Pause a while after the round and enjoy the view from the clubhouse.
The pristine view of Taal volcano will surely soothe your double-bogeys away as you realize what a challenging course it was that you just played. Tagaytay Midlands is a romp through undulating terrain at the foot of a cliff that overlooks the Taal caldera. The design, routing and shaping make this one of the more interesting courses in the country.
The course starts out with an open and airy feel, and this should warn you that the wind is going to become a factor throughout the round. Take advantage of the holes that play with the wind and loosen up and plod on for the holes you play against it.
Midlands has been admirably shaped so the course will play fair. No need for heroic, do-or-die shots since there will always be options open for you to play according to your abilities, albeit setting you up with a longer and a much more difficult approach shot if you play the hole too conservatively.
The Eleventh and Thirteenth holes tease you. Fly as much of the water you can on the on the Eleventh because the viability of your second shot is going to depend on where your shot off the tee comes to rest and then cut as much of the dogleg as you can on the Thirteenth for a shorter and more manageable shot to the green.
Midlands was built on a gentler terrain than its sister course Highlands which is just a funicular ride away. It is the more traditionally set up course and provides an additional option for members and their guests since both clubs do share access to their courses.
There is lots of trees and vegetation in and around the course. Golfers who make the trip out here to take a respite from the bustling Metropolis will enjoy the views, the ambiance and the fresh air that Midlands has to offer. This is parkland golf at its best.
Midlands hosted 2008 Mercedes Benz Masters which was one of the legs of the then ASEAN Pro Tour giving the local and foreign pros a taste of the undulating greens and winds that blow from opposite directions during different times of the year. The course has recovered from the recent Taal volcano eruption and has returned to becoming a joy to play.
