New Kuta design debuts in Bali
The New Kuta Golf Course has revealed all 18 holes of its Golfplan-Fream, Dale & Ramsey design, on the Indonesian island of Bali.
Golfplan partner David Dale believes that New Kuta may remind players of the Plantation Course at the Kapalua Resort in Hawaii, where the PGA Tour holds its Mercedes Championship each January. "It has a quasi-links feel to it, though it generally plays along cliff tops rather than down near the shore," Dale said. "This tableau has a real appeal, as places like Kapalua and Pebble Beach exemplify. At New Kuta, there are holes that run right along the sea. The par four fourteenth and par three fifteenth play right down to the water and travel along the ocean's edge."
The par-72, 6,812-yard layout has a links feel with native grasses, vegetation and just a handful of trees bordering its seashore paspalum fairways, tees and roughs. The greens are planted with smooth-rolling ultradwarf bermudagrass.
Golfplan first became involved with the project in 1994, but it stalled when Indonesian President Suharto was ousted from power in 1998. Construction came to a complete halt during the next eight years, until 2006 when it finally restarted.
Departing from the initial land planner's concept, Golfplan rerouted the course design to maximise views of the ocean and course for the future hotel and residential elements.
The new routing also reduced the amount of earthmoving to just 200,000 cubic meters.
Fream has also recently been active in Tuscany's Maremma region. Terme di Saturnia Spa & Golf Resort has opened what it calls a 'green' 18-hole championship golf course designed by Golfplan.
This article first appeared in issue 14 of Golf Course Architecture, published in October 2008.