27

Makling Course: 7,240 yards (Gold) 6,617 yards (Blue)

Par 72

Course/Slope Rating: 75.2/137 (Gold), 72.2/131 (Blue)

The club is located about an hour and ten minutes south of Manila. Again, like travelling anywhere around the capital of the Philippines, allow yourself plenty of time. The traffic can be horrendous. Although it is a private member's club, it is possible to arrange golf here by calling or writing in advance. The management is very friendly and will do their best to accommodate you. Don't just turn up unannounced and expect to play though - Sta. Elena is one of the most famous courses in the Philippines and they definitely don't need the cash that bad that they have to bow down to freewheeling Hongkies who are too lazy to make the proper preparations.

Sta. Elena is another top-notch layout, one of the most beautiful in Asia. The club's 27 holes mean that you can play a combination of 3 courses, of which the Makiling Course is undoubtedly the best. This is a staggeringly enjoyable track to play. Sited on gently rolling land, the course offers a diverse mix of holes that, at times, can be quite a test. Trent Jones, Jr. has incorporated a splendind variety of doglegs lefts, dogleg rights, and straightaway holes that sweep through an incredibly picturesque setting. Although Sta. Elena lost almost 70% of its trees in last year's mega typhoon, the course has seen the benefits. The loss of vegetaion means that the wind now has a chance to dry out the property - before the mammoth rain trees and mango trees would block it. This has resulted in superior playing surfaces. The fairways recover more quickly after a downpour and allow the ball to run, while the greens, according to sources, are now a lot smoother. Water makes an appearance on a number of holes but it's mostly used to add visual splendor than to give you a really hard time. Personally, this ranks up with the best courses I've ever played - almost as good as Sherwood Hills which is my favourite course in Asia.

Absolutely first rate. Fairways offered nice tight lies while the greens ran smoothly. No complaints in this department.

Good. If you choose to take a cart - which you shouldn't unless it's a really hot day - then the caddies will stand on the back like they do in China.