Batam Golf

Batam Golf

This is our information page for Golf in Batam.  We actually provide Batam Vacation Apartment Suites in Nagoya Batam Center.  You can save over 20% if you book our apartment suites suites here  compared to Agoda booking.com & Airbnb. Our Suites are rated 5 stars by over 250 families & groups who have stayed with us and also include free transport in Batam as well as free transfers to and from your  Batam ferry.

If you’re looking for a golfing holiday in South East Asia, Batam Golf has to be the one of the best locations you could possibly choose.    Together with the great nightlife, amazing food and places to stay at low cost, its almost like an undiscovered secret golfing haven.

There are no less than seven Batam Golf courses for you to choose from. Most of which offer good hospitality and are maintained to high standards.  It’s a shame that Batam’s potential as a golf holiday destination has never really been fully promoted but for those that come, benefit from great value.

All courses insist on the use of caddies and buggies for walk in customers.  This not only increases the cost of playing considerably but prevents you walking and keeping fit – which after all is what sport and exercise should be about.  In addition, players are also expected to pay a tip to the caddie despite already paying for a service they may not have even wanted.

Should one of the Batam golf courses ever offer a  western style model where you pay a years subscription and can walk or pay a supplement for buggies and caddies I suspect their membership would increase 10 fold along with their food & beverage receipts.  Tamarin offer this service but the quality of the course and the fact that it’s 9 holes is a problem for many players.

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Batam Golf Courses

Can you find time midweek to play?  If so, you will find the pricing cheaper.  Most of the courses are pretty empty Monday to Friday and green fees are lower.  Weekends are different though, with golfers making the ferry journey over from Singapore to play at their preferred courses.

If you want to make further savings, you should consider staying overnight.  If you take into account the extra charges for the ferry journey, it works out cheaper to negotiate a discount for playing 2 or more rounds and staying over.  We often have groups of golfers stay at our  family apartments in Batam.

Batam Golf at Indah Puri Resort

Indah Puri in my opinion is the best course in Batam.  Unfortunately it’s the worst run.  Service is poor, staff are less than attentive.  This is the only place I’ve ever encountered that insists you tip the caddie rather than include it in the cost for play.  The caddies themselves practically bully guests to pay even more, irrespective of whether the service was good or not.  They are forever changing their pricing and marketing and are extremely difficult to negotiate with, often changing agreed prices and playing formats at short notice.  They’re current dispute with owners of apartments on the resort has given them a very poor reputation for service, reliability and credibility among the expat community.

If you’re looking for a challenging golf course then this is the place to play.  It has a slope rating (degree of difficulty) of a championship course.  If you would prefer to make it a little easier, then you can play from the front tees.  With holes along the sea front, tee shots over lakes and sloping greens that force you to think really seriously about position, this Batam golf course has it all.

The Club house at Indah Puri is a traditional open ended Indonesian building with a high ceiling allowing for a cooler place to sit after your game with an amazing view over the course.

Indah Puri offer a fast track immigration service and ferry transfer from Sekupang International Ferry Terminal. They mostly work with Batam Fast for their inclusive golf and ferry deals.

Batam Hills Golf Course

I guarantee you’ve never played golf anywhere that has such an ostentatious club house.  Designed with a truly Egyptian theme.

The golf course is very well designed and a good test.  If you struggle to hit the ball straight, then you need to be prepared for lots and lots of out of bounds.  The nature of the course means that very few holes are side by side.  Not only that, the other side of the OB is jungle so say goodbye to your ball.

I wouldn’t say there is a particular signature hole here, but it’s important to remember that each hole is quite unique.  You can very rarely see other holes and players during play here which really does keep you interested and attentive.  This is a Batam Golf course well worthy of your consideration.

If you play at Batam Hills, the transfer is from Sekupang.  They also own and can help you with packages (more expensive than staying with us) at the Acacia Hotel which is actually closer to Indah Puri. Access via Sekupang ferry terminal is easiest here.

Batam Golf at Southlinks Country Club

Southlinks is situated half way between Sekupang and Lubuk Baja which is the city centre.  As you would expect from the name, it also serves as a country club.

Prices are generally higher than other golf Batam golf courses.  You would therefore expect a better standard of golf course, but I have to say you’ll be disappointed.

The Signature hole has an Island green, but besides this it’s not too exciting.  You’ll often find yourself confined to the buggy track here too as it doesn’t drain too well.  In an attempt to improve the drainage there seems to be concrete drains everywhere which is a big spoiler.

