Several golf courses in the Jakarta area are wellknown to Malaysian golfers, with Cengkareng, Jagorawi, and Royale Jakarta being three of the most respected courses.
While Jakarta’s traffic is notorious, I’ve noticed that with the right timing and the use of public transport in the city centre, life is considerably more tolerable, especially with the right choice of hotel. A weekend’s golf is more than just about the game itself, of course, but also the after-golf experience. Here’s what I discovered on my most recent visit to the Indonesian capital.
A TRIO OF COURSES
A few years ago, friends introduced me to the Ayana Midplaza Jakarta, part of a small hotel group with other properties in Bali and Komodo. When I last stayed at their Jakarta property, the concierge told me that the hotel was connected to Riverside Golf Club and that the hotel offered stay-and-play packages.
Therefore, the decision was made to stay at the Ayana and play Riverside, an 18-hole par 72 course located an hour to the south of the Ayana on the way to Bogor and the hills. Greg Norman designed the scenic layout, located beside the Cikeas River in what was once forested land. This venture was his first foray into the archipelago and required him to move heaven and earth to create the course. Some mature rainforest trees were retained near the fairways and along their perimeter, as well as behind some of the greens.
Long hitters will love this course as three of the four par-three holes require long, accurate drives across water. Many of the par-four and parfive holes play towards greens that are unsighted from their respective tee boxes. Golfers soon realise that their best friend on the course is their caddy, who has a keen insight into how best to play such holes. Some holes are dogleg in design, and most golfers will be thrilled to attain par on them, some even a stroke or two over. The par-four fifth hole is a memorable one as it plays uphill with the contoured fairway channelling the ball into the centre. However, your second shot needs to be accurate, as the rest of the fairway has its fair share of water, bunkers and forest off in the rough. Many will play to the right to avoid the water, but even that’s easier said than done. The signature par-three 14th hole plays along a ravine, but can be attacked by those seeking a birdie.
On day two, we headed back towards the hills. Jagorawi Golf and Country Club, located at Gunung Putri in a hilly part of the Cikeas River Valley, offers 45 holes. Its Old Course has been carved through forests, and its natural beauty is most appealing. The first three holes descend deep into the valley. While a ‘short’ 6,023 m, the course provides sufficient challenge and is never to be underestimated. It calls for precision golf rather than power golf, and while some will appreciate its risk and reward qualities, others will seek the advice of the caddy in trying to tame the layout. The 509-m-long par five first is regarded by regulars here to be one of Indonesia’s finest opening holes. However, wayward drives from the tee box will be punished, so cautious play is required and rewarded. It’s a frustrating hole, and those who attain par should be rightly proud of their achievement.
The Old Course, designed by Peter Thomson and Mike Wolveridge, opened over several decades ago, and it’s regarded by many as one of the courses to play in Indonesia. Its layout is a mature course with palms, pines and remnants emergents from the original forest, lining the fairways. Considered a challenging course, accuracy becomes increasingly important as your game progresses. The first hole sets the trend for golfers. With a tee box perched 40 m above the fairway and the river flowing off to the right, golfers quickly appreciate that getting it right from the start is imperative. The par five hole is a test of strength, with the first obstacle being to stay on the fairway and not in the river. At 509 m off the championship tee, long handicappers can be assured of being intimidated from the very beginning.
The decision to visit Cengkareng Golf Club on our last day was made easy as our return flight to Kuala Lumpur was timed for 7.30 pm. Cengkareng is located immediately adjacent to the airport, so an afternoon round, freshen-up, and short transfer to the airport made logical sense.
EXPLORING JAKARTA
Jakarta was initially known as Batavia by the Dutch traders who used the port to transship valuable spices to Europe. On a previous visit to Jakarta, I visited Sunda Kepala, which still operates as a port for small vessels that service the outer islands off Java.
While not much time was allocated to sightseeing on this trip, I can highly recommend allocating a day or two to explore the city’s cultural and historic assets. My suggestion is to stay centrally and use TransJakarta buses (especially the Kota route) to identify and visit the places of interest along the route. I would rarely recommend a bus to explore a city like Jakarta, but many buses operate along dedicated bus lanes and cover the distance much faster than taxis that can get stuck in traffic. The traffic is always a consideration for destinations away from public transport.
Historic attractions that should be of interest are Fatahillah Square, the Maritime Museum and the National Monument (MONAS). My time in Jakarta also coincided with car-free Sunday, when the main street and area around the Welcome Monument on Jalan Sudirman are closed to vehicles.
