Engineering the World’s Most Hidden Golf Course: Pokhara Himalayan Golf Club in Nepal

Nepal’s Pokhara Golf Couse is an Epic feat of Sport and Engineering

“Playing golf at Pokhara is like stepping into a Stadium. You feel as if you’re being watched from all around.” Built inside of a canyon Pokhara is one of the world’s most unique and beautiful golf courses, but it’s the hard-work and engineering behind Pokhara that make it truly amazing.

Located in the foothills of the Himalayas, Pokhara’s elevation is roughly 5,000 feet, or one mile above sea level. The original goal was to build a course around a lush canyon in Nepal.

Designed and constructed by Major RB Gurung MBE, the golf course is carved from a desolate wasteland of river boulders and swamps. The prohibitive terrain meant no heavy equipment could be used to construct the course landscape. This required more than three years of work by 200 people to construct the canyon landscape, entirely by hand.

Originally built as a 9 holes, the course was eventually expanded into the surrounding landscape to become a full 18 hole course. Since the maintenance crew can’t get large-scale lawn mowers down the steep elevation, a herd of sheep are the primary “greens keepers”.

Beginning on the lip of the canyon, the first two holes are links style terrain, similar to courses in Scotland. Approaching the third hole is when it opens to an immense vista of the canyon below, and the mind-blowing course really comes into view.

The 4th hole was selected as one of the 80 most unique holes in the whole world, as it is known to be the only Island hole in the world that is built on a natural river.

There are no carts on the course, so players walk each hole and the various elevation changes, making for a vigorous workout. Some holes have no natural back-stop, making catastrophic results for errant strikes of the ball.

Often times Engineering and Design are in conflict with nature, resulting in a construction which overcomes its surrounding landscape. It’s a special feat of engineering, like Pokhara, which compliments and enhances the surrounding beauty, creating an opportunity for so many to enjoy a piece of land once considered useless.

About Himalayan Golf Course, Pokhara, Nepal

Just 7 kilometers from the center of Pokhara city is the pro-championship designed 18 hole golf course which is located in a spellbindingly beautiful amphitheater. Built on a river canyon scene with a breathtaking panoramic view of the Annapuma Himalayan range. The Club house is perched on the edge of balcony land 250 feet above the river canyon from where you have a birds eye view of the golf course below. With scenes of stunning canyon walls dotted with eagles nests, waterfalls, and the soothing sight and sound of the Himalayan snowfed river meandering through the golf course. Golfers will find the course challenging and invigorating to play on.

The course has been designed and constructed by an Ex British Army Sandhurst Commissioned Officer Major RB Gurung MBE, who was exclusively invited to take up the challenge to carve a 9 holes Golf Course from what was previously a desolate wasteland of river boulders and swamps. The result of three years of planning, hardwork and dedication has resulted in the creation of an extraordinary course that is not only considered to be most unique in the world but also challenging for all levels of golfers. Says major Ram, “It’s been my goal to preserve the natural environment so you can experience the beautiful and inspiring Nepali scenery while at the same time playing a challenging round of golf. The enchantment of this course has to be experienced to be fully appreciated.

In addition to the mountain and river canyon scenery, various forms of wildlife live on or frequent the course. Foxes, monkeys, hawks, eagles are among the resident fauna here. Wild flowers are evident in profusion, with the wild geraniums most visible by the fourth green.

The golf course is 6,900 yards from the championship tees, and incorporates such Scottish-influenced features as fairway mounding, split fairways and the use of natural landforms and nature to shape the course. Members and guests prepare for the demands of HGC on a practice range that is designed to parallel the challenge of the course. Golfers at HGC will meet such features as an island fairway, a ravine, a large island hole encircled by’ boulders and water, 30-70 foot elevated hillside tees. and a hauntingly beautiful canyon amphitheater scene.

Pokhara is blessed with a very pleasant subtropical climate. Winters are mild with clear visibility, while the summers are an average of 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with evening showers bringing the temperature down immediately Golf can, therefore, be played throughout the year.

After playing this course, golfers can relax at the clubhouse with huge verandas all round, reminiscent of a typical tea plantation manager’s bungalow in Assam of India.

Learn more: visit https://www.himalayangolfcourse.com