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1GOLFINDONESIA.BIZ / JANUARY 2014 /
INDONESIA'S FREE GOLF TABLOID / ISSUE O9 / JANUARY 2014 / FREE COPY
FREE
KGBR CADDIES— © DENNIS G. KLOETH—GOLF PROMO INDONESIA
/ JANUARY 2014 / GOLFINDONESIA.BIZ2
CONTRIBUTORS' PROFILE
EDITOR'S NOTE
CONTENTS
Editor
Simon Reynolds
Management
Edo Frese
Group Editor in Chief
Angela Richardson
Editorial Assistant
Gabriella Panjaitan
Sales & Marketing
Betty De Haan
Distribution
Dian Mardianingsih
Graphics
Frederick Ng
Finance & Admin
Lini Verawaty
Contributors
Marshall Brothers
Jack Fox
Dennis G. Kloeth
Antony Sutton
Adam Taylor
Dick van Toulon
Circulation Enquiries
Subscription
Events
Classifieds
Published by
PT. Koleksi Klasik Indonesia
Jl. Kemang Raya No. 29A
Kemang, Jakarta–Indonesia
Tel: 021 7179 4550
Fax: 021 7179 4546
Office hours: 09.00–17.00
Monday–Friday
Golf Indonesia is published
monthly by PT. Koleksi Klasik.
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writers and the publisher does
not accept any responsibility
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W W W. G O F L I N D O N E S I A . B I Z
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DICK VAN TOULONDick van Toulon van der Koog (61, Dutch, what’s in a name ?) is a pensionado resident of Jakarta. He has been a keen follower (obsessed is the right word, according to friends) of the US and European golf tours, ever since he took up golf in 1973. A mediocre amateur golfer, he thoroughly enjoys the great courses of Jabotabek. If his knowledge of historical professional golf data borders on the bizar: so what ?
ADAM TAYLOROriginally from Melbourne, Australia, Adam graduated from the Australian PGA as a full member professional with a Diploma in Golf Instruction in 2005. Having been based at Royale Jakarta Golf Club for the past two years, Adam has devoted his passion and knowledge of the game to improving players of all levels and ages. His instructional techniques have featured in several television golf programs and golf magazines. He looks forward to improving your game through Golf Indonesia Magazine and at Ancora Golf Institute, Royale Jakarta.
DENNIS G. KLOETHBorn June 1946, in Menteng, Jakarta, after a stint of 26 years in Europe, Dennis returned to Indonesia in 1987. In 1998, he founded Golf Promo Indonesia, promoting abroad Indonesia’s fabulous world of golf and leisure. Long before most countries in the world had even begun to imagine the potential for golf tourism in 1999 he started the golf dedicated website www.indogolf.com. As a prolific writer and photographer, he first published the Golfer’s Guide Indonesia in 2001. His articles on, and photographs of Indonesia’s golf courses are published in Asia, Europe and the United States. For more than one decade he is considered the go-to source for information on golf in Indonesia.
JACK FOXJack Fox is an adventure capitalist based in Asia. Diagnosed with incurable dromomania at birth, he has led a massively digressive academic/career path spanning four continents as a film student, investment banker, DJ, freelance writer and entrepreneur. When not cycling or golfing in a cholera-ridden corner of planet earth, it's uncertain what he gets up to, says his relentlessly concerned mother.
ANTONY SUTTONAntony is a freelance writer who has been hanging around Southeast Asia for about 20 years. Unfortunately he hasn't picked a club in anger since his days in Bangladesh on the Kurmitola course where he benefited greatly from the words and wisdom of Nelson, the one-armed caddy.
Today, he keeps threatening to head to the local diving range to shake off the cobwebs, but hasn't yet made good with that promise. Instead he contents himself with a few quiet, cold beers once in a while and helping his son become a good Arsenal fan!
ANDY MARSHALL(Handicap 16)—Born in England in 1961, Andy has been a professional freelance travel writer for the past 20 years, During that time, he has travelled to over 50 countries: including Sri Lanka, Solomon Islands, Panama and Hungary to cover a diverse range of lifestyle, travel, golf, food & wine features for various magazines worldwide.
PAUL MARSHALL(Handicap 24)—Born in England in 1965, Paul is a professional photographer living in Stockholm with his wife, daughter and Welsh springer spaniel. He works on a freelance basis with different kinds of reportage and portraiture work for various publications in Sweden, ranging from lifestyle and golf to travel and business magazines.
So here we are welcoming in a new year full of fresh opportunities ahead for us golfers. A passing year and holiday time
offers us plenty of quiet time for contemplation and reflection of our golf game over the past 12 months and a moment to plan our targets and goals for 2014. What was it about 2013 that you will remember fondly? And what is it about 2013 that you are most keen to forget?
At a recent media gathering it was very exciting to hear the upcoming developments for the 2014 professional golfing calendar here in Indonesia. Up first we have the inaugural LINC Group Jakarta Invitational, which will be the Asian Development Tour finale played at the Faldo designed Jababeka Golf and Country Club, Jakarta from the 8th–11th January with a prize pot of US$ 60,000 at stake. The tours top players will be looking to cement themselves within the top three final standings of the Order of Merit to secure their playing cards in the upcoming 2014 Asian Tour. With the recent
success of ADT starlet, Malaysian Nicohlas Fung, he is a fine example of a player who has earned valuable experience playing in the ADT and has already secured his Asian Tour card for the next season having finished in the Top 60 Order of Merit playing on the 2013 Asian Tour. For the record Fung recently finished in a tie for 2nd at the Indonesia Open last month. The ADT events in Jakarta offer local professionals fantastic opportunities to compete at a high level of golf competition and gather vast experience in their quests to become better players whilst earning some prize money.
The LINC Group Jakarta Invitational will set the tone for an exciting year of golf ahead for us golf nuts here in Jakarta. What are your plans for the new golfing season, perhaps it is to shave 5 strokes off your handicap? Or perhaps it is to break 80? Some say golf is a journey, what direction will you take in 2014? Set yourself optimistic goals, and with practice, perseverance, dedication and commitment you may surprise yourself in what you can achieve from the game. What you put into the game you will get out of the game, I am sure. But most importantly keep enjoying the game.
I leave you with these wise words:“If you watch a game, it's fun. If you play it, it's recreation. If you work at it, it's golf.” Bob Hope
Happy Golfing!
FEATURED COURSE REVIEW
Royale Jakarta Golf Club
GOLF FEATURETTE
The OWGR (Part 2)How It Distorts Reality
GOLF FEATURETTE
Tiger Fever
GOLF TRAVEL
Padivalley Golf ClubMakassar's Magnet to Golfers…
INTERVIEW
Mr. Giuseppe Andretto,Chief Designer and Engineer of FREE MINDS Sunglasses
GOLF FEATURETTE
Golf Course Styles
TIPS
The Grip
GOLF TRAVEL
Golfing in the Kingdom of Bhutan
HUMOUR
Curious Tales from the Golf Course
3GOLFINDONESIA.BIZ / JANUARY 2014 /
/ JANUARY 2014 / GOLFINDONESIA.BIZ4
Royale Jakarta Golf Club
FEATURED COURSE REVIEW
BY SIMON REYNOLDS
COURSE INFORMATION
SOCIETIES
Societies welcome. Contact
clubhouse for arrangements.
