Forest Hills Golf & Country Club

Description

Look at the development of golf properties around Metro Manila and you immediately notice that the bulk of them are south of the metropolis. But the bustling province of Rizal is home to some beautiful golf courses built to world class standards and of championship quality. Forest Hills Golf and Country Club is one of those tracks.

Forest Hills has two golf courses; the first one by Jack Nicklaus' design group and the other by Arnold Palmer. This makes Forest Hills the only golf club in the country with courses designed by both of these golfing greats. But as the Palmer course is just nearing completion, it is the Nicklaus layout that concerns us here today.

Set in the hills of sleepy Barangay Inarawan, in Cogeo, Antipolo, the Nicklaus track meanders through the hills of the Sierra Madre foothills. The shots you'll be asked to play are difficult and made yet more complicated by uneven terrain. This isn't an easy golf course. This is a demanding shotmaker's layout. The fronts of the greens will accept an approach played on the ground and the greens are mature enough to receive the well struck ball. You'll need to club for your shots carefully because of the elevation changes and navigate the multiple ravines.

The greens are the ultimate challenge here. As with all mountain courses, recognition of the general lay of the land and its effect on your putt is crucial to a good putting round. The greens are fast so it's important to keep your ball below the hole to have a chance at a good score. Pay particular attention when taking on numbers 5, 9 and 18; a two putt on any of them is good work.

The upside is that the hole settings are beautiful and the vistas exquisite. The one from the 12th tee at sunset with the City of Ortigas in the distance is one that must not be missed. And you'll become a better ball striker for playing this course. You just might not appreciate it at first blush.

Club Facilities