Ron Pate
\nContributor
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Golf, business and politics go hand in hand<\/p>\n
Golf is a game that is popular around the world. And Indonesia
\nis no exception.<\/p>\n
A survey of business executives and affluent residents of
\nAsian capital cities conducted in 2000 by ACNielsen found that 13
\npercent of Jakarta's elite claimed to be interested in golf, with
\nnine percent saying that they played the game and five percent
\nholding golf club memberships.<\/p>\n
In the Greater Jakarta area, there are 32 golf clubs listed in
\nGolfer's Guide Indonesia. And Farquhar Stirling, the managing
\ndirector of ACNielsen, suggests that there are as many as 50,000
\nto 60,000 active golfers playing on those courses.<\/p>\n
These courses provide a diverse selection of venues for the
\nelite of Jakarta to conduct business. Investors investigate new
\nbusiness opportunities, salesmen meet and entertain customers,
\ngovernment officials discuss political developments and economic
\npositions, tycoons plan takeovers and small business owners worry
\nover new tax laws.<\/p>\n
But primarily, the courses provide a place for men and women
\nwho really love the game to get away from the daily grind and pit
\ntheir skills against their opponents, the golf course and
\nthemselves.<\/p>\n
In developed countries where incomes are much higher, the game
\nis vastly more popular. There, golfers pay more attention to
\ntheir golf equipment than to the automobile they drive. They are
\nconstantly on the lookout for the new driver that can add 10
\nmeters to their drive, the new set of irons that are more
\nforgiving to not-so-perfect swings and the magic putter that will
\nreduce their putting stroke average.<\/p>\n
When they are not practicing or playing, they are watching.
\nProfessional competitions are held every week and tens of
\nthousands turn out to watch how the pros do it; millions more
\nwatch on TV. The popularity of the game has grown exponentially
\nover the last few decades and if you look back down that curve
\ninto the past, you might be surprised at how long the game has
\nbeen around.<\/p>\n
While some people think the game of golf was invented by a guy
\nnamed Eldrick Woods -- popularly known as \"Tiger\" -- and even
\nthough there are some misguided historians who believe golf
\nevolved from the French game jeu de mail or the Dutch game
\nkolven, among golfers, it is common knowledge that the game
\ndeveloped from a Scottish pastime.<\/p>\n
Malcolm Campbell in The Illustrious History of Scottish Golf
\nsaid: \"... golf was played at St. Andrews before the founding of
\nthe University there in 1411\". And the word \"golf\" is not, as
\nmany believe, an acronym for Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden.<\/p>\n
The first recorded reference to the name is found in statutes
\nof the Scottish Parliament, where, in 1457, the game of golf was
\nbanned because it interfered with archery practice.<\/p>\n
However, back in present-day Jakarta, despite the wonderful
\ngolf courses available, this ancient game is not for everyone.
\nGolf can be frustrating and humbling, and for many whose skills
\nor temperaments are unsuited, golf is nothing more than a good
\nwalk spoiled.<\/p>\n
But even for golfers with limited skills like myself, when, on
\ninfrequent occasions, the left arm is kept straight, the desire
\nto over-swing is controlled and the body somehow responds to the
\nadmonition to stay down through the shot, the resulting flight of
\nthe ball down the fairway sets off the tuning-fork effect
\ndescribed somewhat indelicately by Roy McElroy in the movie Tin
\nCup.<\/p>\n
One of those magical shots is worth at least 30 of the ones
\nwhere things didn't go right. And two or three good shots will
\nprovide the worst duffer with all the reason he needs to arrange
\nthe next lesson or plan the next golf outing.<\/p>\n
And speaking of lessons, beginners should not go to the golf
\ncourse to learn to play. Beginners should go to a driving range
\nfirst. Most driving ranges have swing instructors and some of the
\nmore prestigious clubs have teaching professionals. They can help
\ncorrect that glitch in the back swing and improve a slightly
\nincorrect grip or poor hand position at address. The lessons are
\ninexpensive and well worthwhile.<\/p>\n
What else should beginning golfers do before venturing out on
\nthe course? Learn the rules of the game. Buy a book of rules and
\nlearn from that. Don't expect to learn from other golfers; you
\nwould be surprised at how many \"experienced\" golfers ground their
\nclubs in hazards and take improper drops.<\/p>\n
Golf is a wonderful game and Indonesia has courses suited to
\nchallenge scratch golfers and more forgiving courses where higher
\nhandicappers feel more comfortable. The poorer courses are little
\nmore than cow pastures with ill-kept greens, but the best are
\n\"world class\". That was the consensus of expatriate and
\nIndonesian golfers queried in a recent survey conducted by yours
\ntruly.<\/p>\n
Respondents to that survey had handicaps ranging from five to
\n36 with playing experience levels from three to 46 years. Those
\nwho have golfed in the U.S., Canada, UK and Europe rated their
\nfavorite Indonesian courses as \"world class\". The best are
\nchallenging, well-maintained, have beautiful vistas and excellent
\nfacilities.<\/p>\n
Astonishingly, there were 11 courses in Greater Jakarta
\nreceiving votes as the most favorite golf venue. And, including
\ncourses receiving second and third place votes, there were 19
\ndifferent courses receiving votes. That is a wonderful
\nendorsement for golf in Greater Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The two courses receiving the most votes, Riverside and the
\nJagorawi-old course, were only separated by one point. And in the
\nall Indonesia voting, Jagorawi-old course proved once again to be
\npopular with golfers, receiving the same number of first place
\nvotes as the most popular course, Bali Handara.<\/p>\n
For those of us expatriates who enjoy playing these marvelous
\ncourses, we selfishly hope the rest of the world will be slow to
\nlearn what we already know: Golf on these scenic, world-class
\ncourses is comparatively inexpensive and can be enjoyed year
\nround. See you on the links.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ron-pate-1447899208",
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