GREENS FEES EFFECTIVE
1ST JANUARY 2014 (ALL
PRICES ARE ‘GUEST’ FEES)
Monday: Rp. 599,000
Tuesday–Friday: Rp. 799,000
Saturday & Public Holiday
Morning: Rp. 1,899,000
Afternoon: Rp. 1,250,000
Sunday:
Morning: Rp. 1,295,000
Afternoon: Rp 1,019,000
(All prices above include
Green, Golf & VAT)
Driving Range (50 balls):
Rp. 43,000
Drving Range (100 balls):
Rp. 80,000
FACILITIES
Pro-shop, Driving Range, Golf
Arcade, Club Fitting, Putting
Green, Short Game Area,
Massage, Restaurant, Function
Rooms, VIP Meeting Rooms.
LOCATION
Jl. Raya Halim Tiga,
Halim Perdanakusuma
Jakarta Timur 13610
CONTACT
Telephone:
(62-21) / 021 80 888 999
Fax: (62-21) 8087 8877
E-mail: [email protected]
Marketing Communications:
Website: www.royalejakarta.com
PUBLIC COURSE PRIVATE
OWNERSHIP
27 Holes
Golf Buggies mandatory
NORTH COURSE / PAR 36
Black: 3291m
Blue: 3067m
SOUTH COURSE / PAR 36
Black: 3379m
Blue: 3191m
WEST COURSE / PAR 36
Black: 3318m
Blue: 3318m
ROYALE JAKARTA GOLF CLUB
White: 2801m
Red: 2420m
White: 2895m
Red: 2432m
White: 2867m
Red: 2472m
INTRODUCTIONRoyale Jakarta Golf Club is a world-class championship golf layout open to the public, which has recently grown famous amongst avid golfers in Indonesia and South-East Asia as the host venue for the CIMB Niaga Masters, an Asian Tour sanctioned event.
Being the host venue for Indonesia’s most prestigious professional event attracting Asia’s biggest stars as well as a handful of top Internationals, is testament to the quality and standard of the 27 championship holes available at Royale's South, West and North courses.
The course was designed by Bob Moore Junior and the JMP group and it incorporates many unique features which have earned it the prestigious accolade of the Best Golf Course in Indonesia for the last three years by the Asian Golf Awards committee.
Royale is the very first golf course in Asia to use Sea Isle Supreme Paspalum grass, which is in immaculate condition in all areas of the course from the tee boxes, fairways, adjacent rough and its challenging greens.
This particular type of Paspalum is the latest of its kind, the Windows 8 or iPhone 5 of golf courses. Many professionals have commented on its consistency, and the Golf Indonesia team thoroughly enjoyed playing on the international standard conditions on a recent visit.
THE COURSEBob Moore Junior and co. have created 27 holes of sheer golfing joy. The level of detail in the design proves just why this course continues to the host prestigious events with the variety of holes providing all kinds of unique challenges.
also adequate numbers of well-positioned distance markers and the fairway sprinklers were all marked with distance reads, so there was never any doubt to the distance of your next golf shot.
The consistency of the sand in the bunkers was most impressive, there are rumours that all the sand was imported from an island off the coast of Sumatra in bulk, due to its fine texture and reminiscent of the soft sand found on the championship courses used on the PGA tour. The quality of the bunker sand is just an example of the attention to detail which makes playing golf at Royale pleasurable.
FACILITIESThe practice facilities are comprehensive, with a 300m international standard driving range with numerous target greens to enhance your driving range experience. The driving range is
backed up with a shopping gallery where several shops offer all the top brands of golfing equipment and there is even a comprehensive custom fitting establishment on site.
The driving range is also home to the Ancora Golf Institute. Ancora Sports, led by Australian PGA Professional Adam Taylor who, alongside two local professionals, are devoted to helping you develop and improve your game.
A short walk from the driving range there is a large short game haven, with a huge putting surface with many undulations as well as a large practice bunker where you can fine tune your short game in your own time.
The short game area and the large putting green located near the North Course opening hole are both maintained to the same standard as the on course conditions at Royale.
The Royale Resto is open and spacious and offers majestic views of the North Course and South Course closing holes and provides a large selection of cuisine from all over the globe. The Pro-Shop is complete with all the top brands in Golf, as well as an impressive selection of golf fashion items while the locker rooms are large, luxurious and airy and there is a spa on site to soothe your weary
"There are cheaper golf courses on offer in Jakarta, but not many golf courses in Asia offer the avid golfer this high standard of golfing pleasure, so close to the city centre."
PRACTICE RANGE NIGHT
HOLE 5 SOUTH COURSE
The 6th hole on the South Course stands out as one of Royale’s signature holes, the tee shot requires a large carry over water with large bunkers protecting the right side of the wide green, and with the flag positioned to the left of the green on our visit, we were forced to play safe and aim for the right side or the heart of the green, and I was chuffed to walk away with a two putt par 3.
The upcoming 9th hole on the South Course is another Royale stand out. The long par 5 has several obstacles that the golfer must consider. The local resident Australian professional emphasised the importance of positioning from the tee box, as the tee shot requires a carry over water towards finding a thin fairway. The water runs all the way from the tee box to the green some 600 metres away and the waiting majestic clubhouse behind the green. There is also a water passage to carry, which forces you to ponder the length of your lay up and will make your muscles tighten slightly when considering going for a crack at the green in two. The view towards the cub house and green with the vast expanse of water on the left and the looming clubhouse is a site you will remember long after your close out you round. The hole plays 565 metres from the back tees and only the longest of pro players reach the green in two during the masters.
Over the past 20 years, Bob Moore of the JMP group has designed and completed five courses here in Indonesia. His philosophy is to build beautiful and enjoyable golf courses, which the average golfer will want to play again and again.
Everything about the course was impressive: the quality of the fairways, well into the rainy season, were soft, spongy and consistent. There were
5GOLFINDONESIA.BIZ / JANUARY 2014 /
bones after the likelihood of too many holes on the course.
CADDIESOur caddies for the day were pleasant. Always smiling and willing to have a chat about life, golf and local celebrity gossip, the two we had were hardly shy. Their golf knowledge was well trained, yardages were precise and greens were read with confidence and assertiveness. I like to take a divot with my irons and wedges and my only complaint was often my caddy had to be reminded to add sand to my temporary damage. There seemed to be several divots, which had been left unattended to during our round.
Smiling, friendly and charming female caddies are all the more reason to make your golfing at Royale such a top-quality experience.
AMBIENCEThe Royale Jakarta Golf Club is conveniently located close to the Pondok Gede toll exit on the Jakarta–Cikampek road. A long drive from the front gates and a long and winding road towards the clubhouse with lovely views of the West Course as you sweep towards the clubhouse drop-off point.
Being such a large facility, there is a huge number of staff on-site and in the clubhouse. The staff are attentive as well as friendly, especially in the pro-shop, and they are more then happy to attend to your every need.
The Royale Jakarta Golf Club and its private owners have created a world-class golf venue, which will cater for all the needs of the golfer here in East Jakarta, and it is to no surprise why the CIMB Niaga Masters is hosted here with great success for the last three years and long may it continue.
of quality on the course I cant imagine many people complaining about paying the price of their green fees after 18 holes of Golf at Royale. There are cheaper golf courses on offer in Jakarta, but not many golf courses in Asia offer the avid golfer this high standard of golfing pleasure, so close to the city centre.
