Bali, ‘the island of the Gods’, is also ‘the island of Golf’. This reality, not widely known or appreciated outside Indonesia, is to be promoted internationally following the launch of a new co-operative marketing initiative, Bali Golf Paradise.
Comprising Bali’s three leading golf courses, two hotels/resorts and a golf academy, Bali Golf Paradise is reaching out to golfers in Asia Pacific and further afield who are seeking a new, different, exotic golf holiday.
“Bali is known around the world for its culture, beaches, spas, surfing and friendly people, but not as much for golf,” says Ivan Casadevall, General Manager of Pan Pacific Nirwana Bali Resort, one of five founding members of Bali Golf Paradise.
“By coming together in this way, we would like the international golf community to know Bali as one of Asia Pacific’s great golf destinations. The courses are world class and within easy reach of all the main tourism areas. Bali is ideally located, just a few hours flying time from Australia/New Zealand, as well as north and south-east Asian markets.
“Playing golf in Bali is affordable, enjoyable and uplifting, with superb coastal scenery and a rich local heritage on all three courses. Attractive golf packages are available that include sightseeing and fascinating activities; for non-golfers accompanying golf-playing partners, there is no better place to come than Bali, a true paradise.”
As well as the Pan Pacific Nirwana Bali Resort, which features a world-renowned Greg Norman-designed golf course, other members of Bali Golf Paradise are Bali National Golf Club at Nusa Dua, New Kuta Golf Club, the nearby Lexington New Kuta Hotel at Pecatu, and the Golf Academy Bali, an onsite teaching facility at New Kuta Golf Club.
For 20 years since opening in 1994, Nirwana Golf Club at Tanah Lot has been hailed as one of Asia’s best golf courses. This year it was the only course in south-east Asia named in the US Golf Digest list of the world’s top 100 courses and for the past three years has been voted Indonesia’s best signature golf resort.
The Pan Pacific Nirwana Resort, around which the golf course is built, has 278 rooms including suites and villas.
Bali National Golf Club, formerly Bali Golf and Country Club, is located at Nusa Dua, close to numerous upmarket beachside resorts. Revamped over the past 18 months with new fairways, greens and bunkering, it boasts an impressive new clubhouse and three of the best finishing holes in Asia, including a TPC Sawgrass-inspired island green on the 17th hole.
New Kuta Golf Club, designed by American, Ronald Fream, is Bali’s newest course. Located in the Pecatu region of South Kuta, it is set above a soaring limestone cliff facing the Indian Ocean. New Kuta was named Indonesia’s best golf resort in 2009/10 and 2013/14.
The Lexington New Kuta Hotel has more than 300 rooms, a 24-hour restaurant, large swimming pool, spa and nightclub. Located within the Kawasan Pecatu Indah Resort, it is an ideal base for visitors to New Kuta Golf Club and Uluwatu area’s key attractions including Dreamland beach, Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park, New Kuta Green Park and Uluwatu Holy Temple.
The Golf Academy Bali is located at New Kuta Golf Club, where British PGA professional, Rory Young, provides lessons from a modern teaching facility. The academy is a sister facility to the Golf Academy Borneo. Both academies and a new facility about to open at Spring City Resort, Kunming, China are owned and operated by British PGA professional, Neil Douglas.
Bali Golf Paradise www.baligolfparadise.com