Located almost in the middle of Guam lies Leo Palace Resort and Country Club. Leo has 2 X 18 hole courses. One named Palmer and another Nicklaus. No prize for guessing why it is named so. Located up on Manenggon Hills, playing at Leo can be quite windy. The Ratings for Nicklaus is 72.0/141 (Blue), 69.9/137 (White) and 66.1/130 (Red). For Palmer, 70.0/128 (Blue), 67.7/133 (White) and 63.5/125 (Red). Another interesting point about the course is that it is just like MBGC, there is almost no OBs and all bushes around the course are considered as Lateral Water Hazards and are defined by the edge of the bush. Meaning if you hit into the boonies, take a drop and one penalty stroke.
This is the view from the blue tee box for Palmer 1. 402 yards, par 4.
Palmer 2. 213 yards, par 3 from the blues.
I hit a 6 iron and overshot by ALOT. Should have used a 7. Its not really that far. The drop will carry the distance. Note to self: You just got to trust your club.
The tourist flight in front of us teeing off from the whites.
It never rains for more than 10 minutes on Guam. Or at least the more occasional rains. We do get those storms once in a while but it is rare. Usually for not more than 30 minutes.
The rain that passed us and heading away.
Palmer 4. 504 yards, Par 5. Index 1.
This is where I got my first birdie. I shot 4 onto the fringe pin high. I putted it in with my Nickent Pipe. I still kept that ball up till today.
Nicklaus 10. 409 yards, Par 4.
This hole is very friendly for most slicers. You can play from the next fairway. But if you hook, then you watch your ball plunge into the ravine. You can see how deep it is from the bridge on the left of the picture.
Nicklaus 11. 430 yards, Par 4.
Today, I pulled the drive bad and it landed at the first coconut tree on the left, it bounce off the buggy track and ended up on it. Took free relief, attack the 130 yards with a 8 iron, pulled it again and landed in the rough on the left of the green. Pop out my 52˚, bump and run the baby into the hole. Lucky break.
Nicklaus 12. 528 yards, Par 5.
The Buggy is next to the drop area/red tee box. This is the hole that I earlier mentioned that even for some who can hit it sweet, cannot even pass the red tee box. My friends there tell me that it is at least 220 yards to carry and clear the ravine. 180metres specialist can just pretend that they drive and just go to the drop box and play 3 from there, at least it saves them one ball.
Nicklaus 15. 209 yards, Par 3.
Only in Guam. 6 people on the putting green putting together. Bloody tourists.
Nicklaus 17. 250 yards, Par 3.
Yes. They don't throw ravine in front of every tee box. Its not as far as it says it is. I played to a distance of 190 metres. Hit it solid, pump it up to the air and let the wind carry it.
Maybe they have their gang meetings in Guam.
Nicklaus 18. 389 yards, Par 4.
To play this hole, you got to go for the tiger line. The spot to land is at where the left end of the club house. Any fade that goes beyonds have a 50/50 chance of being still in play. The lake cut to the front gradually. I was lucky today. Ball is just 1 feet of rolling into the lake. But I only had 60 yards left to play straight into the hole. I still pitched it short with my 60˚ and 2 putt for par.
Unfortunately, playing at Leo is not as easy as I said. Shot 95 yesterday and 91 today. wonder how i will fare tomorrow.