Bali golf guide: Nirwana, New Kuta, and the par-3 that stops grown men in their tracks

I've described the 7th hole at Nirwana Bali Golf Club to more people than any other single golf hole in my career. I'll try to do it accurately here.

The 7th at Nirwana is a par-3 of approximately 175 yards. The tee is on a clifftop on the south-west coast of Bali. Below and to the left is the Indian Ocean. Directly in front of the tee — not to the side, not in the background, but directly between the tee and the green — is a 300-year-old Balinese Hindu temple called Pura Tanah Lot, built into the rock above the water. The green is cut into the cliff beyond the temple.

I have stood on this tee six times. I have watched grown men — serious golfers, business people, people who do not emote easily — fall silent for 20 to 30 seconds before they were ready to hit. That is what the hole does.

Nirwana Bali was designed by Greg Norman and opened in 1997. It occupies a clifftop position on the south-west coast near Tabanan. Green fees are approximately $180 (£140). It is entirely worth it.

The second course: New Kuta Golf in the Pecatu area of the Bukit Peninsula, also on the south coast. Newer (2007), designed by Peter Thomson, with 18 holes along dramatic clifftops above Dreamland Beach. Slightly easier than Nirwana, equally spectacular in places. Together they form a complete Bali golf experience.

When to go: April to October is the dry season on the south coast of Bali. The period May to July is optimal — dry, warm (27–30°C), and quieter than the school holiday peak of August. November to March can see afternoon showers that are usually brief but can affect afternoon rounds.

The surrounding context: Bali is one of the world's great travel destinations regardless of the golf. Ubud, the rice terraces, the temple circuit, the food — a non-golfing partner will be, if anything, better entertained than a golfing one. This is the golf trip where the non-golfer thanks you.