Ground orchids around one of the water hazards

The temperature will be comfortable, 85 to 87 for a high, a nice summer day in December with blue skies at the Amazon Golf Course where we enjoy perpetual summer. Aahhhh. Perpetual summer. We will see orchids, hibiscus, flowers and many other blooming plants.

Chip shot to the 2nd green at the Amazon Golf Course

We don’t have to play golf the enjoy the Amazon Golf Course. We can walk around. Let’s chip on over to the 2nd green…

The second green at the Amazon Golf Course

Let’s walk on the soft, green grass growing in the warm sunshine…

From the 2nd green looking back past the flag to the 2nd fairway

Feels good…

We are standing on the 2nd green and looking to the 5th green,

The 2nd green and the 5th green are close together but the tees and approaches are from different directions.

This croton has buds and blooms opening in December

Crotons are one of the houseplants that the leaves fall off of in December in the northern hemisphere. On the Amazon Golf Course they are budding and blooming in December.

A Croton budding and blooming at the Amazon Golf Course

We have a dozen different colors and styles of crotons landscaped in at the Amazon Golf Course.

Blossoms attract butterflies

The plants, buds, blossoms, and fruits attract insects, birds, and animals to the Amazon Golf Course.

The grounds of the Amazon Golf Course

There is plenty of wildlife on the Amazon Golf Course, but none of those irritating pesky little chiggers that prefer to live in tall grass…

Looking across the Amazon Golf Course

The small trees are well established and with lots of compost, lime, and tender loving care, will continue growing fast in this tropical paradise.

Perfect new palm frond unfurling at the Amazon Golf Course

New growth is everywhere we look…

The green leaves are the new growth on this Amazon Golf Course croton

The Amazon Golf course is teeming with life…

Immature palm fruit ripening at the Amazon Golf Course

Plants in the tropics are growing all year and growing in December just like plants grow in July in the northern hemisphere.

December at the Amazon Golf Course, Iquitos Peru

I love walking around the Amazon Golf Course. We just pruned the hibiscus bushes. They will grow back thicker with more blossoms.

Lots of blossoms every month at the Amazon Golf Course

Let’s look at soom of the Amazon Golf Course features…

The view from the 5th green looking east southeast over a water trap

We are blessed with water hazards and water traps at this rainforest golf course.

The 6th tee with water hazards at the Amazon Golf Course

Be careful not to dribble the ball off of the 6th tee. Better get it up in the air!

The 6th green and piranha infested water hazard at the Amazon Golf Course

The 6th tee has a water hazard at the tee, a big water hazard guarding 6th green and a water trap in the fairway.

Water hazards do well in the rainforest of Amazon Golf Course

Sand traps are more difficult. We always have to work on our drainage or the sand traps become water traps:)

The sand trap in front of the 7th green at the Amazon Golf Course

But the 7th green is well guarded by this carefully maintained sand trap.

A colorful croton and its shadow, late afternoon at the Amazon Golf Course

The late afternoon golden light is every ones favorite time for photography.

Croton colors at the Amazon Golf Course

The golden light gives turns the crotons into glowing fall colors.

Coconuts producing at the Amazon Golf Course

Some of the coconut trees we planted are already producing… and bunches of bananas and pineapple…

Nearly ripe pineapple at the Amazon Golf Course

We have many species of fruit planted at the Amazon Golf Course.

Looking toward the clubhouse of the Amazon Golf Course

The Amazon Golf Course makes a good place for a picnic.

Many species of palm trees grow at the Amazon Golf Course

Wild life is plentiful at the Amazon Golf Course…

Good bird watching at the Amazon Golf Course

Some of the wild life is wilder than other wild life…

A tarantula at the Amazon Golf Course

You never know what you might see at the Amazon Golf Course…

Showing the fangs of the tarantula at the Amazon Golf Course

It’s a good thing we always carry a machete

Bill Grimes reporting from the Amazon Golf Course.

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The tree line on the Amazon Golf Course near the road

Marmelita and I like to start our stroll around the Amazon Golf Course at the bottom of the lane so we can inspect everything from front to back.

Marmelita and I planted this tree on the Amazon Golf Course in May 2009

Look how fast trees and plants grow in the tropics…

Beautiful Blossoms at the Amazon Golf Course

Here is some of what we saw as we strolled around the Amazon Golf Course

The second fairway leading to the 2nd green on the Amazon Golf Course

Lets stroll along the west side down the nicely mowed 2nd fairway to the 2nd green…

These young aguaje palms were planted by Rodrigo on the Amazon Golf Course in 2010

lets stop and admire the your aguaje palms that Rodrigo planted in a water hazard. Ahhhh pretty

Martin's Bridge at the Amazon Golf Course, Iquitos

Remember when we had to cross this creek tight walking across on a narrow rotten limb…ha ha, Martin Green made fun of us, called us the the Augusta in the Amazon ha ha…

The shade under Martin's Bridge at the Amazon Golf Course, Iquitos Peru

Ahhh, shade, the dog likes it, so do I.

