Golf makes an increasing swing in ancient Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
By Israr Ardiansyah<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): It was a nice day with lots of sunshine. A
\nwoman held a golf stick tightly in her hands as she concentrated
\non it to hit the ball in the right direction.<\/p>\n
It was hole number two, and the hard strike she made took the
\nball straight to the green. She was very surprised as the ball
\nfell right into the hole. A hole in one!<\/p>\n
Managing director of the Jakarta-based Gas & Oil Service
\nCompany Geoprolog Intiwijaya, Diah Sulasmo Rizal, told The
\nJakarta Post., \"It's unpredictable. I just started playing on
\ncourse in May and only learned golf at a driving range before
\nthat.\"<\/p>\n
\"As a beginner, getting a hole in one was just an impossible
\ndream for me. I never thought it would happen. Now I'm happy that
\nI've made a hole in one in my lifetime,\" she added.<\/p>\n
Diah was playing golf during her weekend leisure time. To her,
\nit was a new challenge. Before she started playing golf, she only
\nwalked and did light aerobics.<\/p>\n
And Diah plays golf not in greater Jakarta or Bali, where
\nnational golf competitions usually take place. She plays at
\nYogyakarta's Hyatt Regency Golf Course, a small golf course
\nlocated six kilometers north of the city.<\/p>\n
As one of Indonesia's prominent tourist destinations,
\nYogyakarta is mostly seen as a cultural tourist destination with
\nBorobudur Temple, Yogyakarta Palace and the historical street of
\nMalioboro as its main attractions. Many do not realize that the
\ncity's golf courses are just as enticing as the other attractive
\nsites the city has.<\/p>\n
Golf Superintendent\/Golf Course Manager of Yogyakarta Hyatt
\nRegency Golf Course, Supriyatna Setiawan, said, \"That's true.
\nOnly about 25 percent of the golfers who play in Yogyakarta come
\nfrom outside the city.\" Those who play often here include top
\ngovernment and military officials, he added.<\/p>\n
\"I sometimes feel 'itchy' realizing that we can, indeed, do
\nsomething to optimize Yogyakarta as an alternative tourist
\ndestination for both Indonesian and foreign golfers,\" he said.<\/p>\n
This might be true as only a few people seem to aware that
\nYogyakarta currently offers three unique golf courses:
\nAdisutjipto Golf Course, Merapi Golf Course and Hyatt Regency
\nGolf Course.<\/p>\n
The first golf course established in Yogyakarta was
\nAdisutjipto Golf Course. Located adjacent to the Adisutjipto
\nmilitary air base, the course spans a 60-hectare site. In the
\n1960s, only local Air Force officers exercised on the course,
\nwhich was designed by Japanese architects who also built
\nAmbarukmo Palace Hotel in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
In line with the fast growing number of Yogyakarta golfers,
\nAdisutjipto Golf Course was finally opened to the public on April
\n25, 1971, to coincide with the founding of the Yogyakarta Golf
\nAssociation. The association is under the auspice of the
\nIndonesian Golf Association.<\/p>\n
The three-hole course gradually became a nine-hole course, and
\nin early 1990 it became a modern 18-hole golf course in response
\nto local and national competitions.<\/p>\n
Now, with its strategic location near the airport, the windy
\ngolf course is well known for its beautiful scenery, with the
\nmighty Mt. Merapi as its far backdrop.<\/p>\n
In the middle of this year, in cooperation with the local golf
\nassociation, Adisutjipto Golf Course started renovations to its
\nbunkers. The black sand that previously filled its bunkers is now
\nbeing replaced with white sand taken directly from Sadranan Beach
\nin Tepus, Gunungkidul, 60 kilometers east of here. It is hoped
\nthe golf course will have its new look by the end of the year.<\/p>\n
Merapi Golf Course was officially opened in 1996. Set in the
\nfoothills of Mt. Merapi, 800 meters above sea level, this
\nprivately run golf facility is located in Cangkringan village, 24
\nkilometers north of here.<\/p>\n
The 18-hole golf course was designed by Australia's Thomson,
\nWolveridge and Perret, who also designed the Bali Handara Golf
\nCourse. Covering 65 hectares of land, it also has a clubhouse, a
\npro-shop and a restaurant.<\/p>\n
A professional golfer said that the hilly golf course offered
\nchallenging and unpredictable rounds. \"When I see the direction
\nof the ball I hit, I think it will go straight into the hole.
\nUnpredictably, it just evaded the hole,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Hyatt Regency Golf Course was opened in September 1997 on the
\nnorthern outskirts of Yogyakarta, along with the opening of the
\ncity's Hyatt Regency Hotel. Occupying 16 hectares out 24 hectares
\nof land in the hotel compound, the golf course has nine holes.<\/p>\n
Although the tracks are short, Supriyatna was convinced that
\nthe golf course offered a challenging field.<\/p>\n
\"An American golf player once told me that the golf course is
\nvery exciting for short games. What a coincidence, as most of our
\nguests are very busy businesspeople. So, in just a two hour game,
\nthey can complete the whole game,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The golf course is has complete fitness facilities for
\ngolfers' accompanying families. The course was designed by
\nHawaii's Fisette Golf Design and landscaped by Hawaii's Tongg,
\nClark, and Mc Celvey.<\/p>\n
Besides these three courses, Yogyakarta also has four driving
\nranges. Two of them are located in the Adisutjipto complex and
\nthe Hyatt Regency Hotel compound. The other two are the Kenari
\nDriving Range, in Timoho near Yogyakarta City Hall, and the Snap
\nDriving Range, Jl. Magelang.<\/p>\n
Many people believe that Yogyakarta's golf business has a
\nbright future, especially with the expected strengthening
\neconomic condition under the new Cabinet of President Abdurrahman
\nWahid. Merapi Golf Course, for example, has at least 400 active
\nmembers. Some of them come from outside the city, mostly Jakarta.
\nThe Yogyakarta Golf Association has at least 700 members.<\/p>\n
According to Supriyatna, with rates of between Rp 50,000 and
\nRp 250,000 for an 18-hole game, Yogyakarta offers the best priced
\ngames. Most golf courses charge about US$150 a game.<\/p>\n
Supriyatna further said that a special tour package of playing
\nthe city's three golf courses consecutively has been offered to
\nforeign tourists. A positive response has so far come from Japan.<\/p>",
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