Himalayan Golf Course-Nepal

[Mac Plumart]

Here are photos from their website.  Neat stuff!


http://www.himalayangolfcourse.com/?show=gallery


Anyone played it, besides Tom Doak?

Tom, any comments?

[David Harshbarger]

different equipment, same tournament look....



Thanks to Anthony Pioppi

[Tom_Doak]

Mac:

I plan to do a full write-up of the course at some point in the next month or two.  I might need Ran's help in combining the pictures with the text ... my friends on the trip did get some pretty good pictures despite a fairly foggy day.  I will probably wait until I give a slide show on it for the Renaissance Cup at the end of January, so give it a bit of time.

Their web site is a bit behind, it is actually a 16-hole course now that you play a couple of holes twice in order to have a full round.

All I will say for now (as with the hints I've given so far) is that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience but I do hope to go back again someday with friends; very much like I thought of St. Enodoc or Pennard the first time I played them, though the course is VERY different than those two.

[Ulrich Mayring]

Wow, I believe this is Machapucharé on the left and Annapurna II to the right. Might be the golf course with the most vertical vista in the world, seeing that it is located at less than 1000 meters a. s. l. and Annapurna II is almost 8000.

Ulrich

[Sean_A]

I spent about a week in Pokhara while bumming round Nepal.  There weren't all that many choices to stay when I was there.  We ended up in Gurkha run hostel, very military chap who took cleanliness is next to godliness very seriously.  Anyway, I tested bouncing a coin off the made bed, but not much bounce - tee hee.  I remember the city (more like a town feel though) was quite spread around - very different from Kathmandu.  Anyway, I reckon the city is probably far more urbanized than when I visited.  I recall there wasn't much of a centre before and I certainly don't have a recollection of a golf course being there, not that I was looking for one.  I just looked at the green fee.  I see this course is meant for touristas - probably coming through on walks/treks.  $50 is a serious money in Nepal.   I think my room cost $0.50 per night in a tourist joint.  

Ciao

[Tom_Doak]

Sean:

The project was started just before the civil war there began, so the plans for a resort catering to tourists was put on indefinite hold, but they did finish the first nine holes after four years of hand labor and nurturing, and have slowly expanded since then.

We didn't see all of Pokhara as we didn't stay the night there ... we made a day trip from Kathmandu on Yeti Airlines ! ... but I think you would still like it.  The side of town near the lake is crowded with ramshackle hostels and inexpensive hotels, but they have kept the lake pristine and there was no traffic at all by Kathmandu standards.

Ulrich:  Yes, that's Annapurna; you can see three 8000-meter peaks from the golf course on a good day.  It takes some getting used to when you are down in the valley, because they are so high in the sky compared to anything I've ever seen before ... that's what a 7000 meter elevation change in +/- 25 miles will do for you.

[William_G]

looks fun and incredible

[Sean_A]

Tom

Yes, the Civil War was brewing when I was there in 1989(?) - so before the course.  Poverty, filth and disease in Nepal was unreal.  I did hard travel beforehand bumming through Indonesia (very difficult traveling the way locals do - boat and bus) and Thai jungles, but it didn't prepare me for Nepal - I was in shock and became very, very ill.  After a month or so of bumming around, I couldn't believe how wealthy India seemed by comparison.  One funny thing, around all the restaurants in Kathmandu, water buffalo was sold as beef (those clever Nepalese - tee hee), obviously very much on the hush-hush because beef was a no-no for eating.  I went on a crusade ordering beef everywhere I went.  Needless to say, restaurant owners were more true to their religion than to their customers.   

I am still amazed at the idea of a $50 course even now nowhere near Kathmandu.  That must be a couple of months wages for the average Nepali. 

Ciao

[Sidney Lin]

I saw pics of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Course in China. 3100m altitude and they say the ball flies for hundreds of meters. Spectacular scenery too and extremely long over 7500m.