More local professional players needed at golf clubs

By I. Christianto

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia boasts hundreds of golf clubs and courses in Indonesia, including no less than 60 in Greater Jakarta and dozens more in Banten. The nation, however, has produced very few professional golfers; most of the people on the country's courses are merely golf nuts.

A number of executives of companies which manage golf courses agreed the government paid little attention to golf as a serious sport, regarding it merely as a leisure activity for ambassadors, businesspeople and tourists.

"Golf is a sport. It's true that to some extent it is seen as a glamorous, expensive and high-class activity," said Suripno, general manager of PT Krakatau Industrial Estate Cilegon, a company which runs the Permata Krakatau Hotel & Golf Course in Cilegon. The 18-hole golf course opened 26 years ago, making it one of the oldest courses in the nation.

He said golf had not been well promoted in Indonesia because of its image as "expensive".

Herman La Rante, operations manager at Imperial Klub Golf, agreed that some people still believed golf was only for closing business dealings.

"Actually golf can be introduced to any level in society, allowing us to get more potential players and seeds. Then, just like in any other sport, Indonesia could have world champions," Suripno said.

Nobody will deny that golf is a costly sport. A single golf club may cost up to Rp 3 million, while a box of balls can cost Rp 120,000. A player also needs a golf bag and shoes, which are also expensive. There are also the green and caddie fees at golf clubs and courses, which may reach up to hundreds of thousands of rupiah. Plus, to get to the golf course with all of this equipment you need a car!

"It's not totally true. People can rent or buy cheaper second- hand stuff. In addition, we plan to hold golf lessons for students. This is to encourage youth and other people to play golf on our course," said Suripno, adding that it was hoped the local authorities would help promote golf among the younger generations and other people in the country who do not traditionally play the sport.

He said a special program about golf on television would also help promote golf as a sport for everybody.

He said the government could work with schools to make golf an extracurricular activity.

"We're ready to work with the related associations whenever possible," he said.

He also said touted the physical, spiritual and mental benefits of playing golf. "Playing golf is exercise for the emotions and patience."

Herman said that to attract players, Imperial regularly held special events.

"There are also several programs to attract beginners, including students. This is only a way to find the seeds," he said, adding that some current professional golfers worked as caddies when they were young.

Carrying the clubs

A caddie is a person who assists golf players on the course. Caddies often have the opportunity to play the course when the person they are caddying for takes a break. It is not unusual for caddies to become very good golfers from the practice they get.

The exact origins of golf are somewhat vague and open to debate. Some sources say golf evolved from several stick-and-ball games popular in Europe in ancient times. Others hold that golf was the offshoot of Paganica, a 14th century game in which players struck a ball with a curved stick. Paganica is a Roman word meaning a leather ball stuffed with feathers.

In Indonesia, golf became popular in the mid-1960's when some of the country's most prominent citizens began to knock the ball around the course. Some of these pioneers of golf in Indonesia included Soeharto, Sudomo, Ibnu Sutowo, Subroto and Mohammad "Bob" Hasan, who all helped kindle the passion for golf among the country's rich and affluent.

As more and more people became hooked on the game, more golf courses began to open. Overseas golf-course designers, including Michael Wolveridge, Peter Thomson, Robert Trent Jones Jr., Arnold Palmer, Jack Niklaus, Garry Player, Nick Faldo and Jeff Hoff, have all made their mark on the country's golf courses.

Amid the golf craze, there were a number of incidents where new golf courses ended up in a hazard, with developers violating rules relating to investment, the environment and land acquisition, as well as running foul of local residents none to pleased to find a golf course where their homes used to be.

Indonesia has hosted several international golf events, including the World Cup in December 1983 and the Johnny Walker Super Tour in 1997.

Herman said that despite few qualified professional golfers in the country, golf courses still had a bright future. "During the economic turmoil, most of the golf courses survived with little negative impact. I believe this is a good sign for the future."