My least favorite course by far and for me not worth the money, for the golf as well as the food and drink in the Clubhouse.

Padang Golf Sukajadi

This is the newest of the Batam golf courses course is nestled within the Sukajadi housing area in Batam Center.

Sukajadi has boasting rights when it comes to the quality of the greens.  Their greens are by far the slickest on the island and run faster than everywhere else.  The course though is what I can only describe as a naked parkland type.  You need to be prepared to walk here.

They have a no buggy on the course policy which is extremely frustrating as you spend most of your time walking back and forth between your buggy ans your ball.  I find nothing more frustrating than arriving at my ball, scoping the flag only to find that I brought the wrong club.  It would be helpful if they had a policy where you could walk with a trolley but even that’s not allowed.

Despite the negatives, you will find more golfers here than on most courses.  Lots of visitors here on stay and play packages with  the Radisson Hotel next door.

A good test of golf, especially with the fast greens. But you may find the ordeal of getting from tee to green is tortuous.

If you choose to play here you can arrive via Harbour Bay or Batam Center ferry terminals as they’re around the same distance away.

Batam Golf at Tering Bay

By far my favorite of all the Batam golf courses.  Tering Bay is a picturesque parkland course which is a pleasure to play from start to finish.

You will hear some people say it’s the easiest course.  But play it from the black tees and it’s a serious test of ability.  Tering Bay are keen to point out that their course was designed by the legendary Greg Norman. I guarantee you will love playing here.  It’s easy on the eye with it’s tree lined holes, enjoyable to play with tight cut lush fairways. However, it’s 80 or so bunkers strategically placed will keep you on your toes from the 1st until the 18th.

The clubhouse here is also a notable feature, built in an old colonial style and provides a really relaxed atmosphere.

Important to remember that you can get very good midweek rates here.

If you’re travelling here from Singapore, you will need to use Tanah Merah ferry terminal to Nongsa as it’s too far away from other ferry ports.  They offer free collection and drop.  They also offer reduced rates at many hotels, but I would expect our Batam Center apartments would work out cheaper for a group of 4 or more.

Well worthy of consideration.

Palm Springs Batam

This is the only Batam golf course where you’ll find a choice of 27 holes. The course is split into three 9 hole courses named Resort, Palm and Island.  Of the three, the Palm course is the most enjoyable as well as being the most difficult.

The signature hole on the Palm course with it’s beach side green surrounded by coconut trees is the epitome of luxury golf.  All three courses though are very enjoyable to play.  Not as good (in my opinion) as Tering Bay, but nonetheless you’ll a really enjoy playing golf here.  The course is well maintained and the staff are friendly and professional.  The terrace restaurant sits looking over the beach, no other clubs have this facility.  Unfortunately the prices and the overall quality of the food does not quite match the view.  To be fair though you have to pay Singapore prices in most Batam golf course clubhouses.

Palm springs is also only accessible for visitors from Singapore via Nongsapura.

Tamarin Santana

Tamarin Santana is a 9 hole course in the same ownership as Nongsa Point Marina.  The clubhouse  is really a converted office with some tables outside in a covered area.  It is located within the Nongsa ferry terminal, and although still called Tamarin, the golf course has been renamed The VIP Nine.

It’s claim to fame is that it was designed by Jack Nicklaus.

For a long time this course has been in a poor state of repair.  They have though recently made efforts to make improvements.   They have no irrigation system and rely on the staff to move pumps around to water the greens in dry periods.  The greens have improved of late but it’s fair to say they are not as good or true running as other golf  courses in Batam. Bunkers are maintained better than they used to be and the fringes have improved.  The fairways though remain a game of chance.  Your ball will rarely sit proud as it should do on a fairway and will likely sit in a bare lie or nestled down lie or what we would normally refer to as 1st cut rough.  You’ll enjoy your game far better here if you agree to play preferred lies.

This course is mostly used by players who prefer to keep costs down by taking an annual membership and walking or taking their own buggy without the need for a caddie.  If you need a cheap place simply to practice Tamarin is a good option.  This is the only course in Batam where you can buy your membership and then play as much as you wish without incurring further charges.  Alternatively you can pay and play at prices slightly cheaper than other courses but the discounted price is not really worth it considering the relative costs for better courses with 18 holes rather than 9.

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