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Empire Country Club - Brunei Darussalam.
by Andrew Ng (Mar 2001)
No Expense was spared in this top class development which is a component part of the Empire Hotel & Country Club adjoining the sea.
Open and operational, the clubhouse boasts immaculate facilities including 3 squash counts, 2 air-conditioned badminton courts, 4 tennis courts, an 8-lane ten-pin bowling centre, pool and snooker facilities on two levels and an indoor lap pool.
It is only open to members and hotel guests and the charge of B$150 Nett inclusive of the buggy, while not inexpensive is justifiable considering that this is a top class facility by any standards. Service is regal and yet you are comfortable.
Designed by Jack Niklaus, the course is of moderate difficulty and poses just enough challenges to make the golfing experience delightful. If you want to test your skills, just move back to the blue tees and the set back of between 12-38 metres brings into play a more testy outlook overall.
The course is fair and rewards the accurate striker while it punishes the errant shotmaker with its carefully placed fairway and green bunkers in addition to having incorporated the natural gullies in the somewhat undulating terrain with a few intelligently located water hazards.
As he always does, Jack Niklaus designed the course to adequately test errant shots to both sides of the golfer. Be it a slice or a hook these instances of imperfections will be caught wanting often enough in the layout over 18 holes.
Par 3s
Of the par 3s hole number 7 is the most difficult because it is the longest at 215 metres from the back tee with an elongated green that is narrow from front to back. Deep rough lies to the right.
Number 4 is a delightful par 3 hole at 170 metres (blue tee) that will test the high handicapper (155 metres white tee) simply because you have to carry the water to the front of the green with bunkers to the right, left and rear.
The more accomplished golfers can try to make their hole-in-one here or at the 16th which is only 156 metres off the back tee. The bunkers to the front right of the 16th are a terrible place to get into because you could end up going from one to another while trying to get up to the green from there.
For me, hole number 14 at 202 metres was the most exhilarating simply because it is totally surrounded by one bunker running around. The large green sits pretty from that distance and if you get on as I did with my 3 wood off the back tee, the thrill is most rewarding, let alone putting it into the hole from there.
On the front nine, the 8th and 9th are lovely dog legs to the right. Big hitters may want to take the tiger line over the edge of the water and villa just to get the adrenaline flowing. On the 9th the downhill tee shot between left and right fairway bunkers poses an interesting halfway house challenge. The L-shaped green with bunkers to the left and right front seems easy enough and yet, it can be difficult if they place the flag in one of the tight corners.
Most difficult hole
The 13th hole with a stroke index of 1 is justifiably the most difficult hole here. While it plays only 404 metres off the black tee, it is in the second shot that those shooting to make the green in two shots are really tested. A small stream meanders from left to right in a snaky reverse bell shape to the edge of the front of the green's fringe so that any attempts that fall short of the target are punished severely. On the front left, beyond the stream, a large sand bunker awaits. Once on, you have to contend with the sloping green.
In the opinion of the clubhouse manager Scott, the 15th with the sea running the entire breath of the fairway from tee to green is the most beautiful hole on this course. I found the 18th with its downhill fairway turning uphill just before the green most picturesque.
This 18th has the sea on the entire length of the fairway too. Its definitely a great finishing hole because of the elongated green with bunkers to the front, right and left.
Where to stay
The Empire Hotel of course. This top class facility in the same complex is ornate and grand with perhaps an overdose of 24k gold painted all over its public areas. The rooms here are all top class with views of the South China Sea and grand bathrooms in each of them. Altogether, 463 deluxe rooms, 14 junior suites, 29 executive suites, 3 ambassador suites, 2 Duplex suites, 2 regal suites, 12 2-bedroom villas, 3, 3-bedroom villas, one royal Villa, 2 Presidential suites, one Emperor and one Empress suite.
So far, the property has hosted the APEC meeting as well as the ASEASN Tourism Forum 2001 successfully and the staff are so enthusiastic the service is immaculate.
Address
The Empire Hotel & Country Club
P.O. Box 433 Sengkurong BG 1121
Bandar Seri Begawan
Brunei Darussalam
Tel: 673-2-418222
Fax: 673-2-417815
Email:
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How to get There
From the hotel, buggies take you to the course in 5 minutes. The Hotel is 17 km from the Brunei International Airport and 20 km from Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam
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