Playing on a pleasant January morning at the Defence Authority Country and Golf Club can be therapeutic. The club’s scenic 18-hole course weaves through undulating terrain that gets ornamented with spectacular views of the sea, every now and then. It feels like you’re on a picnic, especially if you are playing well.

But the par-72 course’s 7217-yard layout can be as punishing as it is rewarding with a long shoreline, strategically placed bunkers and generous greens.

The DACGC has over the years become the focal point for one of Karachi’s most exclusive residential communities. It combines a picturesque coastline with a rich tradition of world-class accommodation, warm hospitality and grand recreation that includes a variety of sports including swimming and billiards. It’s no wonder that the Club has garnered the support of 4000 plus die-hard members, making it one of the biggest golfing facilities in the country. It is one of the few facilities in the region with the luxury of "night-clubbing" because of a flood-lit course.

Spearheading a team of dedicated officials is the club’s dynamic secretary Brigadier (retd) Abdul Qayyum. He is the man who quite rightfully gets the credit for turning the club from a good facility into an excellent one within a span of just over a year.

A passionate sportsman, Qayyum plays golf on a daily basis and in the process makes sure that the course is in the best possible shape regardless of the weather conditions. That’s the reason why in spite of freakishly cold spells in Karachi in recent weeks, the DACGC course remains a picture-perfect gem.

When Qayyum took over as the club’s secretary 14 months ago, DACGC was a popular destination for golfers but it had its handicaps. Golfing was fun there but unplanned and wild growth on the peripheries of the various fairways were big, sore spots.

"On my very first day in office, I told myself that we have to turn this course into a garden where golfing is always fun whether you are an amateur or pro," he told ‘The News on Sunday’.

Till 2012, golfing at the club for any player with a habit of landing in the rough was mostly a frustrating experience. With unchecked wild growth here and there, such players were almost always searching for their golf balls, most of the time in vain as they would disappear in the jungle.

That jungle is now gone, thanks to Qayyum, who is proud of his ‘garden’.

Standing next to the garden-like course are a variety of other facilities including a sparkling swimming pool, an improved gym and added facilities like billiards, snooker, table tennis and a card room. In the future, the club which has an impressive array of five-star chalets is planning to provide basketball, badminton, tennis and jogging facilities.

It also has a golf academy that provides coaching and assistance to golfers free of cost. The club is now planning to turn it into a state-of-the-art training centre equipped with modern gadgetry. One can expect that the club will soon have a world-class swing analysis studio, a nine-hole, par-three academy course, a short-game area, practice putting greens and a well-equipped driving range. Most of these facilities already exist.

But let’s go back to the picturesque course designed by Donald Steel, a former English golfer and perhaps more importantly, a noted golf course designer.

The course is all about accuracy. Even if you are not a long hitter, you’ll be fine if you can hit straight. As in most courses, the most important shot here is the tee shot because if you err with the driver, you will have to pay dearly.

DESIGNER: Donald Steel

YARDAGE: 7216

OVERVIEW

FRONT NINE:

HOLE 1: The par-4 first measures 362-yards from the white tee but it comes with a sharp dogleg. You can bypass it if you are a long hitter. The approach is an easy one though there is a bunker on the right and a slope that can spoil it for you despite a generous green.

TIP: Those who hit a fade are served well. Aim towards the right.

HOLE 2: The par-4 second can be a tough one as there is OB on the left and an intimidating water hazard in the front. You have to hit at least 170 to 180 yards to be safe because there is no room for even a slight mis-hit. The corridor of safety is a small one. Then there are bunkers all around as you approach the green.

TIP: Go for the middle of the fairway with your tee shot and aim at the centre of the green irrespective of the flag position.

HOLE 3: To say that this one is a difficult par-3 would be an understatement. The tee shot is a longish one and you are hitting against the wind. There is a long water hazard on the right.

