Nirwana Bali Golf Club

 

When I was coming to Bali I knew I would have to play and visit the Nirwana Bali Golf Club, as during a dinner with Greg Norman he told me it is still one of his favorite places. This coming from the man who not only designed this course, but has 76 other course designs in play and 37 other projects in the works around the globe spoke volumes of its beauty and must play status. 

Sometimes when you anticipate things so much they are a let down when you finally have the experience.  I must state that this was not the case and Nirwana Bali Golf Club lived up to the hype I have heard.  The moment you drive into the property you know you are in for an experience, as it is framed on one side by the Indian Ocean and Tanah Lot Temple, and on the other sides by lush gardens and traditional Balinese rice fields. It heightens your senses before even going to the first tee. 

When you arrive at the bag drop area the attendants (all pretty Balinese girls) are welcoming you with a smile and escorting you to the golf shop, which is perfectly stocked with everything you would need for a fantastic golf experience. The shop attendants continue the warm reception and after checking you in, can sell you merchandised wear or any thing else you need, and then will escort you to the locker rooms. The locker rooms are champion style with nice oak lockers, an attendant, and the feel that you have stepped into a private country club. 

After a quick change you make your way back to the cart area and meet your caddie for the day. Don't let her innocent smile fool you, all the caddies are professionally trained, and will know your distances after watching you warm up at the range ( which of course welcomes you with balls in the perfect pyramids).  She also will know the lines of your play for the hole and are excellent in reading all the subtle breaks of the paspalum greens. 

The golf course itself is meticulously manicured, from the tees to the greens, and the rough cut fairly low so even sprayed tee shots are not only findable but you can easily get the ball back into play. Technically the course is a 6,805 yard par 72 championship golf course that has been voted by Golf Digest and Asian Golf Monthly as the best golf course in Indonesia and best golf resort in Asia, respectively.  However,  I must say that after playing and working at a couple Norman designs, I found this course very playable for all levels of golfers.  The challenge is there for low handicappers, but the fairways are generous, the rough is low, and the greens are of decent size and gently sloped. With the help of your caddie, any skill level golfer can make there way around this gem with a smile on their face.  

The highlights of the course, besides its incredible condition, are the views. You get started with a few inland holes with lush gardens and bright flowers framing them, before coming back by the clubhouse for the fifth hole where beautiful Balinese rice paddies are stacked in front of the tee boxes before the fairway.  You know you can't be any where else than Bali. Nothing prepares you for the tee shot on the par 3 seventh. A forced carry over the Indian Ocean to a green placed gently on the cliff is not what distracts you, it is the beautiful Hindu Tanah Lot Temple just to the left of the green. There is no doubt why this is the most photographed hole on Bali. You are memorized as you stand on the tee deck, but this is not the only ocean side hole, as there are five of them.  

Yes, Nirwana Bali Golf Club is a golf experience not to be missed.  The Greg Norman design has been open since 1997, is managed by IMG, and is part of the 5 star Pan Pacific Resort. 

Lying on Bali's southwest coastline at Tanah Lot,  the course is a 30 minute scenic drive from Kuta Beach, the Bali airport, and the capital city of Denpasar.

 

Golf Course Details

18 holes, par 72

Course Yardage:
Shark Tees: 6,805 yards
Championship Tees: 6,308 yards
Resort Tees: 6002 yards
Ladies Tees: 5,157 yards

Course Rating/Slope Index:
Shark Tees: 146/74.2
Championship Tees: 142/73/1
Resort Tees: 134/70.7
Ladies Tees: 136/72.5

Awards and Accolades

World’s Top 100 Greatest Golf Courses (No. 52) by Golf Digest Magazine 2014 
Indonesia’s Best Signature Golf Resort by Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards 2012-2014 
Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor 2013 
Entertainment Award by Rakuten Travel Award 2012 
Luxury Golf Resort by World Luxury Hotel Awards 2012 
Asia’s 10 Most Elite Golf Course by Forbes Travel Guide 2012 
Indonesia’s Leading Golf Resort by World Travel Awards 2012 
Indonesia’s Leading Spa Resort by World Travel Awards 2012 
No. 1 Golf Course in Indonesia with Excellent Score by top100golfcourse.co.uk in 2012 
100 Best Golf Courses outside the US (No. 66) and No. 1 Golf Course in Indonesia by Golf Digest Magazine, US in May 2012

For more information

Tel : +62 361 815 960 
Email: golfreservation@panpacific.com 
Website: www.nirwanabaligolf.com