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A FULL-SCALE REDESIGN AND REDEVELOPMENT HAS TAKEN BALI NATIONAL GOLF RESORT TO THE FOREFRONT OF SOUTH-EAST ASIAN GOLF. WORDS: STEVE KEIPERT

NOVEMBER 2015

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acelifts have a way of providing rejuvenation although often in a manner that makes the new version appear more fake than fantastic. Golf courses occasionally tread the same path, where extensive work is carried out but not always to the betterment of the original product. Yet sometimes emerging from the construction phase comes an overhaul that both converts and captivates, building on a solid foundation to craft a new look to reflect its past while creating a bright future. For Bali National Golf Resort, its recent major upgrade was most certainly the latter – a totally positive experience as the established resort layout on the famous Indonesian island now has a fresh form and feel. To communicate the extent of the redesign, the new owners changed the club’s name from Bali Golf and Country Club to Bali National, a moniker that also reflects the club’s sister course, Senayan National in Jakarta. The course, located at Nusa Dua in the heart of Bali’s hotel, resort and shopping precinct, opened in the late 1980s and formed the backbone of the island’s emerging golf scene. Golf courses, particularly tropical ones, can show the signs of wear and tear after about 20 years so upon taking over in 2012, the owners made the brave but eventually fruitful call of closing the course for two years to redesign it and make space for a line of attractive villas and a hotel. The hotel won’t open for another two years and once complete will occupy one of the best spots in the tourist enclave of Nusa Dua, but the initial seven villas are a slice of fairway luxury alongside a golf course breathing new life. To spend even just a night or two in the Bali National villas is to submit to extreme luxury. The two-storey, two- and three-bedroom villas are the size of a large house (the presidential villa is bigger still) and feature spacious bedrooms and en suites upstairs with a sprawling, open lounge and dining area plus kitchen downstairs, all with immaculate finishes and high ceilings. Outside is a private pool in a pristine garden environment overlooking the fairways with a cabana and lounge chairs. And the real kicker? A 24-hour butler service, ensuring you won’t lift a finger. Feeling hungry at any hour? No problem, a snack is a mere request away. Bali National’s location is ideal, wedged between the sea and the thriving, buzzing streets of Nusa Dua, so once settled in every aspect of your Balinese adventure is within easy reach. Within the resort is a sliver of private beach where golfed-out bodies can slink into the warm tropical waters, perhaps before retiring to a villa for an in-room spa treatment. Or, for the more golf-enthused, Ancora Golf Institute operates from the club’s practice range with tuition by PGI professionals. The resort also offers an enticing range of non-golf activities, both on- and off-site – including a Bali Zoo Explorer pass, yoga classes and massage sessions, plus a chocolate factory tour – many of which are designed to last roughly the same length of time as playing 18 holes. The design firm of Nelson and Haworth, who penned the original golf course, were recalled to advise alterations. The revamp took place between 2012 and 2014, reopening in March last year. In June this year, Bali National hosted the Asian Development Tour’s Bali National Golf Championship, won by Sydney professional Matthew Giles. He closed out the victory in

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NOVEMBER 2015

clockwise from above: The

par-4 15th is a brand new hole; Bunkers line the left side of the 1st; Looking down the 10th and 16th; the uphill 6th.

impressive style by sinking a 30-foot birdie putt on the last green. The 7,134-yard (6,523-metre) layout comprises only 70 hectares of the 120-hectare site, meaning the associated infrastructure is anything but suffocating. There is room to move and freedom to explore. The intention is for Bali National to become not just a must-play course in Bali or Indonesia but throughout South-East Asia. The resort, hotel and accommodation options will all be five-star; and the golf course now matches those heights. Among the physical changes was a switch in grasses away from a blanket of 328 Bermuda. The new paspalum fairways and tees are lush yet firm when trimmed to the ideal playing height. The ball seems to perch atop the surface better than many tropical-climate grasses. The same can be said for the sand in the bunkers, which is more granular in nature. I saw more sand than Lawrence of Arabia (strictly in the name of research, of course) and found escape shots to be far more straightforward due to the way the ball sits on rather than in the sand. So many courses feature bunkers with sand that lets balls bury ever so slightly just due to the sphere’s 46-gram weight. The TifEagle greens are another winning addition as they provide speed without the heavy graininess of more broad-leafed grasses. As such, the new surfaces nail the often-tricky combination of firmness and pace. In many ways the Bali National layout plays like three courses in one: there’s the solitudinal front nine that moves up, down and along a ridge, the old “Coconut Grove” holes on flat terrain from the 10th to 16th and two brand new closing holes. Each set occupies its own piece of land and there’s some distance to cover between them.

