Featured
course:
Klub Golf Bogor Raya
JL.
Raya Sukabumi Km70
Bogor West Java Indonesia
After an easy 40-minute drive from Central Jakarta we arrived
at the Klub Golf Bogor Raya, located within an integrated
housing complex just off the Jagorawi Toll Road. A couple
more minutes driving passed luxurious homes in gated communities
and vast stretches of undeveloped property, we finally reached
the club entrance. The structure was reminiscent of an exotic
tourist resort somewhere in Bali.
A friendly porter greeted us, when the BMW's and Lexus' parked
under VIP signs on both sides of the entrance brought a thought
to my mind: I sure had a lot of guts bringing my well-below-par-so-so
game to this up-scale place!
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But the enthusiasm we all brought in anticipation of spending
a sunny day on this beautiful golf course made us forget about
our lousy handicaps. All we wanted was a fun round of golf,
and if we didn't have the game, we sure had the style.
That enthusiasm was softened a bit, when at the proshop we learned
of the new Rp.250,000.00 green fee they now charge. For our
amateur budgets that move prevented us from picking up any souveniers
from the the well-stocked proshop. Yet, the professional and
kind treatment we continued to receive reassured us that we
were getting value for our money.
So we headed for the locker rooms where
an airconditioned hall boasted exquisite lockers, individual
showers and a comfortable sitting section with a big TV. The
restful atmostphere, maybe brought about by the lack of people
present, and the size of the whole venue added to the grandness
and luxurious quality that was almost worth the green fee price
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Four
well-equipped caddies and two carts awaited us at the starting
ground. After getting refreshments from the sportsbar we headed
off to the first tee. Beside the constant giggling by the caddies
and loud cursing by us players, the first nine holes went without
injury, accidents or broken equipment.
Driving the golf carts through the designated paths proved just
as much fun as hitting a 9-iron and made up for the occasional
miss-hits and lost balls here and there.
My lasting impression of the course were challenging long drives,
difficult approaches, hard to read greens, and quite a few bunkers
too many for our games. But then again, I'm not saying this
course is too difficult for the average golfer. Any course can
seem challenging when you play it for the first time, especially
for us amateurs. The four sets of tee boxes, black, blue, red,
white will cater to the varying skill levels of players.
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This
18-hole golf course measures 6195 metres, is a par-71 and uses
Bermuda Tiffway 419 for its fairways and Bermuda Tiffway for
its greens.
We completed the course in under 5 hours under the mercy of
the hot sun and realized we had a lot to learn before we could
truly appreciate the features of this amazing course. We concluded
the afternoon with a tasty lunch at the Tondano restaurant before
heading for the showers.
All in
all, Klub Golf Bogor Raya delivered an enjoyable experience.
The facility includes a practice range, putting greens, and
a Proprietary Members Club, but no night golfing is available.
The course is located at an altitude of 500 metres above sea
level, which allows for a fantastic mountain view and fresh
air, a great change from the bustling metropolis. Just remember
to bring your sunscreen! ***
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