COURSE RATING
COURSE
FACILITIES
CADDIES
AMBIENCE
VALUE
GOLF INDONESIA RATING 22/ 2588%
VALUE FOR MONEYRoyale is by no means cheap. Yet, like all things in life for the quality of golf on offer you will not feel
HOLE #5 WEST
HOLE 9 SOUTH COURSE
short changed. Maintaining 27 holes to international standard comes at a considerable cost, and after you experience the level
/ JANUARY 2014 / GOLFINDONESIA.BIZ6
GOLF FEATURETTE
BY DICK VAN TOULON
How It Distorts Reality
Spanish player Gonzalo
Fernandez-Castano was 7th
in Europe but 128th in the US!
THE OWGR (PART 2)
OWGR (OFFICIAL WORLD GOLF RANKING): THE US PGA AND EUROPEAN TOURS ARE EQUALLY STRONG. If there would be no difference in strength, the European Tour would have disappeared altogether, because every European pro would have queued up for membership of the US Tour. Most of them don’t even try, because they know full well how much more competitive the US Tour is. Only the most successful European Tour members (incidentally one whose courage is bigger than his sense for reality) try their luck on the US PGA Tour. The superior strength of the US Tour is not the result of prize money alone. It has to do with US college golf, that breeds talent in a very competitive environment.
THE OWGR: COMPARING GOLFERS WHO DON’T COMPETE.How do you rank golfers against each other when they don’t compete head on? The OWGR tries by giving each regional tour its own individual weighting, and subsequently groups everyone together within the same ranking by simply adjusting regional results for the weighting of the regional tour. The problem with the OWGR is that its assumptions are based on historical and political considerations as well, instead of solely on an up-to-date estimation of differences in competitive strength. Its points distribution charter reflects this: the winners of the Japan Open (event purse $2 million), the Australian Open ($1.25 m) and South African Open ($1.13 m) are awarded 32 points versus the winner of a regular US Tour event (purse per event $6 million) 24 points.
The second most important f law of the OWGR is that it continues to grant points for results up to two years ago. Never mind that the OWGR points system acknowledges the importance of recent results by weighing results of the latest three months 100%, and subsequently downgrading by 1.09% per week until the end of week no. 104 (or a player’s 52nd event, whichever earlier).
My point is that a world ranking should downgrade much faster, and never keep in its weighting results older than one year/52 weeks. Once you understand the OWGR points system, if you want to know where a player is with his game compared to his competitors, you will look at that pro’s up-to-date regional tour ranking, because that doesn’t look further back than the current calendar year. Also, you are comparing results of head on competition. And if you want to compare golfers playing different tours, prize money is your only realistic yardstick (anyone with a better idea, please email me).
An example of how the OWGR ranks non-competitors (OWGR 17-Nov-13):
2013—R2D no. 63 Paul Lawrie = OWGR no. 90—prize money EUR 513,0002013—FedEx no. 32 Matthew Jones = OWGR no. 100—prize money US$ 1.7 million
In 2012, ten years after his last top 10 finish on the European Order of Merit, Lawrie finally seemed to have his game back in the kind of shape that he displayed around the turn of the millennium, finishing tenth on the R2D. Sadly, that didn’t last, and in 2013 Lawrie’s results went south once again, failing to get into the final 2013 R2D event, for which only the top 60 qualify.
Matt Jones’ (33) performance in 2012 and 2013 is the mirror image of Lawrie’s in 2012, where he lost his PGA tour card. To get it back, he had to return to Qualifying School, every professional’s nightmare. But Jones passed with f lying colours (T14), and in 2013 started competing successfully and consistently. On the final 2013 FedEx Cup ranking he finished no. 32, barely missing the final play off event, for which only the top 30 qualify. Still, he left behind quite a few big names, amongst whom European superstars Lee Westwood (41), Rory McIlroy (50), Ian Poulter (53), Graeme McDowell (55) and Ernie Els (68).
Ergo, 2013 was Jones’ first really successful year on the strongest tour in the world, while Lawrie’s results on a considerably weaker tour went in reverse once again.
Any world ranking based on realistic grounds will award results on the US Tour a multiple of what it grants for the European Tour; difference in prize money suggests three to four times.
To ignore this completely leads to complete nonsense. Jones’ no. 32 on the final 2013 FedEx Cup ranking versus Lawrie’s no. 63 on the European R2D is turned upside down by the OWGR, because it gives European Tour events the same points that it grants US Tour events. And the OWGR
continues to reward Lawrie’s very good results in 2012, that by Nov-13 lost relevance entirely, in case you want to know where Lawrie “is” with his game. So if you, too, take the OWGR for what it is not, and draw the conclusion, that on 17-Nov-13 Paul Lawrie “is” no. 90 in the world, while Matthew Jones “is” no. 100, you are very seriously confused, indeed.
Professional tour associations and event managers of the strongest events in the world who take their events seriously should stick to qualification tools that give them the strongest possible field: players that can be expected to have a realistic chance to contend.
Sadly, the OWGR continues to be misused as yardstick no. 1 to determine which professionals deserve exemption from qualification. The result: weak fields.
Imagine for one moment that the OWGR would announce that it will downgrade the European Tour compared to the US Tour, by 75%. Don’t bet your money on the people running the OWGR mustering the political courage required to even consider it. But if gambling on the outcome of professional golf events is what you want, you better stay away from the OWGR, as far as you can. A fair guess is that the ranked professionals will do everything within their own power to keep the OWGR unchanged, with its snail-like adjustment to changing trends in their results, especially when they are heading south, a fate no pro escapes.
* Fernandez-Castano and Olesen had temporary US Tour playing rights
without FedEx Cup ranking, but US Money List rankings deviate
little from the FedEx Cup. (Louis Oosthuizen and Peter Hanson’s
results ignored because of their injuries). Henrik Stenson had a
spectacular season, becoming the first European Tour member
to win the US FedEx Cup and the European R2D in the same
year, something never done before. Justin Rose won the
2013 US Open, the 1st European Tour member since
Tony Jacklin in 1970. Sergio Garcia, Charl Schwartzel
and Luke Donald qualified for the final FedEx
playoff event. David Lynn’s US and European
rankings differed marginally. The final FedEx
Cup rankings of the other 11 European
Tour members illustrate how much more
competitive the US PGA tour is.
2013 R2D 2013 FedEx Cup
No. 1 No. 1
No. 16 No. 22
No. 2 No. 53
No. 20 No. 68
No. 38 No. 128
No. 3 No. 10
No. 24 No. 84
No. 40 No. 161
No. 4 No. 55
No. 27 No. 27
No. 43 No. 28
No. 7 No. 128 (US Money List)*
No. 32 No. 135 (US Money List)*
No. 52 No. 48
No. 15 No. 41
No. 35 No. 50
No. 68 No. 130
Henrik Stenson
Martin Kaymer
G. Fernandez-Castano
Nicolas Colsaerts
Justin Rose
Thorbjorn Olesen
Sergio Garcia
Luke Donald
Ian Poulter
Charl Schwartzel
Lee Westwood
Ross Fisher
Graeme McDowell
Rory McIlroy
Ernie Els
David Lynn
Padraig Harrington
© 2013: DICK VAN TOULON VAN DER KOOG
7GOLFINDONESIA.BIZ / JANUARY 2014 /
GOLF FEATURETTE
BY ANTONY SUTTON
TIGER FEVER
T he year is 1997 and Tiger Mania is in full swing. And nowhere
more so than Thailand.
