The Golf Club Datai Bay - The Bliss on Earth.

review by Ave A Joe

The Bliss on Earth….

Close your eyes for a moment. Imagine the refreshing sea breeze, tall green trees, lush pastures; yes, some monkeys and birds too. Stream meandering with fresh water you could actually dip your hands and drink. Cool. Now, open your eyes and the first hole at The Golf Club at Datai Bay awaits you. Such is the beauty of this golf course that it is the perfect hideaway from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Langkawi island in general is developing at a fast pace as a tourism destination renown from all over the world. Yet, as you approach this club you might be forgiven for thinking that the taxi driver had perhaps, lost his way. Tucked at the north west nook of the island, this club, and the accompanying 5-star hotel the Andaman, seem to be detached from the all happening tourist strip of Pantai Cenang or the shopping haven of Kuah.
Leave the shopping and bathing for a while. We are afterall golfers seeking new challenges and thrills. For the macho golfers, this is for you! Those massive drivers shall best be put in the car boot. Shortish it might be at less than 6000 metres, one can be easily humbled at the end of the round. Mind you, this course needs some thinking to be conquered.

Standing on the first tee, for example, one might be thinking a nice drive would clear the stream easily. But beware, it is indeed longer to carry than you would think. The stream in front runs diagonally from left to right. Hook your drive and the thick forest awaits. The overhanging trees on the right impair your direct view to the landing area a little b

it but they only act as a distraction. Experienced golfer would know for exact that a nice little fade would do just fine as the landing area is generous enough. Approach to the elevated, elongated and two-tiered green seems easy but wait till you land your ball. Any clubbing mistake could leave you a 40-footer or normally a tough chip to the pin.

                                                                                                                
Hole No 2 presents a perfect vista towards the green with the stupenduous Gunung Matchinchang as the backdrop. The hole goes up, up and away from the tee to the green. Visual pleasure is all that is left for careless golfer it seems. The fairway is relatively tight and positioning is at premium since it rolls from left to right. Tall trees and thick forest flank the hole as faith

ful as guards of honour, ready to gobble errant drives. After these two holes, one should already know the plot. Play nice, steady and avoid the jungles at all cost.
The series of holes that follow in the first nine present all sorts of challenges, some with deep ravine into the dense bushes, some have fairways as tight as J Lo’s midriff, some with undulation of a roller coaster ride and all of them play between matured trees. Handicapped golfers are best advised to keep the driver in the bag. You need all the extra strokes, and some.

After the trial and tribulation of the first nine, many would appreciate the relief of the second nine. Forget your score for a while and enjoy the relatively peaceful offering of the second nine. Since most of the holes lie on the valley side of this course, the holes seem to look easier than the first nine. Still, don’t think that they are mere gimmes. There are more dangers lurking in store than you would think from the tee box.
If your cumulative score at all the holes so far have been a shipwreck, you would be more than happy to play the official 19th hole that play as an alternate to the par-3 17. Better still, play both holes to enjoy the unique experience. Nineteen is a sweet little par-3 of the highest design pedigree. It’s nice to know that the piece of land across the road had been purchased by the developer specifically for this purpose. What a beauty it is, fitting in as the signature hole of the course. Standing on the tee box, one would be enthralled by the picturesque clear blue waters that is Andaman sea with pockets of small islands belonging to Thailand. Invariably, the sea breeze would play a nice tune between the casuarina branches and stalks of the coconut trees. Gimme a hammock, please! What a pure bliss….

Oh, the shot! One could easily forget the world around him when it comes to this hole. A middle distance par-3 that could play between 4 clubs depending on the wind. The toughest pin position would be on the top right corner of the green. It’s all carry and very scary. Better stay safe on the left side and strive for a long two-putt for par. Not an easy task, though. I’d rather settle for a casual bogey and spend a couple more minutes admiring the view.
If you have been playing well, the last hole would be a fitting end to your round. Otherwise, this hole would be a good re-start. It’s not too long a par-5 but not short either. Just nice for strong hitters to go for two but fair enough for average hitter to leave a putt for birdie on the green. Mind the stream that presents a nice obstacle for unwary golfers. The green is large enough for strategic pin positioning. Bunkers are more than enough to catch stray balls. If you could negotiate those, you would happily be home and dry.
This golf course seems tough to negotiate for the average golfer not because of its length but more due to the levels of ability of the golfers themselves. Experienced golfer would know that courses with forest and trees need careful club selection and less mistakes to produce a good score. Not so much of power play, more of thinking.

For sheer vista and bliss, the Golf Club at Datai Bay has it in abundance.
Ratings (out of 5 each):
Design – 4.0*
Playability – 3.5*
Ambience – 4.8*
Condition – 4.5*
Pedigree – 4.5*
Overall – 4.2*