When one thinks of Bali, so many wonderful things usually come to mind. White sandy beaches, a fascinating and vibrantly artistic culture, surfing, diving, great restaurants, exciting nightlife... and golf. By William Wodruff

Golf? Hey, you bet! Bali’s not known as the "Island of the Gods" for no reason, you know. While Bali may not be that well known as a golf haven, Bali Golf and Country Club (BGCC) was named by Fortune magazine as one of the top five best courses in Asia in 1997. That course, together with Nirwana Golf and Country Club and the Bali Handara Kosaido championship courses, put the beautiful paradise island of Bali firmly on the world-class golf course map.

I should tell you right from the start that I’m not a good golfer. In fact, I’m not good at all. But I love the game as masochistically as the next duffer. I didn’t realise how badly I was addicted to the game until after I played on the Nirwana, Handara and BGCC courses for three consecutive great days on the links.

Nick Faldo shot the 18-hole course record (a 63!) at BGCC when it hosted the Alfred Dunhill Masters a few years back. My own score was close, but only after nine holes! How Mr. Faldo was able to negotiate each of the devilishly different terrains at BGCC is beyond me. If Bali is indeed the "Island of the Gods," they must have been smiling on him the day he set the BGCC record.

Located in the luxury oceanfront resort of Nusa Dua, BGCC is a study in imaginatively different types of tropical course designs. Whizzing around in a BGCC golf cart through dense stands of bamboo and other lush vegetation, you are treated to a range of challenging settings over the length of the 6,849-yard course. Some of the greens offer sweeping panoramic views of the Indian Ocean and volcanoes in the distance. Holes 10 through 16 wind through lush coconut groves. Some of the palm trees are over 35 metres tall - so beware of falling coconuts if you stray from the fairways, as I often did!

Another treat at BGCC is the amazing variety of birds that have taken residence around the course’s many ponds and lakes. Large herons, egrets and more of our feathered friends populate the fairways and can be seen congregating in several locations. A family of egrets was rather annoyed at me when one of my errant shots scattered them while they were feeding by the edge of a lake surrounding the 9th green.

The 17th and 18th holes at BGCC run along the seashore and are dream-like in their perfection. Yet the 9th, 17th and 18th holes were my favourites, with the 19th, the Clubhouse, as usual, being another favourite.

Have a seat by the outdoor "Bale" bar and let the BGCC’s hospitable staff make sure you have a memorable day on and off the links. If you prefer to be indoors, the BGCC also offers the "Barong" restaurant on the lobby level of the Clubhouse, with scenic views of the Indian Ocean and the 17th green. Here one can enjoy Continental and Indonesian specialities. And if you get thirsty out on the course, not to worry, your golf cart comes equipped with a cooler-box full of refreshing beverages. If you’d like to be close to the course and rest in 5-star-like luxury, BGCC’s Wantilan Villas are a golfer’s dream come true - traditional style bungalows overlooking part of the golf course - and with great poolside service!

I may not have set the BGCC course record like Nick Faldo did, but I aim to set the record for total return visits as soon as possible.

The next course on my "three days of golf heaven" itinerary was the Nirwana Golf and Country Club. This club has 18 fantastic holes sitting on Bali’s Indian Ocean coast, friendly women caddies, great clubhouse service and, oh yes, some splendid fairways and inspired green positions. I guess I know why they named it Nirwana when Greg Norman designed the course.

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above:
1. The Bali Handara Golf Course
2. The coconut studded greens at BGCC

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