He had only turned professional the year before, but it seemed he had already been around for years. He had of course. Companies like Nike and Titleist don’t go round throwing money at some guy who just walked in off the street.
Tiger’s career has been well documented. Appearing on TV with Bob Hope when he was still two years old for example, or beating his father for the first time, aged 11.
Most Thais became aware of Woods, of course, as the hype rippled round the world. But for them there was something more. His mother, Kultida, was Thai and that was enough for the golf loving Thai elite to claim Tiger as one of their own.
In early 1997, Tiger was invited to Thailand to compete in the Asia Honda Classic being played at the Thai Country Club just outside Bangkok. The mania could begin!
It all started at Don Muang airport. Exhausted after a 20-hour flight, Tiger, along with his fellow first class passengers, would have been astounded to see a camera crew burst into their cabin and stick lights and cameras in his face which was being beamed live to the nation.
In the wake of the cameras followed a phalanx of politicians and businessmen keen to be among the first to have their picture taken with the rising star of golf with a Thai mother.
Hailed as one of the Asian Tigers, Thailand was on the slippery slope to financial meltdown that would come in July of the same year when the government released the national currency, the baht, from the US dollar. Left to survive alone amid a sea of currency speculators, the baht and the economy dived spectacularly as investors raced for the exits, alarmed at the debts the Thais had built up developing their economy.
Before the party ended, the Thais invested heavily in golf courses. The elite loved the game as a place to see and be seen, as well as conducting deals on the fairways and in the restaurants. Golf equaled status and they loved status. Power and wealth meant nothing if they could not be flaunted.
The Thai Country Club, designed by Denis Griffiths, was designed and built during the years of plenty. Opened in 1996, the Asia Honda Classic was their international debut. And by signing up Tiger Woods they guaranteed themselves plenty of publicity. For a cool half a million dollars they paid Tiger they probably felt it was money well spent.
It took Tiger time to adapt to Thailand. The heat and humidity strike you as soon as you leave the airport building and after the shock intrusions on his arrival you can imagine the young golfer was feeling the pressure a bit.
He quit the Pro Am on the 13th citing heat exhaustion and food poisoning, the latter somewhat ironic considering his heritage.
He recovered, though, in time for the main business, shooting a 70 on the first round, which he more than bettered second time around when he set a course record 64 8 under par.
His final rounds were a model of consistency, 66 and 68, to finish on 268, 10 strokes clear of runner up Mo Joong-kyung. In addition to the appearance money, he pocketed another $48,000 for winning.
The trip was a massive success for him. He was feted by the government, rumours at the time suggested they had granted him honorary citizenship as well invited to be an ambassador for the 1998 Asian Games which Thailand was hosting.
But not everyone fell for Tiger Fever.
Golf is only for the monied in Thailand. Courses are private and expensive. Today if you want to try and beat Tiger’s impressive 64 at the Thai Country Club it will cost you about $200 for a weekend afternoon, way beyond the means of most Thais.
While Prime Minister Chavalit Youngchaiyudh smiled for the endless photo opportunities and his spokesman Chingchai Mongkoltham told the world Tiger Woods was "important for society because we usually have pretty bad news", others were less than enthusiastic.
"Our government’s reaction is too much. They want to give honours to someone who is basically a foreigner while they do nothing to support our local athletes," said an 180-year-old Thaweep Thiensai.
Certainly with just over a year to go until the Asian Games, it did seem odd that while construction work was moving slowly, all of a sudden the government was falling over itself about one sportsman who just happened to have a Thai mum.
The Secretary General of the Olympic Committee of Thailand, Major General Charouck
Arirachakaran, would have had plenty of experience trying to get various Thai governments to do something about sports in the country and he was blunter.
"As far as I am concerned, he is only half Thai. He takes part in every tournament as an American national and there is little positive publicity Thailand can derive out of it."
While Tiger was seen as the good old African American stroke Thai guy who had made good, in Thailand there was a great deal of ambiguity regarding similar mixed race children.
Under Thai law at the time, a Thai woman marrying a foreigner had to give up her right to own property, while the children would adopt the father’s nationality. This would have meant plenty of visa runs to Malaysia.
And yet here was the Thai government fawning over someone who, had the family stayed in the country, would have had to stay unmarried just so the son could have been classed as a Thai. The treatment dished out to Tiger was far different than the laws of the land stipulated and when it was announced Tiger would be granted citizenship there was outcry with the letters page of the English language Bangkok Post filled to overflowing at the double standards of the government.
A government spokesman denied any offer and Tiger left the country of his mother’s birth half a million dollars richer while the country headed for recession.
"Our government’s reaction is too much. They want to give honours to someone who is basically a foreigner while they do nothing to support our local athletes"
/ JANUARY 2014 / GOLFINDONESIA.BIZ8
GOLF TRAVEL
BY DENNIS KLOETH
Makassar's Magnet to GolfersPADIVALLEY GOLF CLUB
G olfers that live and work in Indonesia may consider themselves
a lucky bunch. With more than 150 golf courses nationwide, all who embrace the King of sports will have no difficulties in choosing a fabulous course for their next game. With week-day golf being highly affordable, there is no reason at all not to explore Indonesia Golf right here at our very doorstep.
Domestically, a wide variety of attractive golf travel packages are there to satisfy even the most spoiled golf traveller. Sure, Indonesia’s best-known and most-travelled golf destinations are Jakarta, Bandung, Jogjakarta, Surabaya, Bintan and Batam, and last but not least, Bali. Off the beaten track, however, the more unknown destinations such as Sumatra, Kalimantan, Papua and Sulawesi offer an enchanting golf experience that is second to none. One such destination that I recently visited is Makassar, South Sulawesi’s capital city. And the brand new Padivalley course is bound to make me return to Makassar in the not too distant future.
Before the Padivalley Golf Club came to be, Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi wasn’t directly a place you would think of whenever you were looking for competitive golf with your buddies. Important as a port city, this provincial town—also known as Ujung Pandang—is located on the oceanic crossroads that connect Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java and Bali in the West, with Sulawesi,
the Moluccas and Papua in the East of the vast archipelago that is known as Indonesia.
In the 14th Century, Makassar was the most important port of call for Merchant vessels from India, China and the Western world that came to trade silk, tea and other valuable goods in exchange for nutmeg and other spices, for which a high demand existed in far-flung countries in the west.
In 1667, the VOC (Dutch East Indies Company) managed to oust the Portuguese and Spanish from Makassar, and turned its port into their stronghold in the trade of spices from the Moluccas, then better known as the Spice Islands. They destroyed Fort Ujung Pandang that was built in 1545 by the King of Gowa, and replaced it with Fort Rotterdam, an impressive monument that, even today, exists in Makassar as the city’s most iconic landmark.
