One of the great pleasures in golf is traveling to play a famous course on whose hallowed fairways once trod the greats of the game; St. Andrews, Carnoustie, Augusta National, Pebble Beach, what we wouldn’t give to play them at least once before we go to that big fairway in the sky. A lucky few have made or will make this trek; for the rest of us, Summit Point Golf Club in nearby Lipa, Batangas, has a few surprises in store.
When the decision was made to join giant property developer Sta. Lucia in the development of a golf property, Summit Point President Robbie Leviste searched the golfing world for a unique concept for a golf course, one that would make their course stand out. He found it in Texas; a course called the Tour 18 had holes inspired by the great PGA Tour courses, a novel idea. Summit Point would do them one better and add holes from famous courses all over the world. Images of a golf course resembling a patch work quilt flash through my head upon hearing such an idea but nothing could be further from reality.
To build their fairway of dreams, they enlisted the esteemed Robert Trent Jones, Jr. who by our count, now has some nine golf courses here making him the most popular golf architect in the country. Jones chose holes that worked with the gently rolling land, moving a minimum of earth and allowing the course to make the most of the terrain. With the world as his palette, Jones selected St. Andrews, Carnoustie, Augusta National, Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, Spyglass Hill, Oakmont, Winged Foot and other great courses most of us would give their eye teeth to play to lend inspiration to Summit Point. The result looks and feels like a golf course; a good one to boot. Even with the extreme variety from different styles of courses, the routing flows smoothly from one hole to the next, integrating holes from sixteen parkland and links courses into a cohesive eighteen. Though not identical in appearance (mostly due to the local flora), Summit Point’s World 18 retains the shot values the originals demanded; those aren’t championship tracks for nothing, so bring some game.
The French colonial clubhouse sits majestically on a hill overlooking the out and back layout. The front nine loops around the clubhouse and runs next to virgin rain forest on holes 6 to 8. The back nine goes out and down to the lowest part of the property then back up to the clubhouse. The stretch of holes from 11 to 15 is the most scenic on the property. The view out from the veranda is sublime; the adjacent greens of 9 and 18 in the foreground, rainforest beyond the fairways and Mounts Makiling, Banahaw and part of the Malarayat mountain range looming large in the background. This is an impressive piece of property for a golf course.
The course has many beautiful holes but the par-3s stand out; Summit Point has 5 of them (the front nine has 3 par-3s, 3 par-4s and 3 par-5s) and they’re all knock-outs. Numbers 2 (169-yards inspired by number 14 at Pine Valley), 13 (184-yards, number 12 at Augusta National) and 17 (186-yards, number 10 at Winged Foot) stand above the rest. Neither is overly long but the first two are guarded by water and the last by a formidable phalanx of bunkers and a green diabolically sloped in all directions. All three are drop-dead-gorgeous.
On most courses, the 5-pars are scoring holes. You’ll have the odd one that’s a real beast but most tend to be fairly friendly and present the best opportunities to make birdies or better. Not here. Summit Point has very strong par-5s. Your best chances to score are on number 9 and, if the wind’s not blowing too hard, number 3; on the other three if you’ve made par, you’ve had a good day. Worth special mention are the two on the back nine; number 14 (number 16 at PGA West) measures 572-yards, plays directly into the prevailing wind and is notable for the titanic bunker that guards the left side of the hole from tee to green and one of the most intimidating green complexes in the country. Number 16 (number 14 at St. Andrews) plays 593-yards from the tips, features enormous pot bunkers in the middle of the fairway and is the only hole that requires a blind shot on the golf course. Unfortunately, you’ll have to play two of them in a row before having a go at the well-bunkered, elevated green.
The par-4s are a mix of short, interesting holes, brutes that are all but unreachable for most players and all points betwixt the two. Both nines open with short holes but number 15 (number 6 at Seminole) at just 365-yards from the tips is the pick of the litter. The hole plays adjacent to virgin rain forest and features impressive bunkering guarding the ideal landing areas and green. Number 11 (number 1 at Royal Melbourne) is a he-man like 572-yards from the gold tees will play like a par-5 to the hacker. Number 7 (number 10 at Pebble Beach) is the 1-handicap hole and places severe demands on both tee and approach shots with virgin forest guarding the right side and a ravine forcing the fairway to dogleg around it to the right.
