It?s been REALLY wet up here for a few weeks, and between the weather and our tours, we haven?t had a chance to burn any worms on the links (and couldn?t make it for the Charity golf event at Playa Dorado 
). But this morning, even though overcast, looked promising, so Alida and I headed out to Campo de Golf in Jarabacoa, our local course.
This is a fine little course, 9 holes with displaced tee boxes, making 18. I?m told it?s the only ?mountain? course in all of the Antilles, literally carved out of some rugged hills. It?s a modest course as far as amenities go, but fairly inexpensive to play, and big bang-for-the-buck in fun. It?s also a very unforgiving course, with some brutal bunkers, narrow fairways and steeply elevated greens. Some of the low-handicap local members I play with don?t even have a driver in their bag.
Carts are available, but I love walking 9 holes more than riding 18. Great exercise and a beautiful environment.
I took some pics of the holes, except one-it started to rain on the way to the 7th tee, and I forgot. Mea Culpa.
Directions: drive toward Jarabacoa from the autopista, and prior to getting to Jarabacoa turn left @ the signs for Salto Jimenoa and Campa de Golf, turn left again at the Salto and Campo signs, and go about ? mile. The entrance is on your left.
You come through entrance and see the ?Clubhouse? on the left (it?s really more of an open bar/snack shop with banos):
The Starter/Caddy Shack:
Taso is the guy in charge there, and will set you up well.
Some pics of the course, with some arrows added so you can see the location of the holes (that?s Alida in some of the pics, doing well as a new golfer):
First hole, a 140yd. Par 3, down toward a ravine with a death sand trap on the right (can?t be seen in the pic):
Second hole, 358yd. Par 4 with a really narrow fairway. Men?s teebox is steeply elevated, and the fairway sort of twists left then right then left, with a bunker right in front and left. This is my consistently worst hole, but today I did OK, got a 5:
Third hole, a 285yd. Par 4, with a 90 degree right, steep downhill dogleg about 150 yards from the tees. I try to go over the trees on the right from the tee. Great if you make it, not so great if you don?t clear them, sort of feast or famine. From the teebox:
The dogleg:
Fourth hole, a 147yd. Par 3, downhill to a deep ravine, then uphill with jungle on the right, and bunkers on the left:
Fifth hole, 471yd. Par 5, straight with rolling hills, tight out of bounds on the right side, and pinched fairway, two bunkers defending the green. One of the few holes you can whack a driver:
Sixth hole, 276yd. Par 4, downhill with a slight right curve. You can?t see the green from this pic (except the arrow), but the green is elevated and drops off to jungle to the left, sand on the right/front, really unforgiving:
It started to rain, and I forgot to snap the 7th hole. But it?s a 374yd. Par 4, uphill to a left dogleg about 160 yds., then downhill to a steeply elevated, sloped green-from-hell. A true love/hate hole.
Eighth hole, 386yd, Par 4, fairly straight with a full tilt to the left, sharply elevated but flat green. Bring your driver for this one:
Ninth hole, 474yd. Par 5, a really great and challenging hole. It?s straight. That?s the easy part. Slam away. But it goes right uphill from the teebox (you need to get the ball UP) about 180 yards, flattens out for 100 yards?then drops very steeply 40-50 feet of elevation?only to go right up hill, steeply, 40 feet elevation. You don?t make the green on your approach, it?s gonna roll all the way down again. GREAT hole, a fun way to finish the course. From the teebox, doesn?t show the steepness:
Looking down/up at the green after the flat top. This pic does NOT show the radical elevation changes well:
All in all, a fine gem of a little course, carved out of some gorgeous mountainous terrain. Very friendly staff and caddies, and a great time for golfers. Few folks play in the mornings when we usually play and can take our time. No real need for a tee time, I don't even know if they take them.
). But this morning, even though overcast, looked promising, so Alida and I headed out to Campo de Golf in Jarabacoa, our local course.This is a fine little course, 9 holes with displaced tee boxes, making 18. I?m told it?s the only ?mountain? course in all of the Antilles, literally carved out of some rugged hills. It?s a modest course as far as amenities go, but fairly inexpensive to play, and big bang-for-the-buck in fun. It?s also a very unforgiving course, with some brutal bunkers, narrow fairways and steeply elevated greens. Some of the low-handicap local members I play with don?t even have a driver in their bag.
Carts are available, but I love walking 9 holes more than riding 18. Great exercise and a beautiful environment.
I took some pics of the holes, except one-it started to rain on the way to the 7th tee, and I forgot. Mea Culpa.
Directions: drive toward Jarabacoa from the autopista, and prior to getting to Jarabacoa turn left @ the signs for Salto Jimenoa and Campa de Golf, turn left again at the Salto and Campo signs, and go about ? mile. The entrance is on your left.
You come through entrance and see the ?Clubhouse? on the left (it?s really more of an open bar/snack shop with banos):
The Starter/Caddy Shack:
Taso is the guy in charge there, and will set you up well.
Some pics of the course, with some arrows added so you can see the location of the holes (that?s Alida in some of the pics, doing well as a new golfer):
First hole, a 140yd. Par 3, down toward a ravine with a death sand trap on the right (can?t be seen in the pic):
Second hole, 358yd. Par 4 with a really narrow fairway. Men?s teebox is steeply elevated, and the fairway sort of twists left then right then left, with a bunker right in front and left. This is my consistently worst hole, but today I did OK, got a 5:
Third hole, a 285yd. Par 4, with a 90 degree right, steep downhill dogleg about 150 yards from the tees. I try to go over the trees on the right from the tee. Great if you make it, not so great if you don?t clear them, sort of feast or famine. From the teebox:
The dogleg:
Fourth hole, a 147yd. Par 3, downhill to a deep ravine, then uphill with jungle on the right, and bunkers on the left:
Fifth hole, 471yd. Par 5, straight with rolling hills, tight out of bounds on the right side, and pinched fairway, two bunkers defending the green. One of the few holes you can whack a driver:
Sixth hole, 276yd. Par 4, downhill with a slight right curve. You can?t see the green from this pic (except the arrow), but the green is elevated and drops off to jungle to the left, sand on the right/front, really unforgiving:
It started to rain, and I forgot to snap the 7th hole. But it?s a 374yd. Par 4, uphill to a left dogleg about 160 yds., then downhill to a steeply elevated, sloped green-from-hell. A true love/hate hole.
Eighth hole, 386yd, Par 4, fairly straight with a full tilt to the left, sharply elevated but flat green. Bring your driver for this one:
Ninth hole, 474yd. Par 5, a really great and challenging hole. It?s straight. That?s the easy part. Slam away. But it goes right uphill from the teebox (you need to get the ball UP) about 180 yards, flattens out for 100 yards?then drops very steeply 40-50 feet of elevation?only to go right up hill, steeply, 40 feet elevation. You don?t make the green on your approach, it?s gonna roll all the way down again. GREAT hole, a fun way to finish the course. From the teebox, doesn?t show the steepness:
Looking down/up at the green after the flat top. This pic does NOT show the radical elevation changes well:
All in all, a fine gem of a little course, carved out of some gorgeous mountainous terrain. Very friendly staff and caddies, and a great time for golfers. Few folks play in the mornings when we usually play and can take our time. No real need for a tee time, I don't even know if they take them.
