Last week, I was invited to play The Cisco Golf Tournament, hosted by VST ECS Philippines at Tagaytay Highlands. I was looking forward to a nice and cool day, and hopefully a decent score. It was to be my second ever game at Highlands, even though I am a member there.

The last time I played Highlands was in 2021, my first game there as a member. Since then and even before joining the club, I only ever played Midlands. Highlands had a reputation for being a bit gimmicky, a “Mickey Mouse” course, as old golfers called resort-type courses.

This type of courses features short holes with blind shots and forced lay-ups, difficult greens, tight fairways — all to make up for the lack of length. But golf is golf, and I was curious to play my “home” course as I don’t remember much of it.

On tournament day, the skies were a bit gloomy. On the way up to Highlands via Kasile Road, the last kilometer or so was covered in thick fog. Once inside the club premises, there was still very low visibility, being able to barely see two to three meters in front of the car.

But as if being welcomed by my home club, once I got in the clubhouse, the fog cleared and the picturesque first and 10th fairways of Tagaytay Highlands appeared.

I’d argue that locally, Highlands probably has the best views of any opening holes — Taal Volcano and Taal Lake on the right, Laguna and Laguna de Bay on the left. Standing on the first or 10th tees, all you can see is fairway and sky when you address the ball. On an overcast day and with a soft, cool breeze steadily blowing, golf doesn’t get much better.

The course at Tagaytay Highlands isn’t easy. In fact, it is quite challenging. It requires restraint, accurate tee shots and lay-ups, and the greens are quite small. Like most golfers, I want to hit driver on every hole, apart from the par 3s. At Highlands, I must have hit driver 4-5 times only. Most tee shots had me pulling a hybrid or a 3-wood to keep the ball in play and to avoid penalty areas. On a couple of holes, I even hit a 5-iron, and on the 11th, a 7-iron for my tee shot. This is why most pThe course at Tagaytay Highlands isn’t easy. In fact, it is quite challenging. It requires restraint, accurate tee shots and lay-ups, and the greens are quite small. Like most golfers, I want to hit driver on every hole, apart from the par 3s. At Highlands, I must have hit driver 4-5 times only. Most tee shots had me pulling a hybrid or a 3-wood to keep the ball in play and to avoid penalty areas. On a couple of holes, I even hit a 5-iron, and on the 11th, a 7-iron for my tee shot. This is why most people would rather play Midlands, a more “standard” championship course. But on my second time at Highlands, I found its charm. Yes, it is gimmicky, but the fairways are pristine, the greens are fast and difficult and the views, breathtaking. For a leisurely round with family and friends; for guests you’d want to treat to a nice game out of town, Highlands is perfect. As short as the course is, the challenge is game management and precision. I actually played decent and still couldn’t score low. I worked hard for my 78 that day, which unfortunately didn’t win in the tournament. As a bonus though, I clinched the longest drive award, which won me a nice home appliance — for the missus. My game at Highlands last week reminded me that golf, whatever the course, will always be a most enjoyable challenge. Short courses like Tagaytay Highlands, Intramuros, South Forbes — just a few I played recently, are nothing to turn our noses at. These types of courses test patience, discipline in managing our way around, resilience and resolve after we lose a few balls in the many hazards. Short courses are opportunities to use every club in the bag, not just the driver and short irons for approaches. We get to hit controlled tee shots, we deal with elevation changes, we try and zone out all the hazards lurking. They are fun, challenging courses that test a different part of our games — the game between our ears.eople would rather play Midlands, a more “standard” championship course. But on my second time at Highlands, I found its charm. Yes, it is gimmicky, but the fairways are pristine, the greens are fast and difficult and the views, breathtaking. For a leisurely round with family and friends; for guests you’d want to treat to a nice game out of town, Highlands is perfect. As short as the course is, the challenge is game management and precision. I actually played decent and still couldn’t score low. I worked hard for my 78 that day, which unfortunately didn’t win in the tournament. As a bonus though, I clinched the longest drive award, which won me a nice home appliance — for the missus. My game at Highlands last week reminded me that golf, whatever the course, will always be a most enjoyable challenge. Short courses like Tagaytay Highlands, Intramuros, South Forbes — just a few I played recently, are nothing to turn our noses at. These types of courses test patience, discipline in managing our way around, resilience and resolve after we lose a few balls in the many hazards. Short courses are opportunities to use every club in the bag, not just the driver and short irons for approaches. We get to hit controlled tee shots, we deal with elevation changes, we try and zone out all the hazards lurking. They are fun, challenging courses that test a different part of our games — the game between our ears.