Indonesia, Bandung : Giri Gahana Golf and Country Club

Alas our Bandung Golf Tour was coming to an end.

On our last day in Bandung, the crew teed up at the highly rated Bandung Giri Gahana Golf and Country Club.

Designed by Michael Coates and opened in 1989, the 18 hole course is touted as one of the best courses in the region and is part of a luxury resort too. 

There were plenty of golfers during the weekend so we had to tee off really early. Think our tee time was 7.15am if I recall correctly and the weather was fantastic too.

Unlike Dago Indah, the marshalls here kept a tight ship. From the buggy centre, they would announce your names and assigned buggy over a PA system (I don't necessarily think it's appropriate, but it works) and the starter at the first tee and roving marshalls made sure everyone was playing on time.

From the get go, I was taken by the very good course conditions. Fairways (bermuda grass) were well maintained and nearly carpet like generally. patches of brown in places (due to the lack of rain) but overall were very good. Equally good were the greens which were quick and undulating.

The front 9 had a flatter layout compared to the back 9 which had plenty of elevation and undulation which made for an interesting contrast. Club selection and distances were key crossing over which is why having a good knowledgeable caddy is crucial if you want to score. 

If it's one thing I have learnt about playing on foreign courses, it's to listen to your caddy. Entirely different story if your caddy is giving you crazy putting reads though.

Playing the front 9 was pretty fun. With the dry and flat fairways on some holes, we were getting plenty of rolllll on the ball. Indulge me as I digress into a bit of commentary. 

I think it was the first Par 5 where I hit a pretty good drive onto the fairway. I was left with some 230 meters to the green (so says my caddy) and because I wasn't super confident with the 3 wood, I thought I would just whack the ball close with the 4 hybrid (24* which I can hit 180m on a good day) and aim for par. 

With eye on the ball, I swung and hit it perfect. I watched as the ball sailed through the air and as it landed in the distance, I could see it bouncing and rolling and my kakis were cheering "two on!!" I had my doubts and even my caddy wasn't sure where it had ended up. 

So imagine my surprise and sheer delight when we made our way to the green and find my ball safely on the dance floor. That was some roll indeed! I was left with a lengthy eagle putt which I left a few feet short but managed to convert the birdie which is always nice. Still, the highlight was getting home in 2 on a Par 5, which I had never pulled off prior.

Anyhow, it set a pretty good tone for the day and I was pretty satisfied with my round. 

The temperature increased as we progressed and was pretty hot by the time we finished. So it was time for a deserving shower and lunch as we waited for our comrades to complete their rounds.

 

The food variety and quality of food was pretty good too. After lunch, it was back to Jakarta where we would spend the night before flying back the next day.  

To the ratings!

Value : As with the other two courses, we had a travel agent arrange our ground travel, accommodation and golf in a lump sum, so I am not quite sure how much we paid for the golf. 

Staff : 5/5

Top notch service across the board. From the bag drop off attendants to the course marshals, locker room attendants and even wait staff at the cafe, the staff at Giri Gahana performed their duties well with a smile.

Though I have to say, I wasn't too fond of the whole announcing names over the PA system at the buggy centre though. 

Course conditions : 4/5

Very well maintained overall. Fairways and Greens were in great shape.

Aesthetics : 4/5

A beautiful course. Nice landscaping, plenty of trees and nice surrounding views. Really nice.

Amenities : 4/5

The club house and resort had plenty of facilities, it was just a shame we didn't have much time to explore. Locker rooms were clean and spacious. A vast improvement from what we were offered at Dago Indah.

Experience : 5/5 

Experience is subjective but even then it takes alot for a 5/5 experience. 

But I think a number of factors contributed to the fantastic day of golf I had. Good golf course, excellent weather, great company in friends and having a good round (can't forget the "getting home in 2 on the Par 5") overall. Would love to come back here again.

Total score : 22/25