No, it’s not deja vu all over again, merely a premature button press – this one has rather more stuff 🙂

The Day

Our last visit to Matoa was back in January this year, a full 16 weeks ago, and we have to ask ourselves, why so long between rounds at this very attractive and well priced course?

Excellent question but easily answered by Tee Set being spoilt in having so many premier courses in the schedule. Matoa is always fun but given a choice of Cengkareng, BSD, Gading Raya, Riverside, Imperial, Permata Sentul and others, it is a little difficult to get people down that appalling kampung road known as Jl Mohammad Kafi 1.

Once you have dodged about 1,000 bikes riding mostly on the wrong side of the road with a full family on board, getting to Matoa safely is such a relief that the first calming Bintang doesn’t even touch the sides.

Before we get to the events of the day let’s tell you of our first strong Vasco de Garma candidate for the year. All golfers arrived prior to tee time with the exception of one Chris Lever who was to arrive a full 30 minutes after the official start time – complaining that we had tee-ed off on time. Haha.

The cause of Chris’s tardiness was, we were to be informed, due to his taxi driver not having the faintest idea where Matoa golf was located, compounded by his also having no idea on how to get there. Number one rule when hailing a taxi in Jakarta is of course to ensure you know the route to your destination. First fine of the day. On top off this when he did manage to get to a tee box he had not even one golf ball available in his bag!! Second fine of the day. Third fine was not finishing the two holes he missed by being late.

Illina and Efsi dip their toes in the water …

A warm Tee Set Welcome to a couple of young recruits brought along by Wina, Ilinna and Efsi. Enjoy your golf with Tee Set ladies!!

Welcome Backs were led by that previous regular, Evaldo Roos, back after a 40 weeks absence, closely followed by Geoff Thompson who has been a Tee Setter since 1987 who was to be longest-serving member on the day,  and one who always makes the effort to turn out when we are at Matoa.

Good to see that Evaldo has not toned down his taste for, erm, colourful golfing rigs in the 40 weeks he has been away 🙂

The Play

Our photographer gets all arty today…

Play was to go a little pear shaped due to the rain interruption experienced by all but the 1st groups out. Where was our resident pawang hujung tasked with keeping us dry?

The most disappointed player was Mike Riley who lost his playing partners to the club house and Bintangs at the first downpour. Mike is on a mission to break a hundred by year’s end and not completing the round was not to help his cause.

Mike’s driver has been on fire at the driving range lately but that form was to desert him today and a skirt was recorded against his name, as it was for Jeff Durham, Ricardo Oliveira, Mick Dodsworth, Chris Till for the second week in a row, Laurie O’Connor, and Graeme Paterson.

Worthy of mention that Ricardo took 5 shots to get past the ladies tees on his very first hole but picked up his game after that to record only one more skirt for the day – and was just to miss out on Most Improved.

Leading scores etc. were as follows:

More detailed, player by player results here and more photos of the day on our gallery.

Next Up

The house that Jack built, BSD (aka Damai Indah Golf and Country Club), is of course one of the very finest of Jakarta’s many great courses and after just 4 (?) weeks away we have a quick return there on Sunday.

1st Tee time at 12 noon from 1 & 1o and green fees of a rather odd-looking 909,000 including compulsory shared cart. Sign up here to join us for another fine and hopefully rain-free Tee Set Sunday.