Golf balls no longer a nuisance

With reference to your Aug. 2, 1998 edition in which you published a letter to the editor by Oberlin S. from Yogyakarta regarding the golf course of the Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta, I would like to make the following statement:

I find it rather astonishing that The Jakarta Post copies a letter from another newspaper (Kompas) containing outdated and inaccurate information. I would expect your newspaper to investigate issues before you state untrue things and by this start damaging the reputation of a hotel.

Although the fact that golf balls were landing on our neighbor's house is certainly right, the situation today is definitely different.

The golf course was never the issue in January 1998 but the driving range. A net was immediately installed to rectify the problem. However, the height and length were not sufficient and in June we extended the net for a second time.

To further increase the security and safety and to assure a peaceful life for our neighbors we have altered the operation of the driving range, allowing only pitching on the side where the houses (now protected by a much higher fence) are located and driving on the opposite side. A call to Pak Oberlin in Yogyakarta will confirm this statement.

The reputation of your newspaper has always been good -- is it really necessary to print articles from other sources without checking them out first?

JUERGEN VON MASSOW

General Manager

Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta