Post by lessthanbread on May 7, 2019 14:47:30 GMT -5
Announcing the completion of my first TGC course, Kathmandu Valley Golf Club:
Nestled just outside the town of Sundarijal in central Nepal, lies the hidden oasis that is Kathmandu Valley Golf Club. It is said, a glimpse of the course from outside the grounds can only be seen from the summit of Mount Everest. For years, this golf experience was known only to local Sherpas and certain holy men, but now a great epiphany has inspired course ownership to open it to the rest of the world.
The par 72 course makes tasteful use of the existing landscape so club selection and shot execution are paramount. Expect to see huge elevation changes (over 800 feet from highest point to lowest point) from both tee to fairway and fairway to green with water coming into play on multiple holes provided by the Bagmati River and Lake Bagmati. Wind will play a huge factor in how the course plays. Get a calm day and low scores are very possible, but tee it up when the mountains roar and you'll feel good walking away at even Par. Course ownership and local gurus have made modifications to the existing course for TGC golfers; including 3 tee box sets and 4 pin locations of increasing challenge. Strap yourself in and don't look down, the only way in or out of the valley is by helicopter.
The default setting is an early morning tee time but the course also looks great in the more traditional lighting of noon or afternoon.
Hole 1: Kula Kangri
Par 5
No dipping your toes in the water here, dive in head first and take out the big stick as the opening hole of Kathmandu Valley GC is also its longest. Play your second shot over the Bagmati River to either the fairway landing area or take on the green in two. Named after the 7,538 meter summit in the Bhutanese region of the Himalayas.
Hole 2: Gangkhar Puensum
Par 4
Nail your tee shot through the narrow opening across the Enchanted Pond and set yourself up for a birdie opportunity after playing a delicate approach shot. Gangkhar Puensum is a 7,570 meter peak in Bhutan, China that has never been summitted. Can you ascend to the top and score here?
Hole 3: Gurla Mandhata
Par 3
Club up for this uphill par 3 and mind the drop off to the right of the green as you begin your climb up the face of the valley. Gurla Mandhata stands at 7,694 meters and is located in the West Tibetan region of China.
Hole 4: Kamet
Par 4
Choose your tee shot placement carefully as you can set yourself up for success or failure in the wide open, uphill, fairway. Driver may not be the best choice here, but it also may be the only option. The approach shot is one of the most daunting on the course as you scale the vertical rock cliff and waterfall onto the outcrop green. Don’t go too long though as another waterfall drops behind the putting surface. In Garhwal, India, Kamet rises to 7,756 meters.
Hole 5: Namcha Barwa
Par 4
Climb to the highest point on the golf course for the massive, 120' downhill tee shot as the course takes a sudden drop back toward the valley floor. You must be mindful, however, of the cliff that awaits at the front edge of the fairway. Do you challenge the cliff edge to get closer for a soft pitch down to the green below, or do you hang back in the fairway, minding the strategically placed bunker down the left side? Namcha Barwa is located in Assam, China and tops out at 7,782 meters.
Hole 6: Nanda Devi
Par 5
Back on the valley floor, you will find two route options off the tee for the second par 5. Hit driver to the right, clearing the bunker to have a chance to reach in two, or safely lay up to the left, taking a possible eagle putt off the table. Named after the 7,816 meter high, Nanda Devi, meaning "Bliss-Giving Goddess." Will you find bliss on this risk-reward hole?
Hole 7: Nuptse
Par 4
A very technical tee shot awaits. There really is no safe option here as bunkers guard left and right. Missing the fairway sets up a very tough approach into an elevated and well protected green. Don't be surprised if many are forced to lay up and chip on for a Par save. Nuptse is found in Nepal and rises to 7,861 meters. Nuptse means "West Peak" in Tibetan.
Hole 8: Gyachung Kang
Par 3
Hit back over the Bagmati River to a deceivingly challenging green. Par is a tough get should you find yourself in one of the two bunkers guarding the front-right pin location. Gyachung Kang is the highest mountain in the world under 8,000 meters at 7,952. It is located on the border between Nepal and China.