Gowa is located some 20 kilometers east of Makassar and today, descendants of the King of Gowa still live in this vast region that is dominated by multi-coloured hills and mountains that
reach as far as the eye can see. It is in this incredible nature setting that Padivalley Golf Club found a pretty amazing home.
Bob Moore of USA based JMP Golf Design Group was hired to create a memorable golf experience and he managed to do just that. For the tee boxes, fairways and rough, he used Salam Paspallum. For the greens a choice was made for Supreme Paspallum. Covered with this modern-day grass and caressed by a gentle sun, Padivalley exhibits itself in many different shades of green. Fluffy white-sand bunkers eloquently stand out amongst this abundantly lush green canvas, truly making them a beautifying feature at Padivalley. Eye candy of the highest quality, one could say!
It’s obvious that the course is built with Makassar’s rapid future growth in mind. Hence, in an effort to create an international standard course - that usually is only found in and around Jakarta or other well-known cities and golf destinations such as Surabaya and Bali—no penny was spared. Host to the ASEAN PGA Tour event The Padivalley Gowa
Classic, uniquely the layout boasts five Par 5 holes and five Par 3 holes.
All of the par 5 holes - #5, #7, #9, #12 and #18 - are pretty tough and single handicappers should try and play them from the Gold Tee.
With 550 metres, the finishing hole is the second most difficult on the course.
From the Gold Tee, all of the par 3 holes are seriously long and it’s no wonder that, with 200 metres, the par 3 hole #4 carries a handicap
HOLE 10 © DENNIS KLOETH
GREEN-SIDE BUNKER HOLE 10 © DENNIS KLOETH
PADIVALLEY CLUBHOUSE VIEW FROM HOLE 9 © DENNIS KLOETH
PANORAMIC VIEW OF HOLE 9 & HOLE 18 FROM THE CLUBHOUSE BALCONY © DENNIS KLOETH
9GOLFINDONESIA.BIZ / JANUARY 2014 /
PADIVALLEY GOLF CLUB
ADDRESSPatalassang, Gowa - South Sulawesi
CONTACTTelephone: 62-411-7345777Website: www.padivalley.com
HOW TO GET THEREFROM JAKARTA:One can fly Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air, Sriwijaya Air, Citilink, Wings Air, Merpati and Batik Air.
FROM SINGAPORE:Air Asia has a daily service.
Due to its central location, Makassar is recognized as an important logistic hub that makes parts of Indonesia’s remote destinations, such as those in Papua, more accessible.
A wide selection of international hotel brands such as Novotel, Howard Johnson and Swiss Bell Hotel Group, to name just a few, cater to those that spent time in this, Sulawesi’s capital city.
Contact Indogolf Travel at [email protected] for a golf travel package to Padivalley.
stroke 1. Mere mortal golfers, however, need not worry. With a choice of five different tee boxes, Padivalley offers enjoyable play for golfers of all handicap levels.
Like an eagle’s nest, the Padivalley’s clubhouse is located
on the highest point in the site. The restaurant overlooks the entire site and on the balcony-type terrace comfortable sofas are placed to allow golfers to sit back and relax and take in breathtaking bird’s eye views on holes #9 and #18 and Gowa’s mountains in the
distance. Locker room facilities are up to five-star quality and so is general service that is provided by well-trained staff. At Padivalley, golfers may find themselves hard-pressed to leave the clubhouse long after the final putt is made.
HOLE 17 © DENNIS KLOETH
The driving range is located left of the clubhouse, while a two-tiered and enchanting putting and bunker practice area is located between the tee boxes of hole #1 and #10. Both these practice facilities allow golfers to hone their skills before
attempting to tame Padivalley’s challenging layout. Overall course maintenance is superb and it makes playing Padivalley a genuine treat for which golfers may gladly return.
/ JANUARY 2014 / GOLFINDONESIA.BIZ10
FREE MINDS Sunglasses Introducing
INTERVIEW
BY SIMON REYNOLDS
Owner of Free Minds: Giuseppe Andretto modelling his new innovative golf sunglasses.
› Giuseppe, a brief introduction, where is your hometown in Italy? › Our company, Free Minds (FREEM) is located in Treviso, North Eastern Italy, close to Venice, this area of Italy is notorious through history for the production and manufacturing of sports equipment.
› What is your professional background? Have you always been involved in manufacturing high quality sport equipment?› Professionally, I have always had a very technical background. I started my professional life working for a company as CAD-CAM programmer then I spent seven years as technical 3D CAD designer. After over four years in the research and development division of a sport group, in 2001 with two other friends, we founded the Free Minds company. The company focus is specializing on hi-profile driver products. You may say that my technical background and experience in manufacturing technical sports equipment for high performance drivers has given me a huge advantage in designing and developing a sport product like golf sunglasses. An advantage for many reasons, mainly for the correct choice of materials and technology applied towards the production and overall performance of the final product.
› Eyesight and vision is essential for all golfers, for their ability to judge distances, read the putting greens, and spot hazards. What do the FREEM sunglasses offer the golfer which make them unique
and high performing in comparison to other manufacturers?› As a new arrival to the golf industry, in the presence of big brands like Oakley and Bolle, a big advantage of our products is they are not developed starting from a purely commercial perspective. We saw the product development of our golf sunglasses fundamentally on a technical and performance level whilst maintaining an element of traditional Italian style and aesthetics. The vision of our product: placing the golfer at the very centre of the project's priority and observing what they need on the greens and on the course. Researching the strains and demands the golfers' eyes face during a round of golf and developing sunglasses that can cater to the very needs of the discerning active golfer.
› What motivated you to produce sunglasses for the golf industry?› We recognized that many of the sunglasses currently sold in the golf market had much room for improvement, with regards to overall weight, ergonomics and specific lense performances.
We started to work on our golf eyewear frame, incorporating an innovative lightweight compound in which carbon fibre increases the overall f lexibility by 45% without any effect on the strength and durability of the product. During the Second step we worked on the ergonomics, in order to keep the sunglasses stable during the golf swing. Last but not least, our importance was to focus on the lense performance. Our lenses we have opted for
Golf Indonesia gets up close and personal with chief designer and
engineer, Mr. Giuseppe Andretto
are not common sunglass lenses but instead photochromic polyurethane lenses developed for the military field. Usually for ballistic use, high-impact resistance and very clear vision for true perception of colours and distance in all weather types and sunlight conditions.
› What is the mission and how would you describe the vision of FREEM sunglasses?› The FREEM company is committed towards developing unique and high performance sunglasses. Completely 100% handmade and innovative design with top quality and tried and tested materials, specific for golf and leisure use. Our mission is to always supply the best eyewear products for our target market and consumers.
› Around the world, Italy is considered the leading nation in fashion and style. How important was the style and design in the final production of the FREEM sunglasses for Golf?› Our brand is a 100% Italian authentic brand manufactured and developed in Italy. I am confident that golfers will appreciate our truly exclusive professional product.
› As lovers of Italian food, Golf Indonesia is curious about your favourite Italian dish and your favourite food you sampled on your recent trip to Jakarta.› What you say is true, in Italy we have a deep passion for food, personally for the pasta mainly, but honestly when I travel I want to appreciate local food because it is the best way to understand the culture and lifestyle of a different country. I travel frequently and my last trip was my first time in Indonesia. I enjoyed the local food immensely, the diversity the richness in flavours and also the warm friendly people I so often encountered.
