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Evan_Green

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Klub Rimba Irian (C&C)
« on: July 10, 2006, 12:06:36 PM »
Has anyone seen this relatively remote C&C course in Indonesia? I havent found any pictures of it. Was wondering how good it was and how it compared to their other designs. Would also be curious as to whether it is maintained fast and firm or plush.

Thanks
« Last Edit: July 10, 2006, 12:09:46 PM by Evan_Green »

Jeff_Mingay

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Re:Klub Rimba Irian (C&C)
« Reply #1 on: July 10, 2006, 12:18:22 PM »
Evan,

My partner, Rod Whitman, was the on-site architect throughout the design and construction at Klub Rimba Irian. He hasn't been back to see the course since it opened, I don't think. But he always speaks fondly of the work he did there with Bill, and his brother Tim Whitman.

In fact, Rod claims some of the best greens he's ever designed and built are in Indonesia.  
jeffmingay.com

Brett Morris

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Re:Klub Rimba Irian (C&C)
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2007, 03:14:05 AM »
Old topic, but I'd thought I'd (try) and post some pictures of this remote C&C golf course in Indonesia.  While I was there I only had a standard 35 camera, not a digital.  I'm in the process of scanning alot of my pictures and can post some more here soon if anyone wants to see more of the course.

Being 5 degrees south of the equator and near the base of a mountain range which ran the width of West Papua, there was loads of rainfall, which changes with the season in Asia, from rain in the morning, to rain in the afternoon, to rain at night, or to rain all day.  Fun growing grass, but the setting was worth it.  Longest period I went without rain was 3 days.

First picture, the signature hole, the 7th.  Par 4, 264m.  No bunkers, small green approximately 275sqm, slight dogleg right.  A creek guards the right hand side of the fairway before swinging right with the green tucked in behind.  Percentage play was a mid to long iron just to the right of the tree followed by a pitch (90m or so) to take the creek out of play to a back to front sloping green, but it was tempting to tee it up and have a go as there was a bit of room right of the green as rough.  To give you some sense of scale, at the base of the tree there is actually a 55hp tractor and blower attachment.





Next my favourite hole, the 464m Par 5 16th.  Double dogleg which off the tee requires a good fade to carry the 3 bunkers on the inside of the first dogleg around 240m, but don't hit it straight otherwise a blind lone bunker about 245m on the LHS of the fairway will take the shot.  The fairway then swings slightly downhill to the left with the first bunker in the photo at 85m from the green with the 2 short right, one large left and another back left which you can't see.  All greenside bunkers here are quite deep.  A little long here over the back right is not too bad.




Tony Ristola

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Re:Klub Rimba Irian (C&C)
« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2007, 04:10:47 AM »
Must have been fun to build. Floating equipment?

Mark Bourgeois

Re:Klub Rimba Irian (C&C)
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2007, 07:11:32 AM »
Brett,

Good start, keep going!

Mark

mike_beene

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Re:Klub Rimba Irian (C&C)
« Reply #5 on: June 27, 2007, 10:15:41 PM »
Chicken that I am,my first question is how many deadly animals,snakes,etc are there?

Brett Morris

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Re:Klub Rimba Irian (C&C)
« Reply #6 on: June 27, 2007, 10:27:47 PM »
Chicken that I am,my first question is how many deadly animals,snakes,etc are there?

Not many.  Probably the dealiest were death adders.  Unfortunately lost one of my staff after being bitten by one.  You know to stay out of the jungle when your local caddie won't set foot in there looking for stray golf balls.

mike_beene

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Re:Klub Rimba Irian (C&C)
« Reply #7 on: June 27, 2007, 11:06:16 PM »
What is a death adder?Also how did they ever see a layout assuming this site was all thick.I assume it is not real easy or safe to walk or clear the site.Is this private?Always noticed it on C & C website.Please tell and show more.

Joe Hancock

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Re:Klub Rimba Irian (C&C)
« Reply #8 on: June 27, 2007, 11:08:14 PM »
What is a death adder?

It is the guy from the IRS that calculates inheritance taxes...... :P

Joe
" What the hell is the point of architecture and excellence in design if a "clever" set up trumps it all?" Peter Pallotta, June 21, 2016

"People aren't picking a side of the fairway off a tee because of a randomly internally contoured green ."  jeffwarne, February 24, 2017

Brett Morris

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Re:Klub Rimba Irian (C&C)
« Reply #9 on: June 28, 2007, 12:59:31 AM »
OK, a few more photos.  The quality is not the best as I'm still waiting on my new scanner.  Mike - A death adder is a short snake, triangular head, kind of like a viper I guess.


The opening tee shot.  Par 4 383m.  The fairway drifts gently to the right, guarded by 3 bunkers at 160, 225 and 255m from the tee.  Preferred line is left side to a raised fairway which opens up a deceptively deep green, but shots pulled left are punished if they go over the side.





Any errant tee shot down the right, forces an approach to the now diagonal green, cross bunker at 55m and greenside bunker RHS.  The green falls away on the left making for a tricky bump and run if the shot is too strong.  Right side of the green is preferred.





