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La Estancia Golf Course |
Course Information
More Reviews
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Name: Bo (DR1) Handicap: 12 Review Date: May
23rd 2008 Tee Time: 11:00 |
General:
Fairways are surrounded by a 1st cut of rough from which the
ball can be easily played. If the ball goes beyond the 1st cut of rough there
are mostly lime stone rocks and finding your ball could be quite difficult let
alone play it should you find it.
Practicing facilities are all placed behind the club house and they look
spectacular. No excuse for not hitting a few practice putts/chips/shots before
the round. I did miss some distances to the various flags placed on the range.
Driving Range:
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Course layout:
A P. B. Dye design. Sitting on the cliff’s edge above the Chavon
river it supplies some spectacular views with the front 9 taking the prize.
Another nice touch was the hollows around the greens where not all opportunities
to make a sand trap had been used. The grass bunker presents its own challenges.
The course has nice wide fairways. The real challenge is the approach shot and
your short game. Greens are very hard and I found it difficult to make the ball
bite even on short irons. Steep run offs next to some greens makes it tough to
even see the top of the flag stick.
It’s a nice layout which should appeal to all golfers and with 4 different sets
of tees you should be able to get the challenge you’re looking for. |
Maintenance:
Paspalum grass all over. Fairways could be in better shape, I saw brown
spots on most fairways and some areas with ground under repair. Greens are in
good shape and putts very true. They did have some sand and fertilizer on them
still. Sand in bunkers felt compact but not like concrete either. Tees are in
perfect shape, most courses would be proud to have these as their greens. |
Service:
Professional and attentive staff in pro shop, reception and caddy shack.
We didn’t use the changing facilities. A frozen towel was handed out to us at
the 4th hole and the cart had an ice box attached so you could re-cool your
towel during the round. There was no water on the course but the cart had a
bottle of free water in the ice box. Hard to get 18 holes in on one bottle
though. |
Price:
Green fee was very reasonable at US$60 and that includes the cart! Range
balls included in the green fee. If you just want to use the range it’s a US$10
charge. Caddie tip US$25. Rental clubs US$35.
The FEDO-golfer will have to wait a bit for their rates yet, but the course will
join the program.. |
19th hole:
Very nice club house! Terrace bar and restaurant in beautiful
surroundings overlooking 18th green. Indoor restaurant and bar as well. Adequate
menu with sandwiches and burgers from US$8-12. Entres ranging from US$15-25. |
Value for money rating:
At 60 bucks you’ll be hard pressed to find a better golf deal in the DR
right now. With this layout and these surroundings you’re getting a steal. Don’t
hesitate. Book your round now. You’ll be happy you did. |
Hole Descriptions & Photos:
Click a camera icon
to see larger images and descriptions. |
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1st hole, par 4, 390 yds:
A nice opening hole with a wide fairway to land your tee shot in.
Bunkers short left and right of the green. |
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2nd hole, par 5, 483 yds:
Intimidating view from the tee where your drive has to carry approximately 200
yards over a canyon in a predominant crosswind to an angled fairway. Several
bunkers left and right along the fairway all the way to the elevated green. |
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3rd hole, par 3, 160 yds:
A canyon to the right and bunkers front left, centre and right are the obstacles
on this hole. There’s decent collection area behind the green if you go too far. |
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4th hole, par 4, 308 yds:
The canyon is still present along the right side, and the numerous fairway
bunkers on the same side tell you to play it to the left side of the fairway.
But be careful, there’s another fairway bunker on the left which is not visible
from the tee. Longer hitters should be able to carry this bunker. The green is
shallow and protected by three bunkers front left, centre and right. |
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5th hole, par 3, 96 yds:
The signature hole above the Chavon river plays shorter than it looks. From the
elevated tee the only real challenge is clearing the deep pot bunker in front of
the rather large green. |
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6th hole, par 4, 405 yds:
Uphill into the predominant wind makes this hole far from easy even if the
fairway is very wide. The elevated green is guarded by bunker front left and
centre. |
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7th hole, par 5, 440 yds:
Slight dogleg left with several fairway bunkers hugging the corner and right
side of the fairway. Mahogany trees to the right and behind the green gives a
nice shade, the only shade on the course, but also bunkers left and right plus a
steep run-off area to the left will test your accuracy on the approach. |
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8th hole, par 4, 400 yds:
Another wide fairway on this slight dogleg right with fairway bunkers to the
left and waste a bunker to the right. Deep bunkers left and right of the green
calls for a run-up approach. |
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9th hole, par 4, 356 yds:
A double-fairway will help out the struggling driver from the elevated tee. This
is the widest fairway on the course. Then it’s uphill into the wind as on the
previous 3 holes. Green side bunkers left and right makes it possible to run
your approach onto this back to front sloping green. |
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10th hole, par 4, 318 yds:
Slight dogleg left. A single fairway bunker on the left is the only thing
keeping you from cutting the corner. Bunkers left and right of the rather large
green. |
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11th hole, par 3, 142 yds:
The canyon from the front 9 is now on the left. The green is rather large but
mis-hits right might find trouble with bunkers. |
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12th hole, par 5, 501 yds:
Forget about reaching this one in 2 if the wind is at its usual strength. Get as
far forward as possible on the second shot as the green is tucked away to the
right on the cliff’s edge with deep bunkers in front and the best angle into the
green is from 90 degrees on the fairway. |
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13th hole, par 4, 293 yds:
Don’t worry if you’re not a long hitter able to carry the fairway bunker on the
left, the best angle into the green is from the right side of the fairway. Deep
bunkers protect this slightly elevated green all around. Best miss would be
long. |
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14th hole, par 4, 333 yds:
Players on the back tees will have to carry a part of the canyon while the
forward tees get a straight angle into the fairway. There are hidden fairway
bunkers on the left along the canyon. The green is guarded by a bunker front
right and a deep run off area to the left close to the cliffs edge. |
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15th hole, par 3, 148 yds:
A shallow green protected by bunkers left, front and right with a steep slope
behind it. The green is larger than it appears from the tee. |
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16th hole, par 5, 516 yds:
A large waste bunker on the right is the only worry off the tee. The wind is in
your back on the last three holes so use it well and cover some distance. The
green has 4 tiers so there’s no need to celebrate yet if you should make it in
regulation. |
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17th hole, par 4, 411 yds:
Take advantage of the wide fairway as the peninsula green is very well protected
by water on three sides. Sand front and back could keep your ball dry should you
miss the large green. |
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18th hole, par 4, 416 yds:
Not much unlike the 18th at TPC at Sawgrass. Water is in play all the way down
the left side. Know your driving distance if you decide to cut off on this
slight dogleg left. The green is 2-tiered and guarded by a small bunker front
left and mounds to the right. |
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