Squash Courts in Malaysia - Best Places to Play Squash Near Me
When it comes to squash, Malaysia can be considered one of the giants of the sports. Squash has been played in this country for more than 50 years and Malaysians have graced the world stage for quite a number of years too. Most of us will remember Nicol David becoming World Number 1 for a record period of time, or Ong Beng Hee and Azlan Iskandar entering the world's top ten ranking.
Due to this, squash is considered a relatively popular sports in Malaysia, at least in the Klang Valley. Many condominiums have built-in squash courts for their residents and various sports clubs have also catered to this demand. Most of these sports clubs are membership-based, but there are some squash courts which are open to the public. And, these public centers are the biggest squash courts in the country, more so than the ones in the private clubs.
So, when it comes to playing squash, where is the best place to do so? Which location has the nicest courts, or the best facilities? We will look at 10 of the most popular squash hotspots in Malaysia, without any particular order
#1 National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil
We can't speak about squash facilities without mentioning its star. After all, this is the venue built specifically for the 1998 Commonwealth Games and it has also hosted many world-class events such as the World Championship, SEA Games and Malaysian Open. The Centre house 1 glass court and 10 standard courts, all of which are available for public rental. Not only are the facilities complete, but you also get to watch national players in training or if you are lucky, perhaps have a few strokes with them. There are several groups of seasoned social players playing here on a regular basis. Hence, if you are looking for a social squash group to join, this is probably a good place. Even though this is the main place for squash in Malaysia, the court rental rates are affordable, as the facility is owned by the government.
Open to: Public
* This place is currently closed for renovation.
#2 Bukit Jalil Golf and Country Resort
This is another facility located in Bukit Jalil, 5 minutes from the above National Squash Centre. This is also the training ground for the Nicol David Academy. The club is open for members and their guests. There are not many social players here, so if you just want a quiet place to horn your skills, this is a suitable place. Or, if you want to enroll your kids in Nicol David-designed squash programs, do drop by.
Open to: Members and Their Guests
#3 Royal Lake Club Kuala Lumpur
This is an Elite Sports Club, for the rich and famous. If you want to rub shoulders with VVVIPs who can or cannot play squash, this is the right place. There are however, some elite members in this club who used to be former national players and a few are still playing competitively. So, if we talk about quality of players, there are certainly some elite players here.
Open to: Members and Their Guests
#4 Royal Selangor Club (next to Merdeka Square)
This is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, sports club in Malaysia. There are quite a number of active social groups here. There are also squash lessons for children and adults, either competitively or socially.
Open to: Members and Their Guests
#5 Jalan Duta Squash Centre
This is another squash facility owned by the government. Though the courts are not as good as the ones in the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil, it is still a popular place for squash enthusiasts. it is open to the public at affordable rates.
Open to: Members and Their Guests
#6 Bukit Bintang Boys School, Petaling Jaya
This is one of the oldest public courts. Even though the courts ar einside a school, they are open to the public at affordable rates. The courts are not in tip top condition but good enough for social games as well as international junior tournaments. This facility is also the main training ground for the state junior players. Their junior programs are also open to the public. If you are looking for coaches to teach your children or yourself some squash, this is a good place to go to
Open to: Public
#7 The Raintree Club, Kuala Lumpur
Another "high-end" private club with excellent facilities, the Raintree Club has the only jumbo squash courts in the country. They host the Jumbo Double Squash Tournament every year. Players from all many different countries come for this annual event. Players who want to play doubles, will come here for social games every week.
Open to: Members and Their Guests
#8 Kelab Shah Alam Selangor, Shah Alam
This is one of the very few clubs with squash courts in Shah Alam, another city about 45 minutes drive from Kuala Lumpur. Kelab Shah Alam is the Royal club of Shah Alam, patronized by the royalties and their friends. The faciltiies are in tip top condition. There are a few regular social groups that play here, but it is not as popular as the squash courts in Kuala Lumpur.
Open to: Members and Their Guests
#9 Dato’ Hj Mohd Said Sports Complex, Seremban
This is the most trending public courts in Malaysia right now. Due to the temporary closure of the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil, most of the international tournaments in Malaysia are held here. It also has one glass court and several normal courts. The building has been renovated, so it looks relatively new. The facility is also quite comprehensive and can accommodate a large number of audience
Open to: Public
#10 Nicol David International Squash Centre in Penang
This squash centre in the hometown of Nicol David is named after the Legend herself. This squash facility is the biggest in the northern region of West Malaysia. It also plays hosts to a number on international squash competitions. This is also a good place for kids in the northern states to join squash training programs. There are a few renowned local coaches in this squash centre.
Open to: Public