No. 3.  Par 3 185m  The deep bunker RHS cuts into the right half of the green from the tee.  The approach front left feeds towards the putting surface encouraging a fade, but again, drops away over the left hand side if the shot is pulled.





No. 5.  Par 4 411m.  A demanding Par 4 along the 'Ross-esque' principles requiring a draw from the tee and fade into the green.  3 bunkers sit on the corner at 200, 230 and 265m.





As close to the left is the best line from the tee, anything right not only adds increasing length to the second shot. but will also have to contend with 2 bunkers at 70 and 40m from the green.





No. 6.  Par 3 128m.  A short one shotter after the demanding 5th, but the bunkerless green is guarded front an left by a deep creek fed short balls by shaved surrounds.  There is room right and long, however the undulations on the surface at the right and rear make for a difficult chip.





No. 14.  Par 4 340m.  The tee shot provides 3 options as a creek winds its way through the fairway and wraps itself around the left and backside of the green.  A short layup around 200m from the tee will find a safe section of fairway, but can block the second as the jungle on the left intrudes.  A longer tee shot down the right around 225m opens up the hole but leaves a mid iron into the green.  Lastly, the player can aim at the lone bunker in the centre of the fairway and hope for the best.  If the shot lands safely, a pitch of only 100m remains.





The pitch shot from near the fairway bunker.





No. 17.  Par 3 201m.  A test coming in.  The large bunker on the right and two greenside bunkers on the left provide no mercy for the errant shot.  The green slopes from front to back, but runs away to the jungle over the back right.





Behind the bunker on the RHS however, there is a quite a bit of fairway unseen from the tee.





No 18.  Par 4 412m  A draw is required on the final tee shot to a blind landing area as the split level fairway drops away at the bend.  A blind bunker RHS at 250m will take any ball even hit straight.  The second shot is played over a bottle neck of 3 bunkers around 100m from the green, which is guarded by a further 3 bunkers and which drops away over the back.






Ben Cowan-Dewar

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Re:Klub Rimba Irian (C&C)
« Reply #10 on: June 28, 2007, 10:34:53 PM »
This is one of my favourite posts in a long while.

Welcome Brett!

I remember when Bill Coore told the story of having to update the Freeport McMoran board on the golf course construction. Pressed by the chairman to lower his paper and say hello, Henry Kissinger (then a director) quickly acknowledged Bill and went back to his reading.

I am amazed that the slopes of the bunkers hold up so well, given the huge amounts of rain.


Mark Bourgeois

Re:Klub Rimba Irian (C&C)
« Reply #11 on: June 28, 2007, 11:00:14 PM »
Brett,

There's a lot to digest here.  Can you tell us more about the 16th? The depth is a little hard to gauge from the pic but it looks like the key is the golfer deciding how far to hit his second shot to set up his favored angle and distance into the green. Yes?

Can you tell us why it's your favorite? What's the green like?

Many thanks for posting,
Mark

Michael Dugger

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Re:Klub Rimba Irian (C&C)
« Reply #12 on: June 28, 2007, 11:42:56 PM »
those images do little for me

i am thrilled to see them, but the course looks average
What does it matter if the poor player can putt all the way from tee to green, provided that he has to zigzag so frequently that he takes six or seven putts to reach it?     --Alistair Mackenzie--

Brett Morris

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Re:Klub Rimba Irian (C&C)
« Reply #13 on: June 29, 2007, 06:26:52 AM »
Brett,

There's a lot to digest here.  Can you tell us more about the 16th? The depth is a little hard to gauge from the pic but it looks like the key is the golfer deciding how far to hit his second shot to set up his favored angle and distance into the green. Yes?

Can you tell us why it's your favorite? What's the green like?

Many thanks for posting,
Mark

Hi Mark,

Like other holes at Rimba Irian, they require a bit of thought on how to best approach the lines of play.  I mentioned in an email to Ben earlier, that compared to other designs in Asia like Nirwana Bali, you don't stand on the tee and are basically told 'Hit it here'.

No. 16 for me created great opportunities, not so much from the tee as there is only one way to play the hole, hit a strong fade as anything down the LHS of the fairway would block any attempt at trying to reach the green in two for the longer player due to the encroachment of the jungle.  Like No. 14, the second shot creates at least 3 options.  First, play safe short of the first bunker in the picture and pitch; second, play a mid iron down the right side away from the traps which opens up the green and a clear shot in; or third, play a more aggressive line and trust your swing over the first bunker to an opening of at least 35- 40m between each trap with a blind landing area.

The green itself is long (33m) and narrow (16m), shaped more to accept a shot from the RHS.  Sloped gently from front to back, it is receptive to a long iron, but close to the green is not be the best option, as the fairway dips and then rises to what is seen to be a plateau green of sorts.  Just a wonderful golf hole which makes you think.  

Jeff_Mingay

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Re:Klub Rimba Irian (C&C)
« Reply #14 on: June 29, 2007, 08:39:53 PM »
Ben,

I showed Rod the photos above, yesterday.

He says it looks like the bunkers have been grassed down since they originally finished the course; no surprise really, considering the amount of rain.

He tells me the property received an UNBELIEVABLE amount of rain each day throughout construction of the course. It's a surprise to him still they were able to build a golf course in that environment!
jeffmingay.com

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