Golf in the Philippines is quietly having a breakout moment.
While countries like Thailand and Vietnam have long been touted as golf tourism giants, the Philippines has steadily built a portfolio of world-class courses — many of them designed by the sport’s most iconic architects — nestled within landscapes you can’t fake: volcano rims, jungle canopies, coastal cliffs, and mountain pine forests.
The problem? No one’s putting it all together. Until now. PGMN wanted to see what the world-class courses leading the way look like so you can plan out your next tee time. We looked at four core pillars:
- Course Design & Challenge
- Visual Impact
- Prestige & Recognition
- Experience & Facilities
So whether you’re a serious golfer, a curious newcomer, or someone who just wants a tee time with a world-class view, here’s your 2025 cheat sheet to the best golf the Philippines has to offer.
10. Baguio Country Club – Baguio City
One of Asia’s oldest courses, still cool as ever
Built in 1905 and still swinging. What Baguio lacks in size it makes up for in charm, elevation, and chill. It’s the only place in the country where you’ll wear a jacket and hit a 5-iron uphill into pine-scented fog. For a piece of history that still delivers a technical challenge, Baguio’s your stop.
9. Villamor Golf Club – Pasay, Metro Manila
Urban, efficient, and historically important
Villamor isn’t flashy, but it doesn’t need to be. Just minutes from the airport, it’s where Metro Manila’s golf culture was born — and where many of the country’s top players trained. Flat, tree-lined, and deceptively tricky. Think of it as the working-class legend in a list of high-end names.
8. Luisita Golf and Country Club – Tarlac
Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. | Legacy meets modern play
There’s prestige in the soil here. Luisita has hosted everything from ASEAN tournaments to presidential matches. But it’s not just the history — the layout still holds up. Wide but nuanced, open but demanding, Luisita remains a rite of passage for any serious Filipino golfer.
7. Tagaytay Midlands Golf Club – Tagaytay City
Taal Volcano in your backswing
Taal Lake below, clouds above, and your golf ball soaring somewhere in between. Tagaytay Midlands is a vibe. It might not be the most difficult course on this list, but it’s arguably the most picturesque. Bring your A-game — and your drone.
6. Mount Malarayat Golf & Country Club – Lipa, Batangas
Volcano views and pine-lined elevation
You come here for two things: the cool highland air and the wild terrain. Built with sharp elevation changes and cleverly positioned hazards, Malarayat rewards smart play and punishes complacency. Plus, it’s a crowd favorite for weekenders from Manila — and it absolutely deserves the love.
5. Calatagan Golf Club – Calatagan, Batangas
Seaside charm with a cult following
This one’s for the purists. No unnecessary flash, no overcrowded resort branding — just rolling fairways, salty wind, and a timeless Batangas backdrop. Calatagan plays like a throwback links course with Filipino flavor. It’s also near historic Spanish ruins and some of the country’s most underrated beaches.
4. Sta. Elena Golf & Country Club – Laguna
