Dawat suits an evening of Pakistani barbecue and clay-oven cooking with golf-course views, and Chameleon’s menu centres on grilled and baked dishes, salads and dips shaped by seasonal produce. Alongside the course and dining venues are sporting facilities, banquet halls and a 3D cinema, giving the club the feel of a complete leisure base on Canal Bank Road.