Dominican Republic Golf Courses

The latest addition to my golf course reviews comes from Las Aromas, Santiago, Dominican Republic.  A golf course that serves a city 1 million people strong, you wouldn't know it even existed, hidden away along the Rio Yaque in La Otra Banda district.

Las Aromas has been around for 30 something years, making it one of the older courses in the Dominican Republic.  It serves a high end Dominican crowd, as well as the odd tourist and in the know ex-pat.  You may not be impressed by the car park or club house, but the course has some exquisite sites to admire, so look beyond the initial impact, this course is a diamond in the rough!

The one complaint I do have about the course is that the yardages are wrongly marked, and what the current score card shows is way off, the use of a caddy is mandatory for non-members, so take advantage of their knowledge for the distances.

The following review is based on the white tees, again the exact yardage listed is questionable.

Hole 1 - Par 4 - 338 yards

Firstly, the blue tees are listed at 82 yards longer, however the mark is only some 15 yards behind, anyway, an impacting view of the city of Santiago from the tee box, which is some 70 feet above the fairway. Your drive from hole 1 will feel like it takes an eternity to hit the fairway, as long as you are straight and avoid the forest on either side, then your approach will be an easy one to the green. NB most caddies say the front 9 are harder than the back 9, I would disagree.

Hole 2 - Par 4 - 309 yards
The green is somewhat elevated, a straight drive that avoids the trees to the left and the forest to the right leaves you with another chance to get on the green in 2. Avoid the sand to the left of the green.

Hole 3 - Par 3 - 144 yards
Strange hole, elevated tee box, elevated green, sloping fairway. Not that any golfer should end up playing his second shot from the fairway of a middle length par 3! Straightforward, no real problems unless your putting lets you down.

Hole 4 - Par 4 - 396 yards
Dog leg right, if you can hit the ball 280 yards +, then go over the trees which create the dog leg effect. You'll be left with an 80 yard approach or less. If you are not such a long hitter, then follow the clear area, very nice hole that will give you a lot of satisfaction if you drive well. A tip here is to have your caddy wait on the fairway, as nor the green or flag are visible from the white tee.

Hole 5 - Par 4 - 395 yards
Before you tee off, go to the area behind the blue tee to enjoy a view of the river and part of Santiago. The fairway opens up to the right here, so a slice can be forgiven by this hole. You cannot see the green or flag from the tee, but open up and drive straight, try to avoid the huge fairway bunker.

Hole 6 - Par 5 - 531 yards
Again, the flag and green are not visible, this hole plays as long as the yardage should suggest. Another thing to consider is that the final 1/3 of the fairway slopes away to the forest. When playing the first time it's advisable to try to get on in 3.

Hole 7 - Par 4 - 385 yards
This is the beer hole, some caddies will give you a stroke and play you for a round of beer! If you don't mind someone else using your clubs, then go for it, it's a good laugh! Another hole where the flag is not visible, try to aim left over the front facing hill, as the ball will come around to the center of the fairway due to the slope. Great hole with an interesting green.

Hole 8 - Par 3 - 129 yards
Short par 3, not much to talk about here, just aim straight and hit it!

Hole 9 - Par 4 - 312 yards
A much harder hole than the distance would suggest, sloping fairway, sand behind the green. The 100 yard marker may also be wrong, so if you have a yardage viewer, use it. Sloping fairway also.

Hole 10 - Par 4 - 293 yards
Similar to hole #1 in distance and feel, some golfers can easily drive onto the green, nice big putting surface here also.

Hole 11 - Par 4 - 306 yards
One of the hardest, if not the hardest hole on the course, here a driver is not recommended as you will end up in the scrub, 3 wood to the fairway, then attack the elevated green, which you can't see!

Hole 12 - Par 3 - 92 yards
Over the water, onto the green from an elevated tee box. Nice hole with different tropical flowers around. Ask your caddy for the real yardage, or use a viewfinder, don't go over the green, if you do your next shot will be a devil.

Hole 13 - Par 4 - 280 yards
A nicely elevated tee box, avoid the trees to the immediate left and a straight drive will leave you with a direct approach to the green.

Hole 14 - Par 4 - 302 yards
Accuracy here is the key, go to the right of the fairway and you're faced with a high slope, having said that, wayward shots often benefit from the kindness that permits your ball to roll back down to the fairway, on a wet day, your ball will stay there and leave you with no other choice but to play lateral.

Hole 15 - Par 4 - 312 yards
Whack it straight, finally you can see the green from the tee!!! This is the most open flat hole on the course, the green however is quite tricky.

Hole 16 - Par 3 - 96 yards
If I can be sure of one thing, 96 yards this hole 'aint! From the whites it plays more like 120-130 but ask your caddy as it seems the markers get moved. The green is elevated and there's water below, sand to the back of the green and left. On the off chance that the water hazard is dry (it has happened) you may be fortunate enough to get a lucky bounce from the concrete bottom and even end up on the green (yes it has happened).

Hole 17 - Par 5 - 432 yards
The hole looks longer than it is, plus if your tee shot goes left, you can play off the 18th fairway (is that allowed?). Nice big tree protects the green from the front, so be careful, the green here by the way is huge!

Hole 18 - Par 4 - 314 yards
You won't end the round as you began, as far as amazing views go, but it's a nice way to finish. You'll not see the green from the tee, but drive it straight and you'll be closer than you may have thought. Strange green, and depending on flag placement on the day you play, could become hazardous to your score.

All in all a great golf course, well worth the fees (RD$850 for 18 as of 15/1/09), they sell 2 types of beer in the club house, Soberana and Quisqueya, so go outside if you want a Presidente! Friendliest caddies of the north coast, a nice tip at the end goes a long way.

 

 

For more information, or for a playing partner, email tay@propertycenter.tv

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