Hole 9: Sishapangma
Par 4
Finish the front 9 with an uphill climb as you get your first view of the clubhouse. Get as far up the hill as you can off the tee as the approach into the green is even further uphill. The green is one of the most technical on the course sporting an hourglass shape, two distinct tiers, and a false front. Named after Sishapangma, an 8,027 meter peak in China that means "Crest above the grassy plains."
Hole 10: Annapurna
Par 3
Begin the back 9 with a tough test down the hill. Club selection is everything here as you will be in a world of trouble if the miss is long. Large rocks guard behind the green and you could end up anywhere should you hit into them. Annapurna stands 8,091 meters high in Nepal and is one of the most dangerous climbs in the world. Will you survive here?
Hole 11: Nanga Parbat
Par 4
After holding your breath on Annapurna, relax a little bit with the more straight forward, Nanga Parbat, meaning "Naked Mountain." One of the few relatively flat holes on the course, you shouldn't find many surprises here. Get it in the fairway and go for Birdie. Nanga Parbat is 8,126 meters high and is located in Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan.
Hole 12: Manaslu
Par 4
Much of the available landing zone off the tee is pencil thin with trouble sloping away to both sides. The fairway does open up further down but driver may put you over the front edge into heavy rough. Should you set up nicely in the fairway, an approach shot over the Bagmai River and possible 2nd straight Birdie opportunity awaits. Manaslu, meaning "Mountain of the Spirit," stands 8,163 meters high and is located in Nepal. Where will your spirits be after this hole?
Hole 13: Dhaulagiri
Par 3
Challenge the large island green on this picturesque hole that displays the power and beauty of the Bagmati River. The putting surface may look inviting but getting it close is tough when playing the front pin locations. Dhaulagiri, or "White Mountain," is 8,167 meters high and is located in Nepal.
Hole 14: Cho Oyu
Par 5
A heavy rough island splits the fairway and makes for a difficult shot selection off the tee as you play parallel to, then across, the Bagmati river. This shorter par 5 is certainly reachable in two given a good tee shot, perhaps even with a long iron, but the green is well protected. Decision making is tested here. Cho Oyu means "Turquoise Goddess" and stands 8,188 meters high.
Hole 15: Makalu
Par 4
Laid down the eastern shore of Lake Bagmati is the Par 4, Makalu, named after the 8,485 meter summit between Nepal and China that means "The Great Black." This hole boasts a downhill tee shot to a wide-open fairway. Be wary though, go too far to the left and you will find yourself rolling down the hill toward the water that will set up for a nasty uphill approach shot forcing you to go around a group of trees to reach the green.
Hole 16: Lhotse
Par 4
This hole is all about the 2nd shot which should play with a mid-iron off the back tees in calm conditions. The 16th green is known as the "Death Zone" because there is trouble everywhere and many rounds have been lost here. The horseshoe shaped putting surface has two narrow tiers and slopes sharply from left to right in the middle, separating the two. A large rock and tall grass guard the front with a bunker trapping any slightly misplaced shots to the left. Lhotse, or "South Peak," is 8,516 meters high between Nepal and China.
Hole 17: Kanchenjunga
Par 5
Take on the third highest mountain in the world at 8,586 meters, Kanchenjunga. Mind the bunker to the left and the trees to the right off the tee here and decide whether to go for the green in two or lay up short over the water. The green is a narrow one so you better hit it straight if you are looking for an eagle putt here. Kanchenjunga means "Five treasures of great snow." Will this Par 5 give you treasures, or will you be scrambling to save your round on the final hole?
Hole 18: Everest
Par 4
Yes, Everest, the most recognizable mountain in the world and the tallest at 8,850 meters. Go big or go home of the tee here. Do you take driver and risk the cliffs below, or do you play iron off the tee for a short but tricky approach shot? Can you conquer Everest and put an exclamation point on your round?
