New Kuta Golf Club

Named after the Balinese mythical lion like creature. The Barong is the King of the spirits, leader of the hosts of good and enemy of Rangda, the Demon Queen. Like the Barong when dancing, this hole weaves – left to right and up and down over its long length.

If the first was fairly straight forward, the second is most definitely not and gives the player an insight into the demanding challenges that lay ahead. Four large fairway bunkers flank the left side and thickly wooded, rocky ground runs all along the right. The green drops away from left front to right rear, has a very narrow opening and is defended on the right by a massive bunker that extends 35metresback down the right side of the fairway and on the left by another bunker.

Pro’s Tip – A conservative approach to this 3-shotter is recommended as trouble lurks everywhere. Stay on the fairway and position yourself to play a full shot or a high spinning lob onto the green so as to be able to stop your ball close to the hole. Be careful to not short-side yourself on the left as the gradient and grain of the green makes it virtually impossible to get up and down from here.

Named after the Indonesian words for “Be Careful”. Hati-Hati features a rugged creek bed (usually dry) which cannot be seen from the tee and which crosses the fairway 30 meters short of the green.

About 100 meters from the green there are fairway bunkers on both the left and the right. The green itself is guarded by a bunker on the left. On the right the ground drops away sharply, making for a very difficult up and down from here.

Pro’s Tip – This short par 4 offers a realistic birdie chance. Leave your driver in the bag and lay up just short of the fairway bunkers. This will leave you with only a short iron approach into a receptive green which slopes from back to front. This is another green where the effect of the grain can be significant to the roll of your putt, so pay attention to it.

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 swathe of sand. A classic par 3 delightfully set with the hills behind. Feel free to visit the “The Bunker” half-way house at the tee for some refreshment.

Pro’s Tip – Careful club selection is of paramount importance as this green is the most exposed on the course to any wind that is blowing. Once on the green your job is not over as the many undulations will require concentration to get your putt close to the hole.

Named for the many Mangga trees (Mango in English) which can be seen growing to the right of the tee and on both sides of the green. The fruit is juicy with high water content, making it an ideal refreshment on hot Bali days.

A charming downhill par 3 that usually plays downwind. The green slopes from left front to right back and is guarded by a large bunker on the right.

Pro’s Tip – Look to play a high shot so as to be able to land your ball softly onto this falling green. Any over clubbed shot will see your ball run right through to the back.

From the tee look down the bowl of the fairway where you will find, perfectly framed, the beautiful deep blue ocean which will attract your eye for the next six holes. You are starting on the most scenic part of The Links Challenge, a string of holes that will have you reaching for your camera at every turn.

An excellent par 4 featuring a left to right dogleg and then down a shallow valley to a saucer shaped green. Big hitters may choose to hit a fade over the bunkers in the middle of the fairway to give a much shorter approach. The green slopes from front to back and is defended by a bunker front left and banking on the right.

Pro’s Tip – The downhill pitch of this green results in many balls rolling on through to the back. It is best to land your approach shot just short of or at the very front of the green and let the slope carry it on.

Named for the swathes of Alang-Alang grass which can be found growing around the tee, on both sides of the fairway and on the right side of the green. Alang-Alang grows in dense masses and is up to 100cm in height. The blades are about 2cm wide with the tips being sharp and pointy. In Bali Alang-Alang is often harvested, dried, tied in bundles and used as thatched roofing for houses, bales and other buildings.

A tough par 4 that doglegs from right to left with the green being hidden from the tee. There are fairway bunkers on both sides which need to be avoided. The two tiered green slopes from front to back and into the middle from the left and right. It is well defended by a large bunker on the left and two bunkers on the right.

Pro’s Tip – The best line off the tee is just to the right of the left side fairway bunkers. The green has a narrow opening which can be used to play the classic Links type approach of running the ball onto the green. If the pin is located on the top tier, then your approach must fly high and land softly to get close.

“The Cliff Hanger” half-way house is a wonderful place to refresh yourself and enjoy the magnificent views of the sweeping bay which ends at Uluwatu, site of one of Bali’s four most sacred Temples. This is the Signature Hole and as you stand on the tee and take in the 240 degree ocean views, you will understand why this is one of the most photographed hole’s in the world.

The generous green slopes from left to right and from back to front. It is guarded by bunkers left and right. There is another bunker back left which will save many a badly topped or over clubbed shot.

Pro’s Tip – The wind can play tricks here because it can be different on the tee than at the green, as it gets funneled up and around the different parts of the cliff walls. Take a moment to look at both the flag on top of the half-way house and the flag on the green to get a good feel for the winds true direction and

Named for the steeply sloped green that is the main defense of this slight left to right dogleg par 4. The green is protected by a severe drop off and two bunkers on the left and on the right by another bunker and steep banking.

Pro’s Tip – This is another hole where you may choose to leave the driver in the bag and play for position off the tee, as any drive drifting left will run out of fairway. When contemplating your approach to this very deep and undulating green, keep in mind that you need to get below the hole. Anything left above the hole will result in having to putt down the slippery slope.