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Eagle Ridge GC boosts 4 championship courses: Nick Faldo,
Andy Dye, Greg
Norman & Isao
Aoki Courses. The Andy Dye Course is suitable for low handicappers
who can hit accurate shots. Without a doubt, it is the most controversial
layout at Eagle Ridge. It is a long course of more than 7300 yards, full
of challenges. Golfers simply love it or hate it. Not only accuracy &
distance but also full knowledge of the layout and proper course management
are needed to shoot low scores. All par 4s & 5s are distinct and it’s
fun to attack them. Most greens are narrow with one or both sides being
protected by water, hazards or ravines, so pinpoint accuracy is needed
on approach shots. Fairway undulations make flat lies unlikely while rolls
on the relatively small greens make 2 putt pars difficult. I have played
more than 10 Pete & Andy Dye designed courses in Asia. This course
is by far the most difficult. I have heard that Andy Dye daringly designed
it very tough to provide Frankie Minoza, the most famous player in the
Philippines, with challenging practice rounds. It is also the practice
course for the Filipino amateur national team. |
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| A slight dogleg to the right, a par 4. A long bunker runs
along the right from the tee to the green, which not only defines this hole
but also affects your mind. The green is small and surrounded by bunkers,
so an accurate second shot is needed. |
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A very long par 3. The green is deep & narrow and slopes sharply
to left. A bunker far in front of the green gives an optical illusion
to make you think the green is closer than it really is.
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| A slight dogleg to the left, a short par 5. The tee shot is
over a ravine that also borders the left side of the fairway. The green
is narrow with a ridge in the center, sloping from the center to the back.
The entire left side of the green is guarded by a deep bunker, so right
to left players must pay attention to it. |
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| An excellent par 3 over a ravine. The front & right sides
of the green border the deep ravine. There is a deep bunker guarding the
right side of the green. You need to hit the green in regulation to make
par. |
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A slight dogleg to the right, a par 5. A ravine runs along the left and
crosses in front of the green. Long hitters can reach the green in 2 but
the ravine in front of the green will penalize any shots falling short.
The green is elevated and guarded by a deep bunker in front of it.
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An almost straight, very long par 5 with a ravine along the right. A
carry of 230 yards is needed to reach the fairway off the tee. The fairway
is very “hollow”. A bunker guarding the right side of the green is outrageously
deep and should be avoided. There are 3 mounds on the green surface, which
makes this demanding hole much harder.
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A par 3 over a ravine. The front bunker is very deep, so shooting short
of the green should be avoided at all costs.
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A dogleg to the left, uphill & a very long par 4. The slightly downhill
tee shot needs a carry of 235 – 290 yards to clear a lake. A bunker guarding
the left of the green is deep. Distance is required to reach the green in
2 shots but even long hitters have a hard time hitting the green in regulation
if there’s a headwind. |
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A straight long par 4. The second shot is downhill. The green is deep &
narrow with a bunker and a hazard on the right. The fairway runs downhill
from about 275 yards and narrows to as little as 30 yards, which long hitters
should pay attention to. |
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A slightly uphill, long & difficult hole. A ravine runs along the
left from the tee to the green. It doglegs to the right 120 yards in front
of the green. The green is elevated and deep & narrow.
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A par 3 over a hazard. The green is deep & narrow and its left side
borders a ravine that is also OB, so you’ll want to play safe by hitting
the left side.
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| It is a 1 hour & 20 minute drive from Makati. Visitors
can play here but it is hard to book. I could play freely from the longest
gold tees.
The other courses of Pete Dye, Andy Dye or Dye Design Inc. in Asia (excluding
Japan) are as follows: West
Coast GC in China; Khao
Kheow CC, Subhapruek
CC, Thai
Muang Beach G&M, The Kao Cha-Ngok G&CC in Thailand; Woo
Jeong Hills CC, Castlex GC in Korea; Laguna
National G&CC in Singapore and Poresia CC, Orna G&CC in Malaysia.
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2nd Par 4 406 yards (3)