Nestled just outside the town of Sundarijal in central Nepal, lies the hidden oasis that is Kathmandu Valley Golf Club. It is said, a glimpse of the course from outside the grounds can only be seen from the summit of Mount Everest. For years, this golf experience was known only to local Sherpas and certain holy men, but now a great epiphany has inspired course ownership to open it to the rest of the world.
The par 72 course makes tasteful use of the existing landscape so club selection and shot execution are paramount. Expect to see huge elevation changes (over 800 feet from highest point to lowest point) from both tee to fairway and fairway to green with water coming into play on multiple holes provided by the Bagmati River and Lake Bagmati. Wind will play a huge factor in how the course plays. Get a calm day and low scores are very possible, but tee it up when the mountains roar and you'll feel good walking away at even Par. Course ownership and local gurus have made modifications to the existing course for TGC golfers; including 3 tee box sets and 4 pin locations of increasing challenge. Strap yourself in and don't look down, the only way in or out of the valley is by helicopter.
The default setting is an early morning tee time but the course also looks great in the more traditional lighting of noon or afternoon.
Hole 1: Kula Kangri
Par 5
No dipping your toes in the water here, dive in head first and take out the big stick as the opening hole of Kathmandu Valley GC is also its longest. Play your second shot over the Bagmati River to either the fairway landing area or take on the green in two. Named after the 7,538 meter summit in the Bhutanese region of the Himalayas.
Hole 2: Gangkhar Puensum
Par 4
Nail your tee shot through the narrow opening across the Enchanted Pond and set yourself up for a birdie opportunity after playing a delicate approach shot. Gangkhar Puensum is a 7,570 meter peak in Bhutan, China that has never been summitted. Can you ascend to the top and score here?
Hole 3: Gurla Mandhata
Par 3
Club up for this uphill par 3 and mind the drop off to the right of the green as you begin your climb up the face of the valley. Gurla Mandhata stands at 7,694 meters and is located in the West Tibetan region of China.
Hole 4: Kamet
Par 4
Choose your tee shot placement carefully as you can set yourself up for success or failure in the wide open, uphill, fairway. Driver may not be the best choice here, but it also may be the only option. The approach shot is one of the most daunting on the course as you scale the vertical rock cliff and waterfall onto the outcrop green. Don’t go too long though as another waterfall drops behind the putting surface. In Garhwal, India, Kamet rises to 7,756 meters.
Hole 5: Namcha Barwa
Par 4
Climb to the highest point on the golf course for the massive, 120' downhill tee shot as the course takes a sudden drop back toward the valley floor. You must be mindful, however, of the cliff that awaits at the front edge of the fairway. Do you challenge the cliff edge to get closer for a soft pitch down to the green below, or do you hang back in the fairway, minding the strategically placed bunker down the left side? Namcha Barwa is located in Assam, China and tops out at 7,782 meters.
Hole 6: Nanda Devi
Par 5
Back on the valley floor, you will find two route options off the tee for the second par 5. Hit driver to the right, clearing the bunker to have a chance to reach in two, or safely lay up to the left, taking a possible eagle putt off the table. Named after the 7,816 meter high, Nanda Devi, meaning "Bliss-Giving Goddess." Will you find bliss on this risk-reward hole?
Hole 7: Nuptse
Par 4
A very technical tee shot awaits. There really is no safe option here as bunkers guard left and right. Missing the fairway sets up a very tough approach into an elevated and well protected green. Don't be surprised if many are forced to lay up and chip on for a Par save. Nuptse is found in Nepal and rises to 7,861 meters. Nuptse means "West Peak" in Tibetan.
Hole 8: Gyachung Kang
Par 3
Hit back over the Bagmati River to a deceivingly challenging green. Par is a tough get should you find yourself in one of the two bunkers guarding the front-right pin location. Gyachung Kang is the highest mountain in the world under 8,000 meters at 7,952. It is located on the border between Nepal and China.
