Tagaytay Midlands Golf Club

Course Date
Location Manila, Philippines
Yardage 7024 yards Par 72
Course Rating 72.6
Playing Date October 24, 2018
Designer Richard Bigler
Opened 1994
Caddie Yes
Golf Cart Yes (can drive on FW)
Ratings
Overall Rating
4.20
Course Layout
4
Difficulty Level
3
Greens Condition
5
Fairways Condition
5
Landscaping & Views
5
Level of Satisfaction
3
 

Tagaytay Midlands GC is a highland resort course that is laid out on gentle terrains and rolling hills at the foot of the mountain, offering a spectacular view of Taal Lake. Located 460 meters (1500 ft) above sea level at the foot of the mountain overlooking Taal Lake, it is slightly cooler than the courses around Manila. In 2013, the 9-hole Lucky Course that is narrower with severe ups and downs was added, and the club now boosts a 27-hole golf course. To develop the course, more than 2 million plants of different plant of different varieties and 37,000 trees are planted to form a beautiful landscape within the course.



A view of Lake Taal from clubhouse

A view of Lake Taal from 15th tee

Nice trees along 15th hole

Although three are only 30 bunkers in total, but many dogleg holes, the natural changes of elevation, some forced carries over valleys, and a couple of water hazards will help the course fun to play. Since the fairways are generous and there are few OB zones, you can hit each shot without big pressure, and expect a good score. The grain of the greens is strong always away from the mountain to Taal Lake 300 meters below the course, and downhill putts with the grain are very fast. Many greens are framed by distant, Majestic Mt. Makiling as the backdrop. The course maintenance is good.

Scorecard
 
Hole 1 Par 4 433 yards

Hole 1 Par 4 433 yards (2)

Hole 1 Par 4 433 yards (1)
A slight dogleg to the left. The tee shot is downhill and the approach is slightly downhill. The green, sloping from back to front, is protected by a hazard on the left and a bunker on the right.
 
Hole 3 Par 3 161 yards

Hole 3 Par 3 161 yards
A par three over water. The green is wide and slops to right. The pond in front comes into play and a bunker is placed at the rear.
 
Hole 4 Par 4 463 yards

Hole 4 Par 4 463 yards (1)
A signature hole and a sharp dogleg to the left. A lake runs from the tee to the green on this demanding par four. On the tee shot, if you hate the water on the left and hit too much on the right side, it will be difficult to hit the green in regulation. The approach shot is over the lake. The green is long and sharply slops to the left, with two bunkers at the back.
 

Hole 4 Par 4 463 yards (3)

Hole 4 Par 4 463 yards (2)

Hole 4 Par 4 463 yards (1) front tee
 
Hole 8 Par 4 410 yards

Hole 8 Par 4 410 yards (2)

Hole 8 Par 4 410 yards (1)
A straight and tight par four. The tee shot is downhill and the further the tee shot hits, the narrower the fairway becomes. The green slops from back to front.
 
Hole 12 Par 3 137 yards

Hole 12 Par 3 137 yards
A short par three over a valley. The gree n is wide.
 
 Hole 14 Par 4 439 yards

Hole 14 Par 4 439 yards (2)

Hole 14 Par 4 439 yards (1)
A strong dogleg to the right. This hole narrows as players get closer to the green. The tee shot is over a valley. The hazards of trees on both sides of the green and a bunker on its front right will come into play on the approach shot.
 
Hole 15 Par 4 460 yards

Hole 15 Par 4 460 yards (2)

Hole 15 Par 4 460 yards (1)
A dogleg to the right, and an excellent long & tough par four. The tee shot is over a valley with a valley along the right side. The length can be cut by taking on the dogleg in full sight of all the risks for such a play. The green, sharply sloping from back to font, is surrounded by trees and bushes and is guarded by a bunker on the right front.
 
Hole 18 Par 5 514 yards

Hole 18 Par 5 514 yards (1)
A gently uphill dogleg to the right. The tee shot is over a small valley. The OB zone on the left side will come into play both on the tee shot and the second shots. The green has a fairly steep slope from back to front.

Hole 18 Par 5 514 yards (4)

Hole 18 Par 5 514 yards (3)

Hole 18 Par 5 514 yards (2)
 
19th hole

It is a one hour 15 minutes’ drive south of both Makati and Manila Airport. Since it is a private club, it is necessary to be accompany by a member, but the golf reservation agency will perhaps arrange the member. Tagaytay Highlands GC is a 10-minute drive away. The two golf courses are also connected by a cable car.



Caddies

Restaurant

Lunch

The top 100 golf courses (top100golfcourses.com) ranked 16th in Philippines Top 30 courses in 2020. There are about 100 courses in the Philippines.

Richard Bigler, an American, has designed five or six courses in the United States, but none are so famous. In the Philippines, he also designed Tagaytay Highland GC.



City Garden Grand Hotel

City Garden Grand Hotel

A view from the room

On the previous day, I stayed at the City Garden Grand Hotel in Makati.