Royal Sumatra GCC, INDONESIA

April 3, 2009

The Clubhouse, taking its time to complete

I used to refer this course as the “cattle farm” due to its poor maintenance. I was in for a big surprise after more than 3 years blacklisting Medan on my travel list. There were residential houses built around the course. Even a clubhouse was under construction. The course was not as pristine as those in Jakarta but it had character. Royal, as fondly referred to by locals, had come a long way to be a better course than Graha.

This Course has character

Formerly rice field, now abandoned

This time we teed off at the “right” time for golf. It was sometimes after 1pm and the sun would be more bearable as time went by. We used buggies this time, one each. This course measured 6,018 metres from blue tees. The course layout was full with characters with waters, bunkers and bushes pretty much in play. The former rice fields inside the course were apparently abandoned.

Lining up my putt, Villegas' style

Making the putt

The caddies celebrate

The last hole, 352-metre par 4 was one of the best single hole that I have ever played. It teed off to a split fairways with a choice of laying up to the right or straight to the left with a likely risk of ending up in the water if you hit it short. Zack managed to carry it to the left. I hit mine into the water.

Hole 18

I would recommend Royal Sumatra anytime if one is in Medan for golf.