Golfing In Sri Aman?

You may have heard of the tidal bore (benak) and its annual festival or the ferocious Bujang Senang of Batang Lupar when you talk about Sri Aman. The tidal bore will occur during king tides and the Sarawak Government Almanac is a good guide for its timing. As for the Bujang Senang, enough is enough; let the mysterious croc-attacks be history.

But golfing in Sri Aman may not sound very familiar. People will ask, do you have a golf course in Sri Aman? To me, it’s a very fair question because it’s not as popular and well-known as the DGCC or the KGS.

The Pakit Camp Golf Club was established in 1991, based at an army camp in Pakit, 15 km from Sri Aman town. Starting off with 3 holes then, presently the golf course is a nine-hole par 35 stretching 2,515 meters in between the army offices and quarters buildings. Due to the ‘not so fair’ fairway, golf is played under the local rule of ‘preferred lie’ within one-club length not nearer to the hole all the way here. There’s no buggies or caddies to ‘enlighten’ players but bag carriers is available on request from the army personnel or you can bring your own. Trolleys will be easier and of a big help throughout this challenging course.

To get a better picture of the course, here’s some stats hole by hole.

Hole 1 - Par 3, 147 meters with the OB on the left and hazard on the right. A bunker is waiting if you tee-off far over the green.

Hole 2 - Par 4, 277 meters with a wide fairway but too much left or right will end you up in the OB on both sides. A bunker is just before the green.

Hole 3 - Par 3, 144 meter. Blind green up the hill with the hazard on the left.

Original and long-time golfer of Pakit Camp Golf Club, William Linang tees off at Hole 3

Hole 4 - Par 4, 243 meters is a good chance for hard hitters to go for an eagle or a birdie at least. All the way on the left is OB.

Hole 5 - Par 5, 413 meters gives a narrow and tricky fairway for medium distant hitters with the OB on the left and the hazard on the right. The next shot onward should easier once the green is in sight.

Hole 6 - Par 3, 150 meters with the hazard on the right and OB on the left. A chance for a hole-in-one prize here during tournaments.

Hole 7 - Par 4, 295 meters with the hazard on the right, OB on the left and also the right towards the hole.

Hole 8 - Par 4, 335 meters is a walk back on fairway 7 with hazard all the way on the left and OB all the way on the right.

Hole 9 - Par 5, 511 meters is a long walk back to the clubhouse. A ‘zig-zag’ fairway, the green uphill is only visible after the 3^rd shot on regulation.

Whenever I got a chance to shoot back to Sri Aman (from Matu) during long weekends, this will be my favourite playground for a good afternoon walk with friends like William, Sabestian, Peter Manjan, Bobby, Choon Poh, TC Peng ... to mention a few.

So, next time you’re in Sri Aman, bring along your gears to Pakit Camp and try your skill at this challenging course. Happy golfing …..