› What did you love the most about your recent visit to Indonesia’s bustling capital city, Jakarta? › This was my first trip in Indonesia and the total visit was only two days. This did not really give me enough time to appreciate Indonesia as a country, but what I did see and what I did appreciate was the people, always very pleasant and friendly. I hope to be back as soon as possible.
"The FREEM company is committed towards
developing unique and high performance
sunglasses. Completely 100% handmade and
innovative design with top quality and tried and
tested materials, specific for golf and leisure use."
11GOLFINDONESIA.BIZ / JANUARY 2014 /
GOLF FEATURETTE
BY MARSHALL BROTHERS
Golf Course Styles
O ne of the wonderful aspects of golf is that wherever you play in the
world, no two courses are alike and variety is astounding. The three main styles of courses are links, parkland and heathland, with several sub-categories that include desert, mountain, forest, moorland, cliff-top, volcanic, sand, snow and even artificial turf courses. Whether it’s the narrow tree-lined fairways of a forest layout, the prickly yellow gorse of a heathland design, or the devilishly difficult pot bunkers of a links, each type of course has its own characteristics and particular hazards to negotiate.
A favourite style among golfers is a ‘links’, sometimes referred to as a seaside links. One of the oldest and most traditional types, it was first developed in Scotland where golf originated. Links are located in coastal areas, on sandy soil, from which the sea has retired in recent geological times, often amid dunes, with few water hazards and usually no trees.
Links present some special challenges, and due to their coastal location, most are frequently influenced by the wind, favouring players who can hit
low accurate shots. In addition, most links courses consist of an outward nine in one direction along the coast and an inward nine which returns in an opposite direction, meaning that golfers have to cope with differing wind patterns in each half of their round.
Links turf is often hard and bare, which gives the ball bounce and is something that needs to be allowed for when hitting shots. The wispy long grass in the rough makes play very difficult even in a good lie, and if a ball heads too far off line and into the dunes it can be impossible to find. Links also feature undulating fairways, fast contoured greens and small deep sand traps known as ‘pot bunkers’ that are often hidden from view. If you are unlucky enough to go in one, they are difficult to get out of, sometimes requiring a shot played sideways or even backwards.
Several centuries old links have survived in Scotland, Ireland and England, but they can also be found in other parts of the world, too. Excellent courses that typify the links style include Royal Dornoch (Scotland), Ballybunion Old (Ireland) and Royal St. Georges (England).
Throughout the decades, golf moved inland, and courses were built in more pastoral settings giving rise to another popular golf style—the parkland course. Featuring well-manicured fairways and greens, a parkland design is usually in a treed landscape often with mature species such as beech and oak, and the fairways are usually tree-lined.
Elevation changes, plus water in the form of lakes and crisscrossing streams may add to the challenges, making it important to plot a strategic route around. Most PGA Tour courses are parkland courses and Augusta National
is the classic example that other parkland courses aspire to.
Positioned somewhere between a links and a parkland is the heathland, best described as a more open, less manicured inland course, typically less wooded than parkland courses with fairways often bordered with gorse and heather. Walton Heath, Ganton, Alwoodley and Aldeburgh are classic English heathland layouts.
A more recent golf course style is the desert course, particularly popular in parts of the USA and the Middle East, where the desert landscape has offered golf course architects an amazing blank canvas from which to create their works of art—swathes of emerald green fairways in a sea of red rock.
Elevated tee blocks and greens are a frequent feature of desert courses and hazards may include rocky scrubland dotted with cacti and rattlesnakes. Although they require heavy irrigation for maintenance of the turf, leading to ecological concerns about excessive water consumption, there is no denying the visual and aesthetic appeal of desert courses.
In countries such as Canada and Austria, mountainside designs provide greater distance due to the altitude, and well-struck shots can fly an extra 10 percent through the crisp clean air. Some courses in the volcanic country of Iceland are routed through rugged lava fields, while others in the outback of Australia play entirely over sand with the putting area consisting of ‘browns’ (a mixture of sand and oil), which is blended and rolled.
If sand or snow golf doesn’t appeal to you, and links and parkland are too familiar, then perhaps a round on a tropical links, a tight forest layout or a rugged cliff-top course could be more your style?
© PAUL MARSHALL
© PAUL MARSHALL
© PAUL MARSHALL
© PAUL MARSHALL
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: Lahinch Golf Club, IRELAND. One of Ireland’s classic links courses. A golfer and his caddie head for the green at the par-3 11th, a short hole punching out to sea with fine views of Liscannor Point. GOLF COURSE STYLE: LINKS. Rathsallagh Country Club, IRELAND. A top-quality parkland course dotted with mature oak and beech trees. GOLF COURSE STYLE: PARKLAND. Duke’s Golf Course, St Andrews, SCOTLAND. Opened in 1995 and designed by 5 times Open Champion, Peter Thomson, the course was re-designed in 2007 by the U.S. based Kohler Company, home to the famed Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run golf venues. Today, the Duke's is a heathland gem. Gone are the rivet-faced pot bunkers and in are rough-edged spacious bunkers synonymous with bygone years of heathland golf. GOLF COURSE STYLE: HEATHLAND. Ballybunion Old, IRELAND (established 1893) located on the Shannon estuary is one of the grand seaside links of the world and is a ‘must play’ for every keen golfer. LINKS.
text by andrew marshall | images by paul marshall
/ JANUARY 2014 / GOLFINDONESIA.BIZ12
TIPS
BY ADAM TAYLOR
THE GRIPO ver the next few issues of Golf Indonesia, I will be covering what I believe are the
five most basic principles for the golf swing. These principles apply to almost every area of the game, from the full swing, chipping, pitching, bunker play and more.
In my first edition, I will show you how to correctly perform the grip.
The grip is the most important fundamental of the game. It is the only part of our body that connects to the golf club, but is often overlooked as a reason for our swing faults. Most importantly, the correct position of our left hand (right handed players) plays a significant part in the breaking of our wrists and body position on the backswing, plus the quality of our impact and ball direction. The following is a step-by-step process to improve your grip and ultimately your game.
The two most common ways to link the hands are either the interlocking or the overlapping grip. Pictured is the interlocking grip, the most common grip used in Asia and for beginner players due to it being slightly easier to keep the right hand on the grip during the swing. The worlds Number one player, Tiger Woods, uses this grip.
The overlapping grip is popular with players with slightly bigger hands and fingers. The index finger of the left hand is placed on the grip the same as the other fingers of the left hand. The little finger of the right hand sits on and slightly in between the index and middle fingers of the left hand. This can feel more comfortable for players with slightly larger hands and fingers. The worlds Number two, Adam Scott, uses this grip
Try both and choose the one which feels the best for you and gives you the best ball f light results.
The next step is to place your right hand on the grip, making sure that your thumb is also on an angle towards the middle of your right shoulder. The underside of your right thumb and the top of your left thumb should mould nicely into each other. This should result in your left thumb being hidden under your right thumb. Your hands are now in a position to work together and progressively achieve better contact and direction.
