All to play for

The Courts at KLGCC Resort is a true recreational playground. — Photos: The Courts@KLGCC

THERE is a flurry of motion and some form of fitness activity on a two-acre mound smack in the middle of the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC). On both the padel and pickleball courts, players are seen engaging in fun, yet competitive matches. At the spin cycle studio, riders peel out of the class drenched in sweat after a 50-minute rhythmic cycling workout.

Elsewhere, yoga practitioners are eagerly waiting for their class to start and in the midst of all the action, there’s also a busy cafe as well as a salon and spa with customers getting their hair and nails done. With such a diverse range of recreational and lifestyle components, it’s hard to pigeonhole what truly defines The Courts at KLGCC.

Its operators say it’s a boutique lifestyle wellness hub, catered to the active community with state-of-the-art wellness facilities. And indeed it is just that. But it is hard to imagine that up to several months ago, the land area which now encompasses The Courts was initially designed as something else entirely.

Changing the game

According to Gary Seaton, one of the founders of the project, the pivot away from its original intended form — a tennis academy — was due to rising costs. “It needed a creative transformation due to increased construction expenditure. This necessity sparked the idea to convert The Courts from a single-sport academy into a multipurpose venue instead.”

The inspiration took root post-pandemic, says Seaton. As a sportsman who lives an active lifestyle, he started travelling a lot — mostly in Asian countries — as soon as international borders opened up.

“I was going around exploring new business opportunities while practising a healthy exercise routine and discovered several new sports such as pickleball and padel. I realised that these sports were booming in every other neighbouring country except our own.”

He also noticed the prevailing trend towards a healthier lifestyle, especially in the aftermath of Covid-19. “I believe the pandemic highlighted the importance of social connections and community, as many people felt isolated and craved activities that not only kept them healthy but also allowed them to connect with others.”

Seaton roped in strategic business partner, Abdul Hazli Zainuddin, to help bring the idea to life. Abdul Hazli, who is a former national tennis player, understood the potential appeal of the project due to the expanding fitness community and the increasing demand for facilities.

“When we looked at the market, we saw a clear trend towards recreational complexes or hubs that offer a blend of wellness and lifestyle activities,” Abdul Hazli points out. “In fact, according to recent statistics, the demand for facilities offering activities like pickleball and padel has been steadily increasing. These sports, which are relatively new to Malaysia, have been gaining popularity due to their accessibility and appeal to a wide range of ages and skill levels.”

From concept to reality

With the rough pieces in play, the founders set about realising their vision. Seaton admits that at first, persuading owners Sime Darby to embrace this innovative concept — probably the first of its kind in Malaysia — presented a significant hurdle. There was also the challenge of convincing the various collaborators to sign on to the project.

“We had to show that yoga and pilates, the hair salon, pickleball and padel courts, spinning studio and F&B operator could successfully coexist in one facility,” says Seaton with a smile. But the concept quickly evolved after the collective realised that there was a gap in the market for a wellness and lifestyle hub.

“We saw an opportunity to offer something unique and valuable to the community and we acted on it,” reveals Seaton. “And the positive feedback we began receiving confirmed that we were on the right track.” Abdul Hazli also points out that they also worked closely with the stakeholder, Sime Darby, to bring The Courts to fruition.

“In fact it was their vision to make this a placemaking effort for the group,” Abdul Hazli points out. “We originally intended for the venue to be purely for tennis. But we diverted, modifying its components to be a more comprehensive centre to cater to new sports like padel and pickleball.”

With a total investment of RM10 million, the project began taking shape with firming up the concept to authority approvals taking approximately two years. Construction, however, was fairly quick, taking only just six months to complete. The master plan of the facility was centred on a selection of several diverse components.

Abdul Hazli elaborates that the pickleball set-up includes eight courts — four covered and four uncovered — designed to meet international event standards. “Similarly, our padel courts are equipped for top-tier competitions. Yoga, pilates, spinning, a salon and the restaurant help foster the vibrant and holistic ecosystem.”

Replicating success

The Courts opened for business earlier this year with Pickle Social Club, Tribe Ride and the 176 Salon & Spa. This was closely followed by Padel Playground and The Flow Studio, offering yoga and pilates and Noa — an F&B component.

Since opening, the facility has been buzzing with crowds with the courts and fitness classes filled and booked out. “It has been tremendously popular,” Abdul Hazli enthuses. “It is the ‘IT’ place now for health buffs that frequent gyms, enjoy racket games or even fancy a meal or drink. It’s a lifestyle facility in a prime location.”

Moving forward, the founders are looking at expanding this lifestyle wellness hub concept to other major cities across the country.

“This is our proof of concept,” states Seaton. “While there are other recreational complexes in Malaysia, none of them offer the unique combination of wellness and lifestyle activities that we have here at The Courts. This innovative concept sets us apart in the market and has generated a lot of interest and excitement.”

Abdul Hazli also believes that the concept has great potential to thrive in urban areas. “The success we’ve seen here demonstrates that there is a significant market for wellness and lifestyle hubs that cater to the diverse needs of today’s consumers. As more people prioritise their health and well-being, we are confident that complexes like ours will continue to thrive and expand to meet this growing demand.”

Although a small scale property developer, Seaton is proud that they have managed to make The Courts a reality. “I think it shows we put our money where our mouth is. We are now looking at collaborating with landowners and master developers — from consulting on the project, building, operations or even partaking in equity for future projects.”

Born from a collective love and passion for sports and socialising, the founders state that they envisioned The Courts as a place where people can come together not just to exercise, but to build relationships and feel part of a community.

“We wanted to create a welcoming environment that not only promotes physical health but also provides a space for social interaction and community building,” says Seaton. “And we’re immensely happy to see that has come true.”

This article first appeared in Star Biz7 weekly edition.