TIP: You have to hit straight, powerfully. Pros generally go for 6-iron but opt for 4-iron or 3-wood if you are an amateur.

HOLE 4: The par-5 fourth is scenic but poses a tough challenge to golfers with its narrow fairway which leaves no margin for error. The tee shot is a difficult one as there is OB on the left and water on the right. Wind is also a big factor.

TIP: You have to know the wind direction in order to tame the wind factor. The island green can be intimidating but just keep your head down.

HOLE 5: The par-4 fifth is seen by many as a cakewalk as a 300-yard drive can help you land on or near the green. A birdie here is very much a possibility even for a high handicapper.

SIGNATURE HOLE

The scenic eighth on the front nine is breath-taking which is why it is regarded as the club’s signature hole by most. But this one, with a yardage of 575, can be a brute.

HOLE 9: You finish the front nine with a smallish par-4 that has OB on the left in the shape of the club’s convention centre. There is no need for a long tee shot as you go for an accurate one to avoid the bunkers. Hit your second shot with pitching or sand wench to land on the green.

TIP: Just play safe

BACK NINE

HOLE 10: You begin the back nine with a longish par-4. There are bunkers near the green and a downhill that lands you in the rough. It’s a fairly regulation tee shot though.

Tip: Play straight.

HOLE 11: There is trouble on the right but once you hit a good tee shot it’s a fairly easy par-4. It is followed by a 597-yard par 5 which like the previous one shouldn’t pose many problems provided you did well with the driver.

HOLE 13: It’s a long par-4. You don’t want to hit on the left. There is a water hazard before the green. It can be tough especially because wind is a factor.

TIP: Try hitting straight. Play 3-wood if you are not sure with a driver in your hand in windy conditions.

HOLE 14: This one is a 210-yard par 3. There is water on the left. You have to hit a four-iron. It’s a tricky hole especially with an elevated green with a huge slope that might make sure that your shot will roll in into the water.

TIP: Avoid going towards the left.

HOLE 15: There is OB on the left on this 531-yard par 5. You can reach the green with your second shot.

TIP: Hit a good tee shot because it is highly rewarding.

HOLE 16: This Par-4 is a longish one but there is a wide fairway which usually makes it a less problematic hole.

TIP: Hit towards the right to avoid the fairway bunker.

HOLE 17: Distance wise it’s a small par-3 but there is a double green which makes it pretty tough and three putt is a possibility. If you don’t land in the right areas then you are bound to suffer.

HOLE 18: You end the back nine with a somewhat tricky par-4. There is OB on your left and the tee shot is certainly a demanding one.

TIP: Hit a left to right tee shot. You can lose your lead here. Try making use of what is a favourable wind.

Don’t think that wind is against you: Asad

A seasoned golfer, Asad I.A Khan has served as captain of the Karachi Golf Club and the Arabian Sea Country Club in the past. Currently, as president of the Sindh Golf Association (SGA), Asad keeps a keen eye on golf happenings in the country. Though based in Lahore these days, Asad has, over the years, been a regular visitor at DACGC which is just a stone’s throw away from his Karachi residence.

Asad told TNS that his favourite hole is the "punishing" par-5 eighth. "It’s a beautiful hole but provides you with little or no margin for error," says Asad, who has represented Pakistan in various international golf events both as a player and official. Also on Asad’s list of tough holes is the par-5 fourth and par-4 sixth.

Asad’s tip for any newcomers on the course is a perfectly simple one: Just keep your head down and focus completely on your shot. "The thing is that on this course the water hazards are particularly intimidating," says Asad. "The wind is also a big factor. Together, the two can ruin your game."

Asad believes that you have to stick to the basics and use wind to your advantage. "Just swing normally regardless of the two factors and don’t think that the wind is against you."

Ask Brigadier Abdul Qayyum, the club’s secretary and he will agree with Asad. "Newcomers tend to get intimidated here but if you have the ability to hit accurate shots, you are going to get rewarded on our course."