Jatinangor Golf & Resort

Set amidst a dramatically beautiful hilly terrain and surrounded by mountains in nearly every direction, the Jatinangor Golf & Resort (former Bandung Giri Gahana) is a real treat. Michael Coates & Associates designed on a site that lies some 900 meters above sea level and opened for play in 1989.

Like most of the newer courses in Indonesia that were designed by internationally acclaimed designers, the Jatinangor Golf & Resort layout is of immaculate quality with plenty of fabulous holes. Located at such high altitude, obviously, the site offers a pleasant climate and cool and fresh air especially in the morning and late afternoon. Also, being at altitude ensures suitability for the Bent grassed fairways and greens.

Jatinangor Golf & Resort comprises two nine-hole loops, measuring 7176 yards from the championship tees. The Giri Course is the front 9, and the Gahana Course is the back nine. Set within the rolling landscape, the Giri Course winds its way through the mature trees. In general, the fairways are generous, flanked with large native trees, skillfully positioned fairway bunkers, allowing golfers to be aggressive from the tee. Generally, dry and flat fairways offer an extreme amount of roll making both par-5’s reachable in two.

The Gahana Course has plenty of elevation and undulation which makes for an interesting contrast. Correct club selection and distance measuring are key to scoring here. Green reading better be best left to the caddies who assist in determining the correct putting lines.

Facilities at Jatinangor Golf & Resort are adequate but could be better maintained. Locker rooms are clean and spacious. The clubhouse restaurant serves up tasty Indonesian food at reasonable prices. The well-trained caddies are handing out good playing advice and helping with club selection and green reading. The resort hotel that sits on a hill in the distance is impressive. However, being built over 30 years ago, the golf resort is past its day for international visitors and mostly for locals wanting to get away from Bandung itself.