Welcome back to the Hackers’ Guide to Handara  Golf, bogey golfers! We’ve almost made it! In today’s episode, we examine the final hole here at Handara Golf & Resort Bali. The 18th hole is a rewarding and challenging par-5 that is framed by steep cliffs on one side and the rest of the course on the other.

As you approach the tee, you will see the clubhouse and Katmandalu Restaurant in the distance. From the white tees, this hole plays at 499 yards and is the sixth-hardest hole on the course. The overall length of this hole is quite short for a par 5, which is a blessing for us bogey golfers.

Hole 18 at Handara Golf & Resort Bali

You will be wise to note the out of bounds all along the left side of the hole. This is particularly important as you get closer to the green. A fairway bunker at 190 means you should attempt to play reasonably long, but there’s no reason to get overly aggressive. This is especially true if your miss is a big slice or a big hook. The hook could put you OB while the slice could put you into the wasteland on the other side of the cart path- often resulting in a lost ball.

The smart play off the tee is to play a 210-230 yard shot toward the left side of the right-sloping fairway. From there, you will commonly have another 150 or so to lay up before the right-side fairway bunker, leaving you a comfortable approach of 130-140 yards into the center of the green.

When hitting into the green, pay special attention to the pin placement and avoid the greenside bunker that lines the right side. The green is long and plays at least 2 clubs deep. Combine this with an uphill approach, and club selection becomes especially important.

If the pin is in front, aim slightly left and attack the pin. The fairway-sloping green can be very difficult to lag put from deeper into the green. If the pin is set back with a white or blue flag, play the ball a little further left and be sure to give it enough juice to get up the hill.

Whew, all done! Let’s head up to Katmandalu Restarant for a hot coffee or cold beer- whatever your preference.

We hope you have enjoyed the Hackers’ Guide to Handara, our journey through Bali’s most historic and prestigious golf course from the perspective of the average bogey golfer. Perhaps one of these days, after some hard work on the range and practice green, I will be able to bring you the Players’ Guide to Handara.

No trip to Handara Golf and Resort Bali would be complete without sampling some of the excellent activities and facilities. Join us next week as we unwind and relax on-site here at Bali’s best golf course.