We are walking up the 3rd fairway to the 3rd green of the Amazon Golf Course

Here we are on the back west side of the Amazon Golf Course walking along the nicely mowed 3rd fairway to the 3rd green.

The fruit of the walking palm on the Amazon Golf Course

Many species of trees grow here including this fruiting walking palm

The 3rd green, viewed from the rough, on the Amazon Golf Course

Some people think the rough should be rougher, but I like to walk among the trees we worked so hard to plant:)

The croton are budding at the Amazon Golf Course the middle of September

Croton colorful leaves are their primary beauty, but budding means a healthy plant on the way to maturity. Yea!

Tee number 4 right after the crew planted a shield in the fence row

The crew were just finishing planting caña brava in the fence row and cleaning up the 4th tee. We’ve tried several solutions to keeping people out of the golf course from this back corner and none of those solutions have worked. caña brava reminds me of the ornamental pampas grass only taller. Whether it keeps anyone out or not it makes another species good for attracting seed eating birds and wildlife.

Breadfruit tree with new growth on the Amazon Golf Course, Iquitos Peru

It’s hard to imagine but this innocent little breadfruit tree is growing in the wrong place. If it reaches it’s full breadfruit tree potential it will make the 4th hole even more difficult.

Green number 4 surrounded by the moat, taken from the 5th tee

We are walking along the north side behind the island that is the 4th green up on to the 5th tee and looking back over the 4th green.

From the 5th tee of the Amazon Golf Course near Iquitos Peru

The 5th tee is a good vantage point to survey what we’ve done here. When all these young trees grow up…:)

Aguaje blossoms of the aguaje tree growing on the edge of the moat of the 6th green on the Amazon Golf Course

Look at our aguaje tree blooming

From the 6th green looking back down the 6th fairway of the Amazon Golf Course, near Iquitos Peru

Let’s stroll along the west side of the Amazon Golf Course. The 6th green is very nice to feel.

Several crotons were budding on the Amazon Golf Course, Iquitos Peru

Most of the plants are bursting with growth and several crotons were blooming

A small orchid growning naturally on the Amazon Golf Course.

These trees have orchids and birds nests in them.

Looking down the 9th fairway to the 9th green and the Amazon Golf Course clubhouse

Strolling along the 9th fairway toward the 9th green and the clubhouse but there is still a lot to see…

Most of the coconut palm trees are the Amarilla type but some of the green type slipped through, like this one

We have lots of coconuts growing. When you come to play golf or to relax all you have to do is ask our grounds keepers and they will cut a coconut open for you to drink the delicious juice.

Lots of delicious coconuts at the Amazon Golf Course

Come on out and play a round of golf and ask the crew to cut open a refreshing coconut for your pleasure. Let us share our bounty with you.

From in front of the clubhouse looking back on the 9th green of the beautiful Amazon Golf Course

Let’s go inside the clubhouse for a cold one…and then take a siesta in one of the hammocks

View of the Amazon Golf Course from the 2nd floor observation area of the clubhouse

We are standing on the top floor of the club house looking out over the Amazon Golf Course…one of my favorite views. How about you?

Doesn't this new perfect palm leaf look like a fan?

Walking out the door of the clubhouse and walking down the lane to the road past the trees and bushes we have landscaped with. We feel pretty pleased. How about you?

Marmelita standing by a young acai palm tree along the lane to the Amazon Golf Course

Let’s take a stroll around the Amazon Golf Course

With Bill and Marmelita Grimes. Thank you for joining us.

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Map to the Amazon Golf Course from Iquitos Peru

This map features the Amazon Golf Course and shows it’s close proximity to Iquitos.

Bill Grimes reporting for the Amazon Golf Course.

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Mike Collis and the brand new Husqvarna riding mower he purchased for the Amazon Golf Course

Mike Collis does what he says he will do. Here is proof. Mike is my hero. He bought a riding lawn mower for our Amazon Golf Course. It’s a Husqvarna, and she’s a beauty. This will take the Amazon Golf Course to the next level.

Mike Collis taking the first mow on the new Husqvarna riding mower at the Amazon Golf Course

Amazon Golf Course

Mike also bought a new push mower from Husqvarna for your Amazon Golf Course

Amazon Golf Course

It's a new Briggs and Stratton push mower from Husqvarna for our Amazon Golf Course

Amazon Golf Course

Margarita mowing our Amazon Golf Course with the new riding Husqvarna mower

Amazon Golf Course

The new secure garage and storage area at 0ur Amazon Golf Course

Amazon Golf Course

This is the new grinder, sharpener Mike Collis bought for our Amazon Golf Course

Amazon Golf Course

Marmelita filling out the factura, and paying for the delivery truck.