Your guide to Summit Point Golf Club
1. Inspiration: Seminole #17 – a short tee shot that skirts the left side of the fairway bunker on the right will leave a short iron or a wedge to the green over water.
2. Inspiration: Pine Valley #4 – One of the most beautiful par-3s is the first you’ll play. Beware the prevailing wind from the left to right.
3. Inspiration: Spanish Bay #1 – An elevated tee shot sets up the shortest par-5 on the course. The lake guarding the right side of the green will make you reconsider any thoughts of taking on the green in two. Unreachable in two when the wind blows.
4. Inspiration: Oakmont #3 – A medium length par-4 with very aggressive bunkering on either side of the fairway. Thankfully the green is fairly level and straightforward.
5. Inspiration: Shinnecock Hills #16 – A true three shot par-5 for all but the longest hitters, the tee shot is played over the fairway bunker on the left just to the left of the large tree. Placing your second shot to the left of the large fairway bunkers will give you the best angle at the large green.
6. Inspiration: Cypress Point #15 – The longest of the par-3s at 195-yards, the hole plays slightly uphill and is bordered by rainforest on the right. Large bunkers guard the left side of the green placing pressure on the tee shot.
7. Inspiration: Pebble Beach #10 – The 1-handicap hole, this par-4 is also guarded by the rainforest on the right. Play your tee shot to the left side of the fairway over the large bunker for the best angle at the green. Shots to the right half of the fairway will be played over the ravine that forces the fairway to dogleg around it to the green.
8. Inspiration: Carnoustie #16 – Straightforward long par-3 with rainforest on the right.
9. Inspiration: Sotogrande #12 – A long drive over the bunker complex on the left will leave the ideal angle to attempt the green in two. Your best chance for birdie on the course.
10. Inspiration: Oakland Hills #16 – Medium length tee shot over the left side of the fairway bunker will leave a short iron to a large green with large bunkers beyond.
11. Inspiration: Royal Melbourne #1 – The longest of the par-4s; a good drive is imperative here. The second shot plays longer than you think; take a bit more club to the elevated green.
12. Inspiration: Augusta National #11 – This 416-yard par-4 plays directly into the prevailing wind. The green is guarded by a lake to the left and huge bunkers short, right and long. The start of the prettiest stretch of holes on the course.
13. Inspiration: Augusta National #12 – The shortest, prettiest par-3 on the course. Pay special attention to the wind here, the tee shot is threatened by water short and right of the green.
14. Inspiration: PGA West #16 – One of the, if not the longest bunker in the country guards the left side of the fairway from tee to green. The green complex is severely elevated and very heavily bunkered.
15. Inspiration: Seminole #6 – The most interesting of the short par-4s; leave your driver in the bag for best results here.
16. Inspiration: St. Andrews #14 – Placement of the tee shot sets up the hole; to the right of the huge bunker complex in the middle of the fairway is optimal. The second shot will play directly over another set of pot bunkers in the middle of the fairway to set up a short iron or wedge to the uphill, heavily bunkered green.
17. Inspiration: Winged Foot #10 – The most difficult green on the course is heavily fortified by bunkers on all sides.
18. Inspiration: Spyglass Hill #16 – A slight dogleg to the right, a tee shot over the fairway bunker at the crux of the dogleg will yield a short approach to the slightly elevated green.
The golf course experienced some hardships. Maintenance was almost nonexistent as the club struggled to make ends meet. The rough was left to run rampant. The fairways were invaded by carabao grass and the greens by weeds and paspalum. The course was in sorry shape.
Last year, the club commissioned MJ Carr from neighboring Mount Malarayat Golf and Country Club and things turned completely around. Summit Point has changed again but this time for the better. The greens are now downright enjoyable. The fairways remain carabao but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Drainage will be affected but as long as it’s properly maintained, playability will not suffer. The rough has been cut back and Summit Point looks the part of a proper golf course again.
Of course there is still much to do. Mike Carr says that it’ll be at least three years before the course is completely back from its bout with neglect, but all that played the recent Invitational were happy to see the course in great shape. If they can stick with the program, they’ll have the golf course at a higher standard than it was originally.
The club is also going to open the long overdue sports clubhouse that will feature amenities for the rest of the family. Summit Point looks to have turned the corner.
If you haven’t been to Summit Point in a while, now is the time to go back. It will be well worth the trip.
Image credits: Mike Besa