Hole 9: Sishapangma
Par 4
Finish the front 9 with an uphill climb as you get your first view of the clubhouse. Get as far up the hill as you can off the tee as the approach into the green is even further uphill. The green is one of the most technical on the course sporting an hourglass shape, two distinct tiers, and a false front. Named after Sishapangma, an 8,027 meter peak in China that means "Crest above the grassy plains."
Hole 10: Annapurna
Par 3
Begin the back 9 with a tough test down the hill. Club selection is everything here as you will be in a world of trouble if the miss is long. Large rocks guard behind the green and you could end up anywhere should you hit into them. Annapurna stands 8,091 meters high in Nepal and is one of the most dangerous climbs in the world. Will you survive here?
Hole 11: Nanga Parbat
Par 4
After holding your breath on Annapurna, relax a little bit with the more straight forward, Nanga Parbat, meaning "Naked Mountain." One of the few relatively flat holes on the course, you shouldn't find many surprises here. Get it in the fairway and go for Birdie. Nanga Parbat is 8,126 meters high and is located in Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan.
Hole 12: Manaslu
Par 4
Much of the available landing zone off the tee is pencil thin with trouble sloping away to both sides. The fairway does open up further down but driver may put you over the front edge into heavy rough. Should you set up nicely in the fairway, an approach shot over the Bagmai River and possible 2nd straight Birdie opportunity awaits. Manaslu, meaning "Mountain of the Spirit," stands 8,163 meters high and is located in Nepal. Where will your spirits be after this hole?
Hole 13: Dhaulagiri
Par 3
Challenge the large island green on this picturesque hole that displays the power and beauty of the Bagmati River. The putting surface may look inviting but getting it close is tough when playing the front pin locations. Dhaulagiri, or "White Mountain," is 8,167 meters high and is located in Nepal.
Hole 14: Cho Oyu
Par 5
A heavy rough island splits the fairway and makes for a difficult shot selection off the tee as you play parallel to, then across, the Bagmati river. This shorter par 5 is certainly reachable in two given a good tee shot, perhaps even with a long iron, but the green is well protected. Decision making is tested here. Cho Oyu means "Turquoise Goddess" and stands 8,188 meters high.
Hole 15: Makalu
Par 4
Laid down the eastern shore of Lake Bagmati is the Par 4, Makalu, named after the 8,485 meter summit between Nepal and China that means "The Great Black." This hole boasts a downhill tee shot to a wide-open fairway. Be wary though, go too far to the left and you will find yourself rolling down the hill toward the water that will set up for a nasty uphill approach shot forcing you to go around a group of trees to reach the green.
Hole 16: Lhotse
Par 4
This hole is all about the 2nd shot which should play with a mid-iron off the back tees in calm conditions. The 16th green is known as the "Death Zone" because there is trouble everywhere and many rounds have been lost here. The horseshoe shaped putting surface has two narrow tiers and slopes sharply from left to right in the middle, separating the two. A large rock and tall grass guard the front with a bunker trapping any slightly misplaced shots to the left. Lhotse, or "South Peak," is 8,516 meters high between Nepal and China.
Hole 17: Kanchenjunga
Par 5
Take on the third highest mountain in the world at 8,586 meters, Kanchenjunga. Mind the bunker to the left and the trees to the right off the tee here and decide whether to go for the green in two or lay up short over the water. The green is a narrow one so you better hit it straight if you are looking for an eagle putt here. Kanchenjunga means "Five treasures of great snow." Will this Par 5 give you treasures, or will you be scrambling to save your round on the final hole?
Hole 18: Everest
Par 4
Yes, Everest, the most recognizable mountain in the world and the tallest at 8,850 meters. Go big or go home of the tee here. Do you take driver and risk the cliffs below, or do you play iron off the tee for a short but tricky approach shot? Can you conquer Everest and put an exclamation point on your round?