Amazon Golf Course

Part of our team celebrating the new Husqvarna riding mower. Marmelita took this photo.

Mike Collis buys Husqvarna riding mower for Amazon Golf Course

Bill Grimes, volunteers as manager of the Amazon Golf Course, is the janitor at the Amazon Explorers Club, the host of the Dawn on the Amazon Cafe, and the jungle guide at Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises.

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Standing right inside the entrance looking down the two rows of trees near the road

Every time I tour the Amazon Golf Course I’m impressed by the amount of manual labor it took to build. I’m proud of our hard working crew. Their dedication is marvelous. First I always think, “None of this would be possible without them.”

My favorite measuring stick, measuring the growth of this tree we planted two years ago.

All of us work too hard and don’t have enough time or energy left over to appreciate what we have accomplished here near Iquitos Peru. I hope you can come and appreciate it for us. Then the work will be worth while.

Palm Blossoms and fruit at the Amazon Golf Course, Iquitos Peru

To maintain these 24 acres with only 2 weed eaters and one push mower is literally impossible. But, we do the best we can, and that’s pretty darn good.

Marmelita and Margarita inspect the new cup and flag holder on the 9th green. It's 330 yards, par 4.

The Amazon Golf Course is practically a miracle. We had to over come a lot of obstacles, more than you can imagine. We did overcome them.

The view looking north-west, from the observation deck of the Amazon Golf Course, Iquitos Peru

This is part of what we are growing here.

The view of the lushness of the Amazon Golf Course from the second floor of the clubhouse.

The soil is not fertile. We make our own organic compost with a hand full of lime to sweeten the soil.

The view looking east from the top floor of the Amazon Golf Course clubhouse

There is a lovely grove of aguaje palms on the east side of the clubhouse where monkeys sometimes come to forage.

The view from the second story of the clubhouse looking west, over the 1st tee, past the driving range shelter to the first green 122 yards, par 3.

We have over 2,700 healthy, strong trees and blooming bushes growing fast, that we planted in the last couple of years, and we are still planting. Our carbon footprint is getting smaller. How about yours? Give us a hand!

View of the Amazon Golf Course from the ground.

I thought 2,000 trees and blooming bushes would be a difficult goal. From our present position, 3,000 looks easy. It’s not too late to help.

Wally Lloyd's oil plams lining the 1st fairway on the Amazon Golf Course.

The oil palms growing so vigorously along the 1st fairway have a special place in my heart. They were donated by Wally Lloyd, the architect of the Amazon Golf Course, and the clubhouse, and a good friend of those of us who knew him best. Wally has passed on, but his Oil Palms (once lost and abandoned), have been found, replanted, and some might say reincarnated. We baby them even more than the other trees and they like the extra attention.

This croton growing along the side of the 1st fairway on the Amazon Golf Course was 1 stem maybe 10 inches tall when we planted it. In two more years it will probably be 5 feet tall and spectacular.

We didn’t just plant these trees and bushes. We loved them with many applications of our own compost and a hand full of lime. We don’t have any equipment fancier than an old wheelbarrow, but the plants growing on the opposite side of the 24 acres from the compost pile get the same loving applications as the ones in front of the clubhouse. Sometimes the grass gets tall where we don’t want it to, but never around our precious plants. We are thinking long term. Be patient with us.

This croton looks like firworks exploding to me. Look in the background to get a better idea of what we are doing on the Amazon Golf Course.

Stay with me. We are going to take a little stroll around the Amazon Golf Course. I hope you like it.

Drainage on the Amazon Golf Course

Most golf courses in the world have to irrigate. Here in the Amazon Rainforest in the district of Loreto Peru, one of our biggest problems at the Amazon Golf Course is drainage. Drainage streams are another opportunity to plant our blooming bushes to attract birds and wildlife.

A water hazard on the Amazon Golf Course

Which means we can channel water and easily have our water hazards where ever we want. Aguaje palms love a water hazard near their roots.

Showing the new directional tee markers pointing to the 6th hole, 269 yards, par 4, on the Amazon Golf Course.

We continue making improvements such as the new tee markers showing the way around the Amazon Golf Course for those that would rather not be accompanied by a caddy.

Tee 3 with water hazard, 259 yards, par 4, Amazon Golf Course.

I hope you are liking what you see here. This has been a real challenge in every way. The amount of work it took to get from fourth growth jungle to fairly refined golf course without many modern labor saving tools is nearly unbelievable. It required an inspiration, a large amount of hard manual labor, a vision, an investment, passion, and a lot of tender loving care.

Hard manual labor is what makes the Amazon Golf Course possible.