NOVEMBER 2015

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The redesign didn’t alter the front nine much beyond some green relocations and re-contouring, plus an overall rejuvenation that benefitted the entire course. The 3rd green was pushed back 40 metres, the 5th green nudged slightly left and the surface reshaped, while the lake-encircled 9th green was raised away from the water level. The holes themselves remain in the same locations, with the conversion of the 1st hole from a par-5 to a long, strong, uphill par-4 and the shortening of the par-4 8th by nearly 40 metres the most impactful changes on the outward half. The opening nine rises and descends a hillside that affords the course’s best views of Nusa Dua and lends the holes great character. The difficult 3rd climbs the rise to toughen an already mighty par-4, while the 5th hole plays significantly shorter than its 380 metres due to the sharp decline from fairway level towards the green. The next hole reveals the major green alteration in the redesign. The uphill par-3 6th was dominated by a huge tier in the putting surface that separated the high left side from the low right half. It was a controversial design due to the way putts became impossible to stop near the hole when moving from top to bottom. The new version sees a more refined ripple in the green that better reflects the shapes of the other putting surfaces. It also provides a less fluky chance of feeding tee shots towards the cup and two-putting after finding the wrong half of the green. The Coconut Grove holes on the back nine now feel more open and less ‘coconutty’, which is a good thing as this portion of the course carried a lot of “vertical definition”, according to course superintendent Mark Isley, whose attachment to Bali National stems back to its origins. The stretch

clockwise from above:

Several front-nine holes provide views of the sea and neighbouring islands; The 8th hole begins from a narrow chute but widens once the fairway is reached; A slice of luxury inside the Bali National villas; The signature hole, the par-3 17th, which is like a longer version of the famous island hole at TPC Sawgrass in Florida.

features copious vast waste bunkers that survived the redesign but are both neater and perhaps more in play than the first incarnation. Several times on holes 10 to 16 it is necessary to pick a lobe within a bunker or a curve in its outline to use as an aiming point before attempting a sandy carry. Sand is such a feature here that this part of the course could easily be renamed “Bunker Grove”. The water hazards in this section of the course are also more defined with the rock wall that delineates the edge of the hazard ringing the 9th green replicated on the greenside lakes at the 11th, 12th and 14th. A few holes feature new tee locations, while the formerly bland par-4 14th now displays far more character, especially around the green, and the 15th is a brand new hole. Once a lengthy par-3, it is now a mid-length par-4 while the 16th evolved from being a too-long par-4 into the course’s most reachable par-5. The last two holes were rebuilt largely to make room for the luxurious on-site villas and upcoming luxury hotel. The previous versions were decent but unspectacular holes, whereas now 17 and 18 will go a long way to settling every on-course bet and remaining implanted in the memories of all who play them. The 17th is Bali’s version of the famous island hole at TPC Sawgrass in Florida, however the southern hemisphere version is considerably longer at 167 metres from the back tees.

Nearly 300 metres was added to the total distance, although much of the extra length is ‘hidden’ in the par-3s where new back tees stretch two of them to inordinate lengths and should only be attempted by players with their names etched on their golf bags. I played Bali National twice and once from the tips to feel its full might. I needed a driver at both the 6th and 12th holes (admittedly at the 6th my ball did careen over the green). Then, at 17, all four of us in the group found the water and ventured sheepishly to the drop zone. As my tee shot was in flight and plummeting desperately towards its watery resting place, my Japanese playing partner gave it a succinct but accurate send-off with a short, sharp “sayonara” that he finished uttering moments before the splash. The 17th generally plays into the prevailing wind coming off the ocean, just a few strides away. The island green is sizeable and, to be honest, isn’t overly intimidating for width but it is for depth and distance into the breeze. The rock wall encircling the green acts like a fortress as only a well-struck shot will do from the tee. Bali National sought something special for its redesigned signature hole and got it. It’s almost as if your efforts on the preceding 16 holes count for nought if you fail to conquer the island par-3. The last hole doglegs left around a lake lined by an elongated waste bunker before the water crosses the fairway short of the green and

Sand is such a feature here that this part of the course could easily be renamed ‘Bunker Grove’.

