La Posada - Chile

La Posada is a golfing outpost little known to golfers, even inside Chile. The course is located 10 miles south of the industrial city of Concepcion and is cut through thick pine forest. Rather like the Olympic Club in California, while Posada is very near the Pacific Ocean there is no sight or smell of it from the course and instead plays through mature parkland that slopes down to a long, serpentine-like lake with views of the hills beyond. With a low-key clubhouse on the shores of Laguna La Posada and the golf club's rather scruffy looking practice area, it's difficult to imagine the hidden golfing gem that lies ahead.

The first two holes, both par 4s, are shorter par 4s where the onus is on placement from the tee with forest left and right. The fourth, a par 3, is 170 yards long to a well-bunkered, small green and represents the furthermost point from the course. Like most of the rest of the course, it's difficult to see another fairway and the course feels almost deserted even on weekends. The fifth is a par-4, right angle dogleg that starts a route back to the clubhouse through tall, imposing pine trees that includes the 8th, the club's signature hole, a 130 yard par 3 that is played over an artificial lake with dramatic vistas of Laguna La Posada and forested hills to the left.

The back 9 is tougher, again with a sequence of outbound holes capped by the dramatic 14th, a 400-yard, dog-leg par 4 that winds left through a tight avenue of trees to a well-bunkered green. The tee shot at 15 has dramatic vistas of the forested hills in the distance, and plays back downhill. 16 is a long par 3 played over a lake. The 17th is the S.I. 1 and the tournament tee is a pretty flowered island in a lake served by a stone bridge. You would have to be bold to hit driver on this hole -- better to hit a hybrid to a tight landing area. The tight left to right routing and high trees forces the golfer to hit a fade for the lay up. If you've successfully navigated the hole this far, you need to hit a good wedge shot to a well-bunkered green. The last hole is a straightforward par 4 but by this time you're already feeling more than satisfied with having played this golfing outpost that if better manicured and closer to the capital Santiago would probably be a favorite for hosting national and regional tournaments.