When these 3,000 trees and bushes mature, and the birds and wildlife associated with them live on the property, the Amazon Golf Course will be one of the most popular destinations for tourists in Iquitos whether they are golfers or not.

Crotons have an amazing variety of colors and leaf shapes. There is a thriving croton planted in between each coconut palm tree that border the fairways on the Amazon Golf Course.

I love crotons! I raised them as house plants back in the northern hemisphere. They like their conditions much better here in the tropics.

A croton, a coconut palm, a croton, a coconut palm...that's the pattern defining the fairways on the Amazon Golf Course.

These crotons were less than a foot tall when we planted them. Now look…

Margarita beside one of the crotons she planted when it was one stem and a foot tall less than two years ago.

We love and appreciate Margarita and her family. Margarita is our on-site caretaker, in charge of the crew of workers, without whom the Amazon Golf Course would not be nearly as beautiful. I think maybe at first they were humoring the eccentric gringo in charge of the 2,000 tree planting project, but now they are completely on board. Her husband Rodrigo is our horticulturalist, (and Maestro of most everything) I admire him a lot. We are a team. Everyone is completely on board.

Young trees and bushes growing on the backside of the Amazon Golf Course

Ok, use your imagination. What will these 2,700 trees and blooming bushes look like in 5 years. Some people are concerned about the economy, wars, religions, the end of the world, saving the world. I’m a simple man. I like to stand here and watch the plants grow. I want to stand here with you in the shade in 2016 listening to the birds singing, and the frogs croaking, enjoying the humming birds slurping nectar from the blooming bushes while we slurp the coconut milk, fresh from the nut. We will have park benches with thatch roofs in strategic locations. We’ll sit there and talk about the old days. Life is good.

Oil palms growing in the rough near the west border of the Amazon Golf Course

But enough day dreaming. There is a lot of work to be done between now and 2016. The baby crawls before it walks.

Martin Green's bridge on the Amazon Golf Course.

I also have a vision for how this bridge could be designed before 2016, but we have other more pressing problems to solve first. For now, this is a big improvement from when Martin Green made fun of our “Hogan’s Bridge” in his article Augusta in the Amazon.

Green number 3, 259 yards, par 4, at the Amazon Golf Course, Iquitos Peru

I’m also pleased by the improvement in our greens over the last two years. The greens can still be greatly improved by the use of a $7,000 green mower, but for now, we use what we have, a small push mower.

Green number 4, a mesa, surrounded by a moat stocked with piranhas. It's a par 3, a difficult 110 yards.

The award for most improved green in the last two years is green number 4. Two years ago it was unplayable, unless you are Joe Boatright, who solved that problem by getting the only hole-in-one on the Amazon Golf Course on number 4.

This is the best green number 4 has ever played, and we are working to make it better.

Green number 4 is the farthest from the clubhouse and work area. Sand is carried in bags on strong backs or in a wheelbarrow and spread and raked and then rolled and rolled. The grass comes through and the green gets firmer and flatter each time. Because green number 4 was farthest from the sand pile, it got less attention. We have corrected that problem.

This tree has lots of wonderful new growth.

This land is nutrient poor but we are getting around that problem with regular homemade compost mulches, a hand full of lime to sweeten the ph of the soil, foliar feeding the plants, and a hand full of balanced fertilizer per plant once a year.

The tee off to green number 5 on the Amazon Golf Course. It's 243 yards, par 4.

As we walk around the Amazon Golf Course you will notice the peace and quiet. A pleasure after the hustle and bustle of Iquitos.

dangerous green number 6, surrounded by piranha infested water, 269 yards, par 4, on the Amazon Golf Course.

The Amazon Golf Course is beautiful now and will be more beautiful as these plants grow and when we acquire a riding mower and a special greens mower.

Look at the incredible growth on this croton since it was planted at the Amazon Golf Course.

The Amazon Golf Course will become famous. I guarantee it. We will promote Iquitos and increase high end tourism. Golfers, telling the same old stories, playing the same holes, at the same old golf courses in Myrtle Beach, Indianapolis, and around the world will learn about this adventure golf destination. They will come here to play it them selves. They will stay in the best hotels, take the best tours and eat at the best restaurants. This tourism trend is inevitable. Get behind it.

One of the crew working with a weed-eater near green number 8 on the Amazon Golf Course.

The Amazon Golf Course will be positioned to provide that adventure golf tourism. Nearly every golfer that ever played here wanted their picture taken with the machete that is issued with every bag of golf clubs. Every one of those adventure golfers have a new story to tell their friends and family back home.

I am so proud of our crew. They work hard and do the best job possible with what they have to work with. I can not brag enough about them. Our crew works with the goal of making the Amazon Golf Course a beautiful place to play golf.

