|
|
A legacy from British colonial rule in the 19th century, the game has many nostalgic links to this period. Visitors to Sri Lanka have a choice of three excellent, well-frequented courses, which still retain the colonial facade of the era that founded them.
ROYAL COLOMBO GOLF CLUB - The Royal Colombo Golf Club is one of the island's oldest golf clubs in the world, measuring 5776 meters, 71 par and course rating of 70 length, and has hosted a number of local and regional championship events in the past. The grass on the greens is blue mixture and there are many water holes. The most dramatic hole is hole no. 5, which is beside a picturesque Railway Line, 280 yards & has a dog leg to the left. The railway line is out of bounds with a pond running beside it up to 350 yards from the Tee.
It has a large Club House with facilities for dining, a well equipped golf shop and well-maintained dressing rooms with hot and cold water. The course is situated approx. 8 kms from the Colombo metropolis and about 35 kms from the international airport.
VICTORIA GOLF CLUB - KANDY - The newest addition to Sri Lanka's golfing assets is the Victoria Golf Course, overlooking the sweeping panorama of the Victoria Reservoir, with only the heavy sounds of rushing water intruding on the silence of a golfing paradise.
The course is set on a large 517 acre site with its extensive 8 kilometers water frontage, surrounded by hills of the Knuckles Range. Superbly landscaped, majestic forest trees interspersed with shrubs are skillfully blended to create a natural terrain through which the course is routed.
Designed by Donald Steel and Company, a renowned firm of British architects and built to the specifications of the United States Golf Association, the landscape had taken full advantage of an extremely picturesque site.
NUWARA ELIYA GOLF CLUB - However for sheer scenic beauty, visitors journey to the hills where the 18-hole Nuwara Eliya Golf Course lies at a chilling elevation of over 2000m. Laid out by the Gordon Highlanders stationed in Nuwara Eliya in 1889, the course is acknowledged to be one of Asia's best, irresistibly fringed by forest cover and gifted with a stunning view.
Its length at 5,528 meters (par 70) and its narrow fairways make it extremely challenging and provide ample reward to the straight driver. Providing a delightful environmental green belt to the town, the course is basically divided into three parts:
1. The "Brocas Meads' Holes - the area was once a swamp and now consists of the holes in front of the Club House viz, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 16th, 17th, 18th to which may be added the 15th hole which lies over the road on the side of the Club House.
2. The River Holes - in the playing of which a stream has to be crossed no less than 10 times through inaccuracy may lead to further encounters. These are the 4th - 11th holes.
3. "Switzerland" - the 3 hilly testing holes 12th, 13th, 14th - coming as they do at a critical stage in a round make or more often mar a card.
|
|
