Jakarta Golf Club
Founded in 1872 as the Batavia Golf Club, Jakarta Golf Club is the oldest golf course in Indonesia and one of the oldest in Southeast Asia. Settled at Rawamangun in the 1930s, its Tom Simpson layout is a flat, tree-lined par 71 with more than 150 years of unbroken golf behind it.
Photo: Coki Lubis via Google.
The verdict
You do not come to Jakarta Golf Club for length or for drama. You come for the history. Born in 1872 as the Batavia Golf Club, this is the oldest course in Indonesia and among the oldest in all of Asia, a living thread back to the colonial Dutch East Indies that has survived war, independence and the relentless growth of the city around it. To walk the first tee at Rawamangun is to step into 150 years of continuous golf.
The course itself, credited to the great British architect Tom Simpson, is a compact par 71 of about 5,900 metres, flat and tightly framed by towering, mature trees that give it a cool, cathedral calm just minutes from the chaos of East Jakarta. It is not a championship test and it does not pretend to be. It is an atmospheric, walkable, deeply characterful old club, and for the travelling golfer it is one of the most rewarding half days in the capital.
Jakarta Golf Club at a glance
- Founded
- 1872
- Designer
- Tom Simpson
- Type
- Parkland
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- About 5,900 m
- Green fee
- From about IDR 500,000
History, designer, par and length verified June 2026 from the club and leading course databases. The club dates to the Batavia Golf Club of 1872, moved to Rawamangun in the 1930s and took its current name in 1950; the 18 hole layout is credited to Tom Simpson, a flat par 71 of about 5,900 metres, roughly 6,450 yards. Indicative weekday green fees in 2025 ran around IDR 500,000 to 650,000, with weekends from about IDR 1,250,000. We do not sell tee times or set prices; figures are indicative, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Rawamangun is a course of subtlety rather than spectacle. The land is dead flat, a former marsh on the eastern edge of the old city, and the defence is not yardage but the trees. Decades of growth have turned the fairways into narrow corridors lined with mature timber, so the premium is on shaping a tee shot and keeping the ball in play rather than reaching for the driver.
Water comes into the reckoning on several holes, the legacy of the marshy ground, and the small greens reward a controlled approach and a sure touch with the putter. The Tom Simpson routing shows its age in the best sense, the holes flowing naturally across the site with none of the manufactured feel of the modern resort courses ringing the city.
It is a course to play with a caddie, at a gentle pace, soaking up the sense of a place that has seen golfers come and go for a century and a half. Pair it with the polished modern layouts at Pondok Indah and the BSD corridor and you get the full sweep of Jakarta golf, from its 19th century roots to its 21st century shine.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Welcomes visitors and is among the more accessible historic clubs in Jakarta; tee times bookable in advance |
| Green fee | About IDR 500,000 Monday afternoon and IDR 650,000 Tuesday to Friday, typically with a shared cart; weekends from about IDR 1,250,000 to 1,400,000 (indicative, 2025) |
| Booking | Book ahead for weekend mornings and public holidays, when local demand is highest |
| On the day | Caddies are standard and add to the experience; the flat walk and shade make it comfortable in the Jakarta heat |
| Getting there | Rawamangun in East Jakarta, close to the city centre but allow time for traffic at peak hours |
| Best months | The drier season from about May to September brings the most reliable golfing weather |
Access and fee detail verified June 2026 from the club and leading booking platforms; rates and policies change, so always confirm directly before planning a visit.
Where to stay nearby
Most travelling golfers base themselves in central Jakarta, where the international hotels of the Sudirman and Thamrin corridor put the airport, the business district and the city's restaurants within reach, with Rawamangun a manageable drive to the east. A central base also makes it easy to add the modern clubs around the capital to an itinerary.
For a golf focused stay, the southern suburbs around Pondok Indah and the BSD City corridor sit close to several of the city's best modern courses, a natural pairing with a nostalgic morning at Jakarta Golf Club. It is a strong region to build a Jakarta and Java golf trip around.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Jakarta Golf Club.
Build a Jakarta golf trip
We book the Jakarta Golf Club tee times, pair the old club with the best modern courses around the capital and arrange the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Jakarta Golf Club questions
How old is Jakarta Golf Club?
Jakarta Golf Club traces its origins to the Batavia Golf Club founded in 1872, which makes it Indonesia's oldest golf course and one of the oldest in Southeast Asia, with more than 150 years of continuous golf. It moved to its present site at Rawamangun in the 1930s and took the name Jakarta Golf Club in 1950.
Who designed Jakarta Golf Club and what is its par?
The Rawamangun layout is credited to the celebrated British architect Tom Simpson, who shaped the 18 holes after the club settled at the site in the 1930s. It is a flat, tree-lined par 71 of about 5,900 metres, roughly 6,450 yards.
How much does it cost to play Jakarta Golf Club?
Indicative weekday green fees in 2025 ran around IDR 650,000 from Tuesday to Friday, with a Monday afternoon rate near IDR 500,000 and weekend fees from about IDR 1,250,000 to 1,400,000, typically including a shared cart. Always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Can visitors play Jakarta Golf Club?
Yes. Jakarta Golf Club welcomes visitors and is one of the more accessible historic clubs in the city, with tee times bookable in advance and a relaxed atmosphere under its mature trees.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. History, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.