From the side view, the key position is the lower area of the left palm is placed on the top of the grip. This will make it easier and almost automatic to angle your left thumb towards the middle of your right shoulder, and to break your wrists during the backswing. If you are able to comfortably hold the club in this position, you are going to have a lot more control of the club during the swing.
Wrap your fingers around the base of the golf grip, and then bring your thumb across the top of the grip so its angle is pointing towards the middle of your right shoulder. Your left hand should be sitting comfortably on the grip with your thumb and the lower part of your index finger lying close together.
Most players make the mistake of placing the golf grip too high into the palm of their left hand. The preferred position is to have the club closer to the base of the little finger and through the first joint of the index finger. This is the first step to be able to break the wrists correctly in the takeaway and return the clubface straighter behind the ball at impact.
Any changes to your grip will take time and practice to feel comfortable and see results.
If you would like more information on the grip, or to have a personal lesson with me, contact Ancora Golf Institute at Royale Jakarta Golf ClubAncora Golf InstituteRoyale Jakarta Golf ClubJl. Raya Halim TigaHalim Perdana Kusuma, Jakarta 13610Phone +62 21 8087 2222 ext. 310-311E-mail: [email protected]: www. ancorasports.com
13GOLFINDONESIA.BIZ / JANUARY 2014 /
GOLF TRAVEL
BY JACK FOX
Golfing in the Kingdom of Bhutan
L andlocked between China and India in the Himalayan mountain
range, Bhutan is one of the most geographically, politically and technologically isolated countries in the world. With just three nine-hole golf courses, it is very much an emerging golfing nation. Royal Thimphu, the only course in playable condition, is probably the most remote in the world. According to Tshendra Dorji, the person who would later become my caddy, there are 200 golfers in the entire kingdom.
A friend who once shared a class with Queen Jetsun Pema at London’s Regent’s College
ROYAL THIMPHU GOLF CLUBIt is said that an Indian army officer brought golf to Bhutan in the 1970s by convincing the King to let him build a golf course but the sport only flourished in 2007 when PGA golfer Scott Janus appointed himself Head Golf Coach of the Kindgom of Bhutan, a position he held for one year.The pro-shop/clubshop at Royal Thimphu is owned and operated by Ms. Gyem Lhamo. It sells a modest selection of premium branded golf balls, Foot Joy golf shoes and gloves, Golf Pride grips, plastic tees, other accessories, club paraphernalia and has eight sets of Taylor Made and Mizuno graphite golf sets for rent. Having travelled light to Bhutan, I was happy to acquire my own rental clubs for the day. A set of regular flexed True Temper steel shafted Taylor Made R9s irons and their graphite shaft wood/driver counterparts.
The majority of the nation’s golfers are high-ranking government officials, diplomats and members of the royal family. Recently, a burgeoning community of travel agency owners have taken up membership and about twenty foreigners come to play the course each year, most of whom are wealthy Japanese tourists.Tshendra says that the Bhutan Golf Federation could use some help from foreigners to really get things cracking for the professional golf scene. Contrary to what I had thought, the Bhutan Golf Federation only governs handicapped golfers. Although there are 11 scratch golfers in the entire kingdom, the kindgom does not produce professional golfers in the abscene of funding from a professional body. I ask Tshendra how he compares to the other
scratch golfers—he reckons he’s in the top five in Bhutan. Tshenda’s lowest score at Royal Thimphu is an impressive 30 (-5), and the course record is 28 (-7), set by his friend.
The Par 3 on Hole 8 is my last chance to attempt a hole in one. I look across the valley and think to myself 180 yards and Tshendra is handing me a seven and eight iron? Trustingly I take a seven iron while wondering if he has mistaken me for the Tiger Woods, as I would normally use a four iron from this distance.
I carefully place the tee in the ground, and throw some loose grass in the air to access the speed and direction of the wind. After one practice swing I step up to the tee, swing the club back and...bang, I completely fluff it. I hook the ball nastily and it is heading for the trees to the left of the green. Such was my desperation to make a hole in one that I let an extended "F***" so loudly that a couple of coffin
dodgers on a completely separate fairway look around in complete horror.
Fortunately the ball bounces off a tree and lands perfectly on the green. Amazingly, it comes to rest about eight feet from the hole. Those same pensioners who I had offended seconds before now witnessed me jumping up and down in triumphant delight.
The approach to the final hole is beautiful. The fairways are well maintained, the undulations well thought out, and the abundance of trees on both sides of the fairway make this, in my opinion, the course’s signature hole. As we approach the green, the sun sets sharply though the skies still dark blue, the temperature is in the low teens, and I think to myself —this is indeed one of the most memorable golfing days of my life, right up there with North Korea.
suggested that the sheer absurdity of golfing in this remote kingdom must not be done without inviting the King and Queen. And so I did. The Royal Secretariat claims that the royal family sees all correspondence that is personally addressed, but surely the Queen has more important things to do such as worming the corgis or grouting the royal bathroom. With no mailing address to be found my only option is to fax an invitation to the Cabinet Secretariat, but the number listed on their website does not seem to work. After futile attempts to contact the Secretariat I have no choice but to email my travel agent for help:
"Recently, a burgeoning community of travel agency owners have taken up membership and about twenty foreigners come to play the course each year, most of whom are wealthy Japanese tourists."
18th Hole: Royal Thimpu Golf Club
Tshendra’s attempts a two on
the Par 5 with a 4 iron from 190
yards away. My driver Pema, who
has never heard of the sport golf,
stands behind him
Dear Sonam and Subarna
Diligently yours
Jack
I would like invite Her Highness Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck and His Excellency Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck to play a round of golf with me. I would like to do myself the honour to invite them directly but my residence abroad deprives me of extending a personal invitation. I shall be extremely thankful to you for any leads within her majesty’s household you can procure for me, or
glad to take a walk with them where we may also dine and pass some hours. I am aware of the rather unusual nature of the application I am making, but I see that you are my only point of contact in Bhutan who may be able to do me service in a thing of this kind. I am exceedingly obliged to you for entertaining this request.
Dear Jack,
Regards,
Sonam
Regarding your invitation to their Majesty’s the King and Queen to play golf and spend time with them, it will be beyond our station to submit this request on your behalf unless you happen to already be acquainted with them. In accordance with our custom and tradition, the Royal Secretariat would regard it as highly presumptuous, impertinent and even a misdemeanour on our part if we, as subjects of their Majesties, were to try to initiate contact which must always come from their Majesties’ side and at their pleasure. I am sorry but you will have to take a chance and hope you may fortuitously meet with the King and Queen.
Also, there seems to have been more than 40 hole-in-one feats since the year 2006 at the
/ JANUARY 2014 / GOLFINDONESIA.BIZ14
CURIOUS TALES FROM THE GOLF COURSE…
BY "THE GOLF NUT'S"
From: “the Golf Nut’s Book of Amazing Feats & Records by Bruce Nash, Allan Zullo with George White
MOST COUNTRIES PLAYED IN ONE DAY BY A GOLFERFive countriesSimon Clough and Boris Janjic, 1992
Golfers Simon Clough and Boris Janjic played one round of golf in five different countries—in one day!
On June 12, 1992, they played rounds in France, Luxembourg, Germany, Holland and Belgium.
Clough was an English golf pro at Bossenstein Golf Club in Belgium. Janjic was an Australian golf pro at Henry-Chapelle Golf & Business Club, also in Belgium. While relaxing at the 19th hole, the two decided to see how many countries they could play in one
day. So, with the help of selected golf courses that agreed to give them preferential treatment on the links, Clough and Janjic set out to establish a world record. Attesting to the legitimacy of their odyssey was a member of the Belgian Golfers Union, who acted as an official referee.
At each course, they players golfed as fast as they could—averaging a little more than two hours a round—with their wives riding in carts that carried the clubs. As soon as they finished their rounds, the pros hopped into their car and zoomed off to the next course in another country.
They completed the challenge with a respectable 77.2 per round. Not only that, Clough hit a course record on the final round.
Amazingly, Clough and Janjic managed to accomplish their
feat in just over 16 hours – and that includes the driving time needed to cover 273 miles. Here it would probably take 16 hours to cover that distance but does beg the question… how many courses can be covered in one day in and around Jakarta?
Unfortunately there is no record of the courses they played on!
MOST STROKES NEEDED BY A PRO PUTTING FROM THREE FEET AWAY12 strokesBrian Barnes1968 French OpenSt. Cloud, France
Brian Barnes, a British Ryder Cup player, was among the leaders in the second round of the 1968 French Open. But he lost his composure on the short par-3 eighth hole.
Cows grazing on the Army Golf course in Bhutan are something of the norm. Photo courtesy of: www.grantgarrisongolf.com
Putting for a bogey four from four feet away, Barnes tried to rake the ball into the hole like an irate Monte Carlo croupier at the craps table. But it was no dice holing out.
Barnes then lost the plot and, seemingly, knowledge of the Royal and Ancient. He turned his putter into a hockey stick and batted the ball to and fro, while it was still moving but this was to no avail.
He imagined the ball was a mouse and tried swiping it with the club but that didn’t work either. He then stood astride the line of the putt and became a croquet player.
His astonished, and perhaps slightly concerned playing partner tried frantically to keep score, but wasn’t sure what he had seen or how many of them.
The marker asked the seething Barnes, “Well, when you catch
your ass in a buzz, it’s not too easy to tell how many teeth bit you. What did you make?”
Barnes roared “Twelve!” But that was only for his performance on the green. He actually shot 15 for the hole.
We should point out though that Brian Barnes was no Sunday morning hacker causing tailbacks on the first hole. He won nine European tours between 1972 and 1981 and even beat a certain gentleman named Jack Nicklaus twice in on day.
MOST COWS KILLED BY A TEE SHOTOne cowW.J. RobinsonKent Golf CourseEngland
On the 18th hole of a 1934 match at a golf course in Kent, English pro W.J. Robinson was gunning for a birdie. He scored a cow instead.
Back then, cows were allowed to graze in the rough. Robinson launched a tee shot that soared off the fairway and struck a grazing cow square on the back of the head, killing the poor animal instantly.
Robinson had a story he could retell for years to come while what happened to the cow, and its family, is not known.
The Golf Academy Bali
"Stay, Play and Learn in the beautiful setting of New Kuta Golf in Bali. The Golf Academy Bali offers packages from 2, 3 and 5 Day golf Schools to Individual, Group and Corporate coaching. Head Professional Rory Young will tailor a package to your needs to get the best out of your game. Contact Rory on [email protected] or 082145285408"
Lido Golf Club
Green Fee Rate(s) for Visitors :Tuesday–Friday (AM) : Rp 375.000,-Tuesday–Friday (PM) : Rp 342.000,-Wednesday (AM/PM) : Rp 342.000,-Saturday (AM) : Rp 875.500,-
Address : Jl. Raya Bogor - Sukabumi KM 21 Cigombong Bogor 16740 Jawa Barat—Indonesia | Phone : (0251) 8221008,09,10 Fax (0251) 8221007, 8221010 Website : www.lidogolfclub.co.id | Email : [email protected]
Course : Public Course 18 Holes, Par 72Course Designer : Ross C WatsonOpen : Tuesday - Sunday
All rate incl. Green Fee, Caddy fee, Cart fee, Tax & Insurance.
Saturday (PM) : Rp 749.000,-Sunday (AM) : Rp 798.500,-Sunday (PM) : Rp 683.000,-
Sentul Highlands
Green Fee Rate(s) for Visitors:Monday (AM-PM) : Rp. 449.000,-Tuesday–Friday (AM-PM) : Rp. 625.000,-Saturday(AM) : Rp, 1.796.500,- (PM) Rp 1.395.000,-Sunday(AM) : Rp. 1.505.000,- (PM) Rp. 845.000,-Senior Day (Monday–Wednesday) : Rp 449.000,-Ladies day (Wednesday–Thursday) : Rp 449.000,-Junior Day (Monday–Friday): Rp 405.000,-
Address : Sentul City, Sentul-Bogor 16810 Phone : (021-87960200/68 Fax: 021 87960265/77Email: [email protected] | Website: www.sentulhighlands.com
Course: Public courseCourse Architect: Gary PlayerOpen Monday-Sunday : 06.00 AM–07.00 PM
GOLF DIRECTORY
15GOLFINDONESIA.BIZ / JANUARY 2014 /
EVENTSCLASSIFIEDS
GOLF56: is a family - run business specializing in a wide variety of quality 2nd hand golf equipment, it also stocks new equipment. It is located at: Bintaro Permai Raya No. 56 (Golf 56) Jakarta Selatan -12320 Indonesia Phone: 62 (0) 21 7377172
FOR SALE: Lifetime Golf Membership (Transferable) – Rainbow Hills Golf Club: Bogor, Indonesia. Asking price: Rp. 80,000,000 – Interested, contact: [email protected]
BIG FISH GOLF INDONESIA – Performance golf shafts on sale: Mitsubishi Rayon, Aldila, UST Mamiya, Matrix, Graman and many more. Visit us and save 50% of selected shafts. Big Fish Golf Indonesia, Ruko Permata Senayan F29, (021 – 57941018)
To Sell: Left Handed - Callaway Big Bertha War Bird Titanium Woods: Driver, 3 Wood, 5 Wood – Graphite Regular Flex – Good Condition - email: [email protected]
To Sell: Left Handed - Callaway Big Bertha X-12 Irons 3 – SW (9 pieces) Graphite Shaft Firm Flex, Good Condition Pieces – email: [email protected]
To Sell: Left Handed - Ping I3+ Irons Set 4-PW,GW,SW,LW (10 pieces) Steel Regular Shaft – Good Condition – Include PING Cart Bag Blue - email: [email protected]
To Sell: Cleveland CG 15 Wedges: 52.10 and 56.14 (Gap Wedge and Sand Wedge) – both in good condition: Both for Rp 1 juta nego / Rp 525,000 each. Email: [email protected] / 087782056421
January 8th–11th
LINC Group Jakarta Invitational—Asian Development Tour (Finale) at Jababeka Golf & Country Club, Jakarta
January 16th–19th
King’s Cup Golf Hua Hin—Asian Tour at Black Mountain Golf Club, Hua Hin
January 19th–21st
7th Faldo Series Indonesia Championship—at Damai Indah Golf ’s: Bumi Serpong Damai Golf Course, Serpong.
/ JANUARY 2014 / GOLFINDONESIA.BIZ16
