Bali Golf and Country Club a unique setup<\/p>\n
By Lukman Natanagara<\/p>\n
NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): If you are looking for a place in Nusa
\nDua where you can play golf and stay a night or two in luxury
\nwithin putting distance of the course, you would do well to try
\nthe Bali Golf and Country Club (BGCC).<\/p>\n
A 10-minute drive from Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport
\ntakes you to the grounds of the club that claims to be different
\nfrom all others in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"The club is unique because guests do not stay at a hotel
\noutside the golf club but stay in any of the three villas within
\nthe club,\" said Stephen R. Lomax, the club's general manager.<\/p>\n
\"Our motto is good hospitality to our guests. We want to make
\nthem as comfortable as possible.\"<\/p>\n
The quality of the Bali and Country Club has been recognized
\ninternationally. In its Nov. 18 edition, Fortune magazine
\nselected it as one of Asia's best five golf courses.<\/p>\n
The others were Royal Selanggor Golf Club (Malaysia),
\nSingapore Island Country Club (Singapore), Blue Canyon Country
\nClub (Thailand) and Bukit Jambul Country Club (Malaysia).<\/p>\n
Fortune chose the BGCC based on the location, atmosphere and
\nopinions from people who had visited the club.<\/p>\n
Many said they loved the BCGG because of the starkly different
\ntypes of terrain it offers.<\/p>\n
But Lomax said it would be difficult to maintain the
\nprestigious accolade, considering Bali has several other good
\ngolf courses.<\/p>\n
\"We let the guests see our club for themselves and so far we
\nhad not received any complaints. Of course that's not enough, we
\nmake an annual evaluation of our club so as to know whether we
\nneed improvements,\" Stephen said.<\/p>\n
BGCC was established on March 4, 1991 with a preopening tee-
\noff by three heads of government -- Indonesia's President
\nSoeharto, Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and the Sultan
\nof Brunei Darussalam, Hassanal Bolkiah.<\/p>\n
It was developed by PT Narendra InterPacific, a joint venture
\nbetween PT Narendra Persada and the Inter-Pacific Group.<\/p>\n
The 18-hole, 6,849-yard course was designed by Robin Nelson
\nand Rodney Wright. It has already hosted such prestigious
\ninternational competitions as the Alfred Dunhill Masters.<\/p>\n
Holes one through nine have panoramic views of Nusa Dua, the
\nIndian Ocean and even faraway volcanoes. Creeks, canyons,
\ncascading waterfalls and verdant native vegetation color the
\npicturesque landscape, where tropical birds make their home.<\/p>\n
Holes 10 through 16 are characterized by the sculptured
\nfairways set amid a mature coconut grove, with the tress climbing
\nto as high as 100 feet.<\/p>\n
The 17th and 18th holes skirt the beach with the 18th bringing
\ngolfers back to the clubhouse.<\/p>\n
Less energetic players need not worry about walking from one
\nhole to another as buggies are provided. Small restaurants are
\nalso to be found scattered around the course for anyone needing a
\npitstop.<\/p>\n
BGCC offers reasonable green fees; 18 holes will set you back
\nUS$135 while a 9-hole round costs $77 per person. The green fees
\nare inclusive of one golf cart and four caddies but not equipment
\nwhich is extra.<\/p>\n
Tee-off times are available from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.<\/p>\n
Lomax said most of the visitors to BGCC are Japanese,
\nAmericans and Australians.<\/p>\n
\"Fifty percent of them are Japanese, 30 percent Americans and
\nAustralians, and the remaining 20 percent are Indonesians. They
\ncome here not only to play golf but also to feel the surroundings
\nand atmosphere of the club,\" Lomax said.<\/p>\n
Villas<\/p>\n
BGCC's three villas have three or four rooms. The three villas
\nare located separately and are rented out either per villa or per
\nroom, although one does not have to stay at the club in order to
\nplay there.<\/p>\n
For the three-room villa, the rent is US$725 a day while the
\nfour-room villas cost $1,050.<\/p>\n
A guest bedroom in the three-room villa is $225\/day, the
\nmaster bedroom in the three-room villa is $275\/day, a guest
\nbedroom in the four-room villas is $250 and the master bedroom in
\nthe four-room villa costs $300.<\/p>\n
They also include kitchens, living rooms and a private
\nswimming pool.<\/p>\n
\"We also have rooms for the maids and servants. The guests may
\norder food from us or cook for themselves. Our kitchen is always
\nopen day and night,\" Lomax said.<\/p>\n
He believes the prices for both accommodation and meals are
\nfar cheaper than at five-star hotels. \"Many people come to our
\ncountry club because it is cheaper than the hotels.\"<\/p>\n
That may be so but occupancy rates have still to take off.
\nData for the last year shows that on average fewer than four
\npeople stayed on any one night.<\/p>\n
The management's biggest concern is how to protect the golf
\ncourse from damage, particularly caused by nature.<\/p>\n
He said that the grass is regularly damaged by worms. \"We have
\nchickens to do the work for us and it is the most effective way.
\nThe chickens are scattered around the 18-hole course and eat the
\nworms.\"<\/p>\n
Birds, snakes and reptiles can regularly be seen all over the
\ncourse. Stephen said that they do not harm the guests unless they
\nare attacked.<\/p>\n
\"We always warn our guests not to attack the birds, snakes and
\nreptiles. If they do, we catch the animals and put them into
\ncages,\" Stephen added.<\/p>\n
Lots<\/p>\n
The country club has also 23 lots plots of land for sale.
\nPrices vary from $600,000 for 1,910 square meters to $1.39
\nmillion for 5,600 square meters.<\/p>\n
The buyers all allowed to build their own houses or ask for
\nassistance from the country club.<\/p>\n
\"We will help the buyers if they want us to build a house or
\nvilla for them,\" Stephen said.<\/p>\n
Muhammad Gusri, the club's marketing manager, told The Jakarta
\nPost that the buyers will not receive land certificates but only
\nbuilding use permits.<\/p>\n
\"A buyer may purchase more than one lot. The house or villa
\nthey build may be rented out. We can arrange it all. The buyers,
\nhowever, are obliged to pay maintenance fees for their lots,\"
\nGusri said.<\/p>\n
Buying a lot is probably beyond most people's pockets but for
\nthose wanting a luxury golfing holiday at reasonable rates, BGCC
\nis definitely worth considering.<\/p>",
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