GOLF Booth at IGF 2026: From Chipping to Indonesia's Golf Tourism Opportunities

Tangerang – Chipping activities at the PT Intra Golflink Resorts Tbk (GOLF) booth have become one of the methods to introduce golf to visitors of the 2026 Indonesia Golf Festival (IGF). Beyond this short stroke trial experience lies a far greater opportunity: growing public interest in the sport while developing golf as a signature tourism attraction for Indonesia.

IGF 2026 will be held 23–25 October at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE), BSD City, Tangerang, Banten. This festival will host over 120 exhibitors and around 150 brands, targeting 30,000 attendees and IDR 20 billion in total transaction value across the three-day event.

Amid the full range of golf products and equipment on display, interactive activities offer a distinct visitor experience. Guests are not only able to view gear, but also test out basic core skills of the sport first-hand.

Chipping: The Gateway to Learning Golf

Chipping is a short controlled stroke technique most commonly used when the ball sits just outside the green – the closely mown grass area surrounding the hole. The ball is struck along a low, controlled trajectory, lands on the intended target zone, then rolls towards the hole.

This technique requires far more than raw physical strength. Players must calculate distance accurately, regulate strike power precisely, and adapt their technique to the ground conditions of the course.

Consistent accurate chipping allows golfers to position the ball much closer to the hole, significantly increasing their chance to complete the hole in fewer strokes.

For members of the public with no prior golf experience, testing this technique provides an immediate, tangible sense of the sport's unique challenges. Golf is not simply about hitting the ball as far as possible – it is a sport that demands strategy, fine motor coordination, calm focus and meticulous precision.

This hands-on approach is critical for introducing golf to wider mainstream audiences. First-hand trial experience can be the first spark of interest, though sustaining long term engagement will still require accessible practice opportunities and adequate public facilities.

GOLF and Golf Tourism Development Opportunities

Raising public awareness of golf also opens broader discussions around Tourism Potential. In successful destinations worldwide, golf is integrated as part of Travel Experiences that combine sport, accommodation, dining and local recreation.

This integrated concept is known formally as golf tourism. Travellers do not visit a location solely to play 18 holes – they also immerse themselves in the destination and utilise all supporting hospitality services in the surrounding area.

Indonesia holds strong foundational assets to develop this segment, from its extraordinarily diverse natural landscapes to Tourism Destinations each with distinct unique character. In this space, PT Intra Golflink Resorts Tbk operates a national portfolio of golf courses including new kuta golf in Bali, Palm Hill Golf in Sentul, and Black Rocks Golf in Belitung.

All three facilities are located in regions with very different tourism value propositions. Bali boasts a mature, globally recognised tourism and hospitality ecosystem, Sentul offers an easily accessible urban golf option for the Greater Jakarta region, while Belitung is renowned for its iconic granite coastal landscapes and protected Nature Tourism.

This combination of world class golf facilities and complementary destination appeal creates clear opportunities to develop fully integrated travel packages. However this potential will not automatically translate to visitor growth. Transport connectivity, service standards, accommodation options, targeted promotion, and streamlined booking systems remain non-negotiable success factors.

Collaboration Defines Competitiveness

Developing sustainable golf tourism cannot be delivered by Golf Course operators alone. Hotels, travel agents, airlines, golf communities, food and beverage businesses, and local destination managers all hold critical roles in building a seamless, connected visitor experience.

Effective cross-sector collaboration allows travellers to plan trips that extend far beyond just playing golf. They can access authentic local experiences, explore natural and cultural attractions, and utilise the full range of tourism services surrounding the course.

For the wider industry, this integrated approach unlocks opportunities to significantly increase the economic value generated per visitor. The ultimate scale of these benefits will depend entirely on how effectively each destination aligns facilities, services and promotional efforts.

This is the intersection point between grassroots golf introduction and national golf tourism development. Growing the domestic player base will build a robust Sports Ecosystem, while refining integrated travel experiences will attract international visitor segments seeking combined sport and leisure travel.

From On-Site Experience to Tourism Potential

Through the interactive chipping activation at IGF 2026, GOLF is inviting visitors to connect with golf directly. Attendees get the chance to practice a fundamental technique while experiencing first-hand the quiet challenge that defines this sport.

That said, introducing golf to the general public is only the very first step. Growing the sport long term will require expanded public access to play, as well as intentional integration between golf courses, accommodation networks, transport infrastructure, and tourist destinations.

This is where the true opportunity for Indonesia Golf Tourism resides. With genuine cross-industry collaboration and competitive supporting services, golf can evolve beyond just a niche recreational sport – to become a core component of Travel Experiences that deliver both sporting activity and meaningful destination exploration.