Ipur has a ball with her golf game

JAKARTA (JP): While most young people might prefer to pad around shopping malls, Titi Puryanti hones her golf game under the burning sun.

Most Indonesians try their best to avoid the sun's damaging rays. But Titi, better known as Ipur, spends long hours on the course in pursuit of excellence.

"Because I'm totally in love with golf. It's really hard to quit the sport," said the eldest of three children.

She was born on March 12, 1975 to Nasrun Dani and Nuryati. Her parents prodded her to take up golf because she was a shut-in.

"I never loved sports and my parents had to encourage me to get out of the house because I loved to stay in my room, listening to music and reading novels," said the collector of works by Sydney Sheldon and Danielle Steel.

"Luckily, my neighbor, the late Ali Mursan, took me to play golf at the Rawamangun Golf Course when I was 12. Since then, this is the only sport I love."

Ipur became a member of the Nusamba Golf Club and started to compete in junior events. She was called up to represent the country in the 1993 SEA Games in Singapore.

"When I was young, about 150 kids joined the club and we were divided into two classes in the morning and afternoon. But now, you can see how many kids play golf," she said.

"My first medal was last year when the women's team won the (SEA Games) silver."

She said the sport provided an excellent opportunity to meet others, including the country's high and mighty.

"Well, it's nice to be a golf player because we know many important people in the country whose hobby is playing golf," she said with a laugh.

"Golf is an artistic sport. We must have our own strategy when swinging and must use our feeling when putting. It's not easy but there's the challenge."

Ipur was fortunate in not following the example of other young sports stars who have forsaken their academic careers. She graduated from Trisakti Insurance Academy and now works for Tugu Pratama insurance.

"But now I have to take leave from my office for three months for the SEA Games training. What can I say?"

Rubbing shoulders with her golfing idols has proved a disappointing experience.

"I used to admire Nick Faldo because he's a great player. But when I met him at the 1996 Johnny Walker Super Tour at the Emeralda Golf and Country Club, I was disappointed because he was very arrogant.

"I think I like Ernie Els more because he's good-looking."

The big fan of Boyzone said she did not have immediate plans to turn pro.

"In Indonesia, a women's pro player has nothing to guarantee her future. It's different from the men," she said. "There's no women's pro tournaments here."

She is looking forward to conquering the links during the SEA Games.

"Hopefully, we will win the gold because we won the silver two years ago." She identified golfers from the Philippines and Malaysia as tough rivals. (yan)