New Kuta Golf

A feature from the IAGTO Directory 2014

New Kuta Golf

New Kuta Golf

New Kuta Golf

The great links challenge – Bali’s bestOnly 20 minutes driving distance from Ngurah Rai International Airport, New Kuta Golf is located in Bali’s south-western region of Pecatu and is set on an 85-hectare (210-acre) plot of prime coastal land on Bukit Peninsula, within the Pecatu Indah Resort grounds.

A championship-standard course and the first links-style layout in Indonesia, it will both challenge the low handicapper and reward the novice. With five sets of tees, there’s enough variety to ensure a satisfying experience for all skill levels.

In only its second year of existence, New Kuta Golf was chosen to host the 2009 Indonesian Open and, like his peers, winner Thongchai Jaidee – Thailand’s undisputed golf icon and multiple winner on the Asian and European Tour – praised the course for its challenging character.

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New Kuta Golf

The front nine plays inland and navigates away from the clubhouse into an area where many kapok trees are the predominant feature. The 6th hole is named after the course’s principal architect, Ronald Fream, who says: “Hole 6 is our standout par 3. We had ample space to be different. This large space allowed the use of expansive alternate teeing surfaces, and a vast area of intimidating sand.”

This is a unique hole in that the large, island green is completely surrounded by a broad swath of sand. It is a classic par 3 delightfully set with the hills behind. Golfers can visit The Bunker halfway house at the tee for some refreshment.

On the back nine, the par-3 15th hole, called The Cliffhanger, is New Kuta’s signature hole and is perched above a limestone cliff. The sound of the crashing Indian Ocean surf way below the green adds to the overall drama on this hole.

The tee box of the 16th hole looks out on Balangan Beach to the left. The elegant par-5 18th finishes (as does the 9th) just a few yards from the shaded patio serving New Kuta’s magnificent clubhouse, where the formidable Links Restaurant & Bar (and the club’s dedicated spa) make it an ideal place to relax after the round.

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New Kuta Golf

New Kuta Golf has just earned three top accolades. It has been named Indonesia’s Leading Golf Resort for 2013/14 in the Indonesia Travel & Tourism Awards (ITTA) – the second time it has won the honour, having previously done so in 2010/11. It has been awarded top-three status for Asia’s Best Course in Indonesia and Best Maintained Course in Asia Pacific for 2013/14 in the 2013 Asian Golf Awards.

This is what one amateur golfer from New Zealand said about New Kuta: “I first played New Kuta some years back just after the European PGA sanctioned men’s and ladies’ Indonesian Opens. Wow, this gave me a real appreciation of just how good these players really are. The course was set up tough; lightning fast greens, narrow fairways, 7cm rough – add an afternoon sea breeze and it was almost soul-destroying for a 15 handicapper like me.

“More recently I have played this ever-changing course set up in ‘anyone can play this course’ mode’ just as the wet season was ending. Wonderful golf, staggering views of the surf break and Dreamland and Balangan beaches, great condition, medium-paced greens, excellent undulating fairways, long enough from the appropriate tees, and strategically-placed fairway bunkers; it was a totally different experience. That’s the beauty of this course – it changes depending on the season and how the obviously-astute management set it up to meet the different players’ needs of the time.

“It can be a monster or it can be a fun hit and giggle for the less-intense golfer. All around are signs of a continuous commitment to improving the golfing experience – fairway maintenance, caddie-training classes and assessment testing, first-class pro instruction, clubhouse cleaning, first rate starter organisation, and excellent food and beverages. New Kuta Golf will surprise you every time and you will want to return.”

Contact details

New Kuta Golf, Jl. Raya Uluwatu, Kawasan, Pecatu Indah Resort, Pecatu, Jimbaran 80361, Bali, Indonesia

Tel: +62 361 8481 [email protected]

Adapted from copy supplied by New Kuta Golf

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Cover Photo: Majl is Course, Emirates Golf Club, Dubai • www.dubaigolf.com

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