It would be a mistake to attempt to turn Iquitos into Indianapolis, and it would be a mistake to take the adventure out of adventure golf. There should always be piranhas in the water hazards, caimans sunning in the sand traps, and boas constricting in the rough. There should always be a machete issued with the golf clubs, even in 2015. Lets not lose sight of what makes us unique.

More improvement at the Amazon Golf Course thanks to Martin Greens suggestions.

We keep making improvements. We can’t do everything all at once. First the baby crawls, then it takes it’s first wobbly steps…

My personal favorite, green number 8, 388 yards, par 4, Amazon Golf Course.

Then it runs…

The rough on the east boundary of the Amazon Golf Course.

Then it gets old and creaky like me and starts getting tired right about now in our walk around the Amazon Golf Course. I hope you enjoyed our tour. Only a little farther to go.

We are still planting. Here is a nice little ficus tree with a good start at the Amazon Golf Course.

We are well on our way from 2,700 plants, at last official count, to 3,000 trees and blooming bushes. Our new goal. It’s an undertaking we can all be proud of.

Crotons, the closest to fall colors we can have on the Amazon Golf Course, but we have them all year long:)

The crotons are the closest we can come to New England or Brown County fall colors. We are lucky to have them all year. They don’t lose all their leaves at once. The only green leaves are the new growth.

A croton, a coconut palm, a croton, a coconut palm; the pattern at the Amazon Golf Course.

I love crotons in case you haven’t guessed…

There are lots, more plants to photograph, these are just a few of the ones we walked near enough that they called out to get our attention. You get the picture. The next tour we will walk a different path and photograph other plants and greens.

This scene will be spectacular in a couple of years. It's a pretty scene today.

I wish all of you could be here with with us and watch the trees grow, and the bushes bloom.

Green number 7, 505 yards, par 5, Amazon Golf Course.

This concludes our pictorial tour of the Amazon Golf Course located in Iquitos Peru. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. Come play a round or two, and watch the trees grow with me.

A tour Of The Amazon Golf Course, In Iquitos Peru

Bill Grimes is the manager of the Amazon Golf Course, and is reporting from Iquitos Peru. Stay tuned as the trees grow…

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By Mike C0llis

The Entrance To The Amazon Golf Course

The drive way to the Amazon Golf Course clubhouse

The putting green in front of the clubhouse

View from the clubhouse balcony, 9th fairway in front, driving range to the left

Another view from the clubhouse balcony, the first tee, with first hole, (par 3, 120 yards)

One of the bathrooms in the clubhouse

The Amazon Golf Course Clubhouse from the ninth green

Amazon Golf Course driving range shelter

The clubhouse from the driving range, this tree was just a sapling three years ago, now look

The Amazon Golf Course clubhouse, a good place to hang out.

A water trap on the second fairway, swarming with piranahs.

The second green, elevated for drainage purposes.

Amazon Golf Course water traps

Martin Greens bridge over a creek at the Amazon Golf Course

Green number 6, surrounded by piranah infested waters.

Amazon Golf Course Green number 4, an island surrounded by piranah infested waters.

The eighth green with the club house in the distance

Ninth fairway with another piranah infested water trap

A Photologue Of The Amazon Golf Course by Mike Collis

Mike Collis is the founder of the Amazon Golf Course. He is also the editor of The Iquitos Times, among many other projects promoting Iquitos Peru.

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Marmelita harvesting seed pods from one of the flower gardens at the Amazon Golf Course to replant later

Marmelita and I took last Sunday off and went to relax at the Amazon Golf Course, which my friend Martin ironically calls the Augusta in the Amazon, a nick name so clever I hope it sticks. It will if I have anything to say about it, which I do, Augusta in the Amazon, Augusta in the Amazon, Augusta in the Amazon, think Augusta in the Amazon.

Sunday is our day off so we lolled around home most of the morning and decided to have lunch at Arapaima Gigas, one of our favorite restaurants, a couple of hundred meters past the Amazon Golf Course. We flagged down a motocarro near our home on the first block of Nauta, negotiated the fare down to S/12 soles and off we went, holding hands, with the wind blowing through our hair, happy to be together. We rode past the Amazon Golf Course, past the lake, and up the lane to Arapaima Gigas where we sat in our usual chairs with our usual view and ordered our usual food.

At the Arapaima Gigas Restaurant, we sat at our usual chairs, with our usual view.

Arapaima Gigas catches a paiche (Arapaima gigas) every Saturday or Sunday from which they make my favorite Cebiche. Marmelita usually gets a gamitana or a sabalo, freshly netted from the lake, cooked over the coals.

I think the ceviche at the Arapaima Gigas Restaurant is the best in Iquitos.