It appears that half of Jakarta takes to the streets between 6 am and 10 am on Sunday morning as they come out in their droves. They travel here to jog, exercise, and cycle or simply stroll around for a few hours before cars are allowed back on the streets. It’s a fabulous event with many locals dressing up for the occasion and turning it into a lively party atmosphere. We enthusiastically took part early in the morning, mixing in some jogging and walking as we marvelled at the various small festivities that were scattered throughout the area.
KLM’s scheduling enabled us to visit, two courses in and around Jakarta, a relaxing Sunday shopping, sightseeing and eating, and a visit to Cengkareng Golf Course near the airport before flying back to Kuala Lumpur in the late evening.
RESORT LIVING
While very much a business hotel, guests in the Ayana Midplaza could well be forgiven for thinking they were in a resort like Ayana Bali and not in the centre of Jakarta. Once inside, it’s a tranquil oasis, and the pool and spa are most relaxing. Ayana offers executive room privileges for guests staying in suites such as my urban suite. This meant complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening cocktails and canapés in various outlets throughout the hotel.
There are many possibilities for enjoying the Jakarta evening, but with early starts for golf, we chose more subdued nightlife while enjoying Ayana’s executive privileges. We were happy to pull up a comfortable lounge chair at JimBARan in the Ayana lobby each evening. JimBARan is one of the city’s more stylish bars with coffee during the day and stronger beverages in the evening. It’s a warm and welcoming meeting place, and I just loved the ambiance, the extensive beverage menu, snacks and the magazines and books that were available.
Our second night coincided with a lively evening in B1 Bar located in the hotel basement. The music is ’80s retro, much to the delight of many locals who drink here after work. It was a singalong night to accompany the exotic cocktails being poured.
Guests definitely won’t go hungry in the Ayana as there are several outlets and the adjoining Midplaza complex. In-house restaurants include the all-day dining outlet Rasa, Liu Li Palace Seafood, Blue Terrace, and two Japanese restaurants in the basement.
The spa in the Ayana offers modern wellness techniques combined with traditional Indonesian therapies. Balinese therapies are a speciality of the spa, although Elemis products are also featured. A pool, gym, tennis court and squash court are available.
THE BEST BRUNCH
My travel informants had suggested that I should enjoy a weekend buffet served in one of the many hotels in Jakarta. Brunch is more than a meal for many in Jakarta; it’s a ritual. The Four Seasons came highly recommended, so after a Sunday morning of exercising and sightseeing, we headed to Alto, located on the 20th floor of this very plush hotel. We had been told that this was arguably Jakarta’s finest Sunday brunch, featuring quality imported produce offered as a compact buffet with some excellent à la carte dishes on the menu. Chef Marco Violano and his team deliver quality over quantity.
Fresh prawns, salmon, crab claws, and lobster are presented, while beef Wellington accompanied by truffle-infused mashed potatoes is another highlight. At another station, a chef prepared truffled risotto in a Parmesan wheel. Various beverage options are offered at an additional cost, and we were glad we took the option that included Prosecco and a dozen or so premium white and red wines. Given the sheer quality of the food and wines at Alto’s brunch, and the refined, contemporary elegance of the venue, we felt the price of the meal – with or without the beverage package add-on – was a very good value.
Despite its huge population, it’s amazing how Jakarta functions, and we were impressed at how much greener and cleaner it’s looking, at least in the central parts of the city that we visited. Jakarta is a destination that attracts many Malaysians conducting business, but I also discovered many appealing lifestyle aspects that increasingly make it a fine destination to combine business and leisure.
TRAVEL FILE
Arriving Royal
Dutch Airlines, or KLM (klm.com), flies daily to Jakarta using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft and offers a full service at prices that will surprise most golfers. The fares to Jakarta are comparable with the budget airlines operating the route but come with full luggage allowance (great for golf clubs), a complimentary meal and a full beverage service and in-flight entertainment. The KLM flight departs in the late afternoon and arrives back late in the evening so you can maximise your time in Jakarta. Enjoy the extra comfort and privileges in KLM’s Premium Comfort Class with just 21 spacious seats, priority check-in and baggage, a dedicated menu, and signature beverages including cocktails (the espresso martini is well worth trying).
Staying Ayana
Midplaza Jakarta (ayana. com) is situated in central Jakarta close to the famous Welcome Monument. The hotel is located beside a TransJakarta bus station that I used to travel to some of the city’s tourist sights. It is less than one hour from the airport and is close to Plaza Indonesia and Grand Indonesia shopping malls.
Contacts
Riverside Golf Course (riverside-golf.com), Jagorawi Golf and Country Club (jagorawi.com) and Cengkareng Golf Club (cengkarenggolfclub. com).
