by Marc Shapiro

Created on: February 17, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

One memorable golf experience was while I was working in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, on Borneo. I was in Balikpapan, on the southeast side of one of the largest, most beautiful, least developed islands in the world. As a guest of one of my local ex-pat colleagues, I was invited to play at the Pertamina Balikpapan Golf Club, owned by the Indonesian national oil company, Pertamina.

We pulled into the parking lot and were mobbed by 35 potential caddies, all clamoring to be recognized by my host and asking to be given the task of shepherding me around the course and advising me on how play my best. My host selected Yusuf, who, despite the oppressive heat and threat of venomous snake bites and rough rock surfaces, wore a heavy shirt, long pants, and no shoes.

Communicating through his limited English and my very limited Bahasa (and a lot of gestures), Yusuf showed his excellent knowledge of the course, suggesting clubs and reading putts. He was always correct in his reads (no matter what I thought i knew) and I learned a lot from him on that day. He patiently led me around the impeccably manicured course, and was able to refrain from ridiculing my less than excellent golf skills.

At the end of the day, the memories I took away from this golfing experience are that it took place on one of the most beautiful courses in the world, in one of the most remote locations in the world, that I was lucky enough to play with a caddy for the first time, and that I made a friend in Yusuf, whose services I used as a caddy on several other repeat visits to Pertamina Balikpapan Golf Club. All this was an unexpected bonus to my consulting assignment, and a memory I will treasure forever.

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