After our delicious lunch we strolled down the lane back past their lake and walked on the sandy road until the attractive grounds of the Amazon Golf Course came into view. I remembered the shrubby over grown jungle cow pasture we started with a few years ago, and felt a rush of pride about the continuing transformation we have been part of. I wish all of you living in Lima, the rest of Peru, and other countries, that haven’t seen the Amazon Golf Course in the last few years, or ever, could be here with us. I know you would be amazed by the miracle we have been blessed with, the Augusta in the Amazon.

Full bloom near the fifth green on the Amazon Golf Course

This is a big project. The grass grows fast. The jungle encroaches. A neighbor is contrary. We have proven conclusively that a hard working team can not quite maintain a 24 acre golf course to Augusta standards with two weed eaters, a couple of machetes, and a push mower, but we do our best, and we do pretty good.

The view looking west from the 5th green at the Amazon Golf Course

We love our trees and bushes. I would like for you to go back in time to May 13, 2009 by clicking on this link; Working on Changing the Amazon Golf Course to your Great Amazon Golf Course; That is the article where I first published our intentions to plant 2,000 trees and blooming bushes. The next photo is the day we started our tree planting campaign. Margarita and Marmelita are planting small saplings.

Margarita and Marmelita planting the first of 2,000 new, young, trees and bushes on the Amazon Golf Course, before it became the Augusta in the Amazon

The next photo is of Marmelita standing next to one of those same trees she planted 22 months before.

Marmelita, next to a tree she planted less than 2 years ago on the Amazon Golf Course

Wait until you see these next photos of trees that were planted about the same time.

Marmelita with a tree planted less than 2 years ago on the Amazon Golf Course

And the incredible growth of the tree in the next photo…

Marmelita next to a fast growing tree we planted less than 2 years ago on the Amazon Golf Course

I know Marmelita isn’t the tallest measuring stick in the jungle, but she’s my favorite one. The point is that we are proud of what we have accomplished by not only planting 2,000 trees and blooming bushes, but mulching all of them with half a dozen applications of compost and lime, applying plenty of tender loving care, and watching them grow. As we said we would do. Listen up,…I always try my best to do what I say I will do. That’s a promise.

Bill Grimes waking up from a Sunday siesta at the Amazon Golf Course Clubhouse

For instance, I said I would take a siesta…and I did.

A mixed planting of crotons and palms in the rough

Thanks to those of you that donated money to help finance the 2,000 trees and blooming bushes project. Mike Collis takes a plant with him every time he goes to the golf course. If you were sitting on the fence watching to make sure it was really happening, and now that it has happened you are wishing you had done something to help, it’s not to late. There is still room for many more trees and bushes.

Palms and crotons with the Amazon Golf Course Clubhouse in the background

We are starting a program to plant a tree in your name as the best type of carbon sink to help save the planet. We will plant your tree, take a photo of the planting, post photos of your tree here on the Amazon Golf Course Blog, in your name, as it grows. It will be your tree. You will do something to help mitigate the accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere. You will personally do something to help save the planet. We all thank you!

Trees growing along the west border of the Amazon Golf Course

Don’t forget, Mike Collis takes a tree or bush to the Amazon Golf Course every time he goes. He goes there frequently. You could do that to.

Oil palms growing in the rough at the Amazon Golf Course

This is another opportunity for you to help us. You won’t believe how much your tree can grow in the next two years.

The 5th green at the Amazon Golf Course

The 9th green on the way to the clubhouse

Naturally, it’s a golf course, a well landscaped golf course, a beautiful golf course, Augusta in the Amazon.

Leaving the Augusta in the Amazon Golf Course. See you next Sunday

Look how tall the heliconias are compared to my favorite measuring stick. Heliconias respond to compost and tender loving care as well.

Bill Grimes enjoying one of the flower beds at the entrance of the Augusta in the Amazon, The Amazon Golf Course

Marmelita and I will see you next Sunday with another story and photos of our day. We plan to measure and show off some of the crotons. See you then.

A Relaxing Sunday At The Augusta in the Amazon

Bill Grimes is the manager of the Amazon Golf Course, and a big fan. Please join in to help make it better. Plant a tree.

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A guest post by Martin Green

Martin and John at the Amazon Golf Course, Augusta in the Amazon, machete in hand

Not much sleep last night as the anticipation of playing the Augusta in the Amazon is more than I can bear. Looking down the number one fairway of the most beautiful golf course in the Amazon, I realize how long it has been since I touched a golf club. My caddie is beside me and suggesting an 8 iron for the beginning par 3.

It’s a little hard to see exactly where the flag is because it is only three feet tall and no GPS here. In fact there are no carts, no cart paths and my caddie is carrying a machete. Not so much for protection, although many have run across a boa constrictor or an anaconda on the course, more to mow down the rough if you happen to land there. Which is a distinct possibility since the whole course is rough. After all this is the best course in the Amazon primarily because it is the “only course in the Amazon”.