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NOVEMBER 2015

THE COURSE LOCATION: Kawasan Wisata, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia.The resort is an easy 20-minute drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar. CONTACT: (0011) 62 361 771 791; reservations@bngr.co. WEBSITE: www.balinationalgolf.com DESIGN FIRM: Nelson and Haworth (1988/2014).

wraps around the right side of the target with bunkers lining the left and back edges. The 18th isn’t the most demanding par-4 at Bali National but it requires golfers’ full attention plus two well-executed shots. And if you feel like you didn’t feed the fish sufficiently from your golf bag on either hole, there are pots of fish food behind the 17th and 18th greens to literally feed the many fish that call the waterways home. The course remains roomy to play. Even modestly gifted golfers aren’t likely to burn though sleeve after sleeve of balls, as the penalty for a miscue is likely to be a trip to a waste bunker or a recovery shot from a snarly lie in the grass rather than a lost pill. Most players will donate a ball in the water at the 17th hole but beyond that the ammunition of regular players is likely to remain intact. It’s impossible to oversell the scenic splendour of the revamped layout. I’ve always loved the feast for the senses the entire island offers – the sights, the sounds, the smells – and Bali National is no exception. From the whisper of the ocean in the distance to the Balinese temple beside the 12th green to the bright colours of the many flowering trees and bushes, playing 18 holes there permeates the body in multiple ways.

PLAYING SURFACES: TifEagle Bermuda (greens), paspalum (tees, fairways and rough). COURSE SUPERINTENDENT: Mark Isley. GREEN FEES: Rp2,200,000 (about A$215).

THE RESORT ACCOMMODATION: Seven luxurious and spacious two- and three-bedroom villas line the 17th and 18th fairways, offering 24-hour personal butler service, oversized LED TV, sound system, Wi-Fi, private pool and cabana and more. Thirty-three more villas are currently under construction, along with a 250-room Shangri-La hotel, due for completion in late 2017. FACILITIES: Ancora Golf Institute operates from Bali National’s practice range under the direction of qualified PGI professionals. Non-golfers and golfers alike can wander to the private Beach Club, sip cocktails in the clubhouse’s golfers lounge or terrace, enjoy in-room spa facilities, enjoy a yoga class, take a tour of trendy Nusa Dua and more. ACCOLADES: Best Renovated Course in Asia 2014; Third Best Renovated Course Worldwide 2015 (voted by Golf Inc.). PACKAGES: Numerous stay-and-play packages are on offer, starting from about

WIN A LUXURY TRIP TO PLAY & STAY AT BALI NATIONAL GOLF RESORT WORTH $5,000

A$1,130 for two days and one night, covering golf, accommodation, hire clubs, meals and more.

Now that we have whet your appetite to play this fine course, here is a chance to not only play the renovated layout but to also stay in luxury on course. Bali National Golf Resort is offering one lucky Golf Australia reader the opportunity to fly to Bali and stay in a luxurious villa, with 24-hour butler service and breakfast daily, as well as play rounds of golf. The full prize includes: • Return economy airfare to Bali from any Australian capital city; • Airport transfers; • Four nights’ accommodation in a Bali National Golf Villa; • Four rounds of golf for one player. For your chance to win, tell us in 25 words or less: Why do you want to play and stay at Bali National Golf Resort? Enter via our website, http://www.golfaustralia.com.au/win-bali-national-golf-resort-trip/ OR, Send your entries to, Golf Australia Bali National Competition Building A, Level 6, 207 Pacific Highway

THE AREA

St Leonards, NSW, 2065 Competition open to Australian residents only. Opens 00:01 AEDT 22/10/15 and closes 23:59 AEDT 25/11/15.You will be eligible by answering the following question: In 25 words or less: Why do you want to play and stay at Bali National Golf Resort?’ One lucky winner will win a trip to Bali National Golf Resort valued at $5,000.Total prize pool is $5,000. Entries will be judged by the Golf Australia editorial team on 30/11/15.The most creative answer will win.The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. No changes to prize redemption dates can be made after confirmation of dates by the winner.The winner hold a valid passport with at least six months validity in order to redeem the prize. Obtaining all travel documents such as passports, visas etc that are required for travel to destinations forming part of the prize is the responsibility of the winner and their travelling companion. The winner shall take the prize as offered. Prizes are non-transferable, non-refundable and cannot be redeemed for cash, credit or foreign exchange or used in conjunction with other offers, discount or promotion.The Promoter is nextmedia Pty Ltd, 207 Pacific Highway, St Leonards, NSW 2065. ABN 84 128 805 970. For full terms and conditions visit www.golfaustralia.com.au

NOVEMBER 2015

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ACCOMMODATION: A row of international-standard hotels and resorts sits within walking distance of Bali National. OTHER HIGHLIGHTS: Nusa Dua has it all. Aside from the beach, golf course, restaurants and rows of beachside hotels and resorts lies a vibrant shopping precinct, Uluwatu Temple, zoo, museums, fishing charters and exceptional scuba diving and snorkelling locations.

STAY WHERE YOU PLAY

BALI NATIONAL GOLF RESORT

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NOVEMBER 2015