Banten sees unprecedented growth of golf courses

JAKARTA (JP): West Java's Banten is facing new challenges brought about from being one of the fastest-growing areas in Indonesia. In recent years, the region has been transformed into a distinctive area rich with tourism-related and industrial- related activities.

Many will look back on the past few years as a period of unprecedented growth of various industries and businesses in Banten, with the region becoming a favorite location for hotels, tourist resorts, chemical factories and other labor-intensive plants.

Situated some 80 kilometers west of Jakarta, Banten comprises more than two million hectares of land, or about half of the total land of West Java province. It has four regencies: Lebak, Pandeglang, Serang and Tangerang. Most of the large-scale industries are located in Cilegon, Serang, and there is also a large petroleum plant based in Merak. Meanwhile, Tangerang is home to various smaller plants and factories.

Access to Banten has been simple and convenient since the opening of the Jakarta-Merak toll road, which includes toll roads linking Jakarta with Tangerang and Serang.

One phenomenal occurrence in Banten has been the development of golf courses. Various residential areas and other real estate developments in the region come with internationally designed courses.

Check out some of the new golf courses in Tangerang: there is Padang Golf Modern, Imperial Klub Golf, Gading Raya Padang Golf & Klub and Bumi Serpong Damai Course. There is also Kedaton Golf, Takara Indah Golf, Mega Cemara Golf Club and Padang Golf Permata Krakatau.

Thanks to improving economic conditions in Indonesia, a number of other companies may soon realize plans to construct golf courses in the Banten area.

One of these companies is the BWJ Group, which is developing Tanjung Lesung, a new mega-tourist resort ideally located in Banten.

Chris J. Gorrill of BWJ said the golf course would complement the resort's existing facilities.

"If there had been no monetary crisis, the golf course would have started by now. But the development will only commence after the year 2000," he said.

The planned 18-hole course will feature commanding sea views and be a genuine oceanfront golf course of special interest to players, he added.

"It will have a world-standard design, both for the leisure and serious golfer," said Gorrill. (icn)