Mowing the greens with a weed eater at the Augusta of the Amazon, the Amazon Golf Course

We got out early and caught up with the greens crew mowing number 3 mowing the green with a weed eater. Well we got a half mowed green, what more do you want, just stay on the short side. They have two weed eaters and a couple of machetes to keep the course groomed immaculately; well almost immaculately.

Unique rules for this course, if you lose your ball in the fairway you get a free drop. It’s an automatic two putt if you put it close, no need to run the score up and it is difficult to pull the flag from the water bottle that has been buried to hold it in place.

Martin, John, Lucky, and caddie, golfing the Augusta in the Amazon, the Amazon Golf Course

Good thing we have a caddie because the fairways can be deep, a foot in some places. Lucky the dog joined us and found a couple of balls, the only problem was that he wouldn’t give them back. We called him Lucky because in many South American countries they eat the dogs but they won’t eat a black dog; therefore a black dog is generally known as “lucky”.

As we walked across Hogan’s Bridge you had to watch your step or you might fall through. Not a place where you want to fall in a water hazard or for that matter even reach your hand in to find a ball, full of piranhas and alligators. One, not so smart, golfer tried it and lost the tip of his finger.

John chipping to the green at the Augusta of the Amazon, the Amazon Golf Course

Twenty five dollars for nine holes or for that matter as many holes as you care to play. The greens fee includes club rental, if that is what you want to call them, 12 balls and some broken tees. I can tell you after nine holes you feel like you have gone twenty seven.  It has been over a month since I have played golf and Augusta in the Amazon was a unique experience, challenging and thoroughly entertaining. Eat your heart out Sedgefield, thank you John for joining me.

Finishing beautiful No 9 before going into the clubhouse for a cold one.

Augusta In The Amazon

A guest post by Martin Green, publisher of Globetrotting In Style

If you enjoyed this article about the Amazon Golf Course, be sure to click the link to Globetrotting In Style to read more of Martin’s observations. He tells it like he sees it.

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The Amazon Golf Course crew visits The Butterfly Farm and enjoys a picnic on a deserted white sand beach on the Nanay River with Dawn on the Amazon.

The Amazon Golf Course crew, and the Dawn on the Amazon Crew, and their friends and family, joined forces to have a great day together.

Marmelita and I planned a special day to share with the combined crew from the Amazon Golf Course, Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises, and the Dawn on the Amazon Cafe; 20 of the best Iquitanians I know of, and they could invite one friend or family member to join them. When we loaded up in our boat, Dawn on the Amazon we had a total of 41 crew, friends, and family. Our first stop was the Amazon Animal Orphanage and Pilpintuwasi Butterfly Farm, then up the Nanay River to find a deserted white sandy beach to picnic, play volleyball, swim, drink a few beers, and to share a great day together.

The crew of the Amazon Golf Course and Dawn on the Amazon tour the Butterfly Farm.

Most of the crew from the Amazon Golf Course, and the Dawn on the Amazon Cafe had never been to the Butterfly Farm, or on our boat. I wanted everyone to have a fun day and to become more knowledgeable about what we do at Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises at the same time.

Filo dancing with a Red-faced Uakari monkey at the butterfly

The monkeys put on a show. The owner of the Butterfly Farm, Gudrun Sperrer, gave us a special tour and I was proud how attentive our crew was. They told us it was interesting and that they learned a lot about the life cycle of the butterflies, and their host plants.

Giant moth at the Butterfly Farm

This giant moth is a Rothschiladia. It only lives two or three days, just long enough to accomplish it’s only goal which is to breed. It doesn’t even have a digestive system. The female gives off pheromones to attract the male from up to 15 kilometers away.

Gudrun showing caterpillars to our crew at the Butterfly Farm

I’ve been to the Butterfly Farm dozens of times and always see and learn some thing new. Recently a person suggested it should be called Butterfly Gardens. That is probably a more descriptive name.  Some day when our 2,000 trees and blooming  bushes at the Amazon Golf Course mature I hope some one might think Amazon Golf Gardens would be more descriptive. I highly recommend you take a day trip to the Butterfly Farm to see some of what you came to the Amazon to see in the first place, orchids, heliconias, gingers, ayahuasca vines, chacruna bushes, caiman, turtles, agoutis, macaws, parrots, flocks of parakeets, 6 or 7 species of monkeys that swing down out of the trees to pick your pocket and lick the salt your perspiration provides, a manatee, a jaguar, an ocelot, good bird watching, and lots and lots of butterflies.

Dawn on the Amazon, this beautiful boat, brought us here together, on this sandy beach enjoying each others company, and the day

After a couple of hours at the Butterfly Farm we loaded back up in the Dawn on the Amazon river boat and motored upstream on the Nanay River, until we came to a big deserted sand bar beach. We pulled in and our crew poured out on the beach ready for fun. On went the bathing suits, up went the volleyball net, out came the food and beer, we let out a cheer. The picnic lunch was a feast, and there was plenty left over to eat again later. I called the second meal a picnic dinner. We had 80 loaves of our ciabatta bread with Edam cheese, hard boiled eggs, and a big jar of orange marmalade plus various left overs from lunch. No one went home hungry.

Pink Dolphin showing his flipper in the Nanay River

We swam, soaked or waded for a couple of hours. Cooling off in the river was the best choice for me. The crew played high quality volleyball all afternoon, the winners and losers cooled off in the river between games.

Part of our crew enjoying the day with Dawn on the Amazon on the Nanay River

As you can see from the photos, we have an attractive crew.

Part of the group of 41 that shared this great day together

Along about the middle of the afternoon dark clouds blew in with a steady breeze. We enjoyed overcast cloudy conditions with a cool breeze and no rain. Perfect.

Bill Grimes and Dawn on the Amazon

I was exhausted by the end of the day. I mean absolutely exhausted. The young crew played hard until the very end. It’s good to be young.

Marmelita loves swimming and volleyball in what little spare time she has.

As usual, Marmelita had all of our events well organized and was able to play. No one enjoys swimming in the river more. She was part of the young crew that was still playing hard at the end of the day.

Part of the crew from the Amazon Golf Course on the beach watching the volley ball game

Margarita and Caesar are used to working hard in the hot sun at the Amazon Golf Course so they were still going strong at the end of the day.

Part of the crew from the Dawn on the Amazon Cafe, enjoying the day on the Nanay River.

Our day together was a big success. I’m sure we accomplished our goals. Everyone had such a good day we are already talking about when we can schedule something like this again. Our goal was to encourage team work, camaraderie and mutual respect, and for everyone to learn more about how our companies work, while having fun. Success!

To learn more about this story, and to see more photos of our day, please click these live links; Day Trip To The Butterfly Farm And the Sandy Beaches Of The Nanay River; and A Fun Sunday On The River With Dawn on the Amazon.

The Amazon Golf Course crew visits The Butterfly Farm and enjoys a picnic on a deserted white sand beach on the Nanay River with Dawn on the Amazon.

Bill Grimes is the manager of the Amazon Golf Course, and president of Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises.

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Welcome Time Magazine Readers

Thanks for coming to the Amazon Golf Course Blog from the article Amazon Golf: Where Water Hazard Means Piranhas in Time Magazine, writen by Lucien Chauvin . I know you are savvy about blogs and the internet or you wouldn’t be here, because Time didn’t give us a link, and your here anyway. Your smart, but there is a lot on the Amazon Golf Course Blog, and I want to take a second to show you around.

First of all, if you like what you see here, subscribe to the blog, by clicking the Entries RSS feed in the right side column, or bookmark us to your favorites, and come back soon for our new posts. Until then, here is a list of live links to posts I don’t want you to miss;

Welsh Golfer Makes The Cut At Amazon Golf Course; He was told not to retrieve balls from the water hazards, that the piranhas were dangerous, but he didn’t listen…Why didn’t he listen? We hope this does not happen to you.;

Golfing Amazon Style, From The Fringe; “We always, always tell golfers not to retrieve balls from the water traps unless they really are intent on feeding the local wildlife”.

Easter Resurrection Of The Amazon Golf Course; I wish you could have stood with Marmeltia and I looking up the lane through the Hibiscus, and Heliconia, to the clubhouse and felt what we felt. What a change in just 11 months.

The Clubhouse Is Painted And Trimmed, Dec. 5th 2009; We do actually have a clubhouse and it’s nice to hang in the hammocks in the shade from the observation deck and look out over the beautiful golf course.

How The Amazon Golf Course Looked Thursday November 5th; It was bound to happen sooner or later. Both weedeaters were broken down waiting for parts for two weeks, and the push mower needed repair last week. It is a jungle out there, and difficult to keep up even when the equipment works. Imagine taking care of a 24 acre golf course with just two weed eaters and a push mower. It’s quite a job.

The Amazon Golf Course, November 12, 2009; I like to sit on the top floor of the Amazon Golf Course clubhouse and watch the trees grow.

Here Are Some Of What I Saw At The Amazon Golf Course, November 14; I give full credit to our hardworking crew. Today all of our full time crew signed contracts giving them health insurance, and a retirement fund. Most of them got pay raises, and all of them make at least minimum wage.

I’m glad you came and I hope you found your visit interesting, and that you will be inspired to come play a round of adventure golf with us at the Amazon Golf Course in Iquitos Peru.

Welcome Time Magazine Readers

Bill Grimes, Manager of the Amazon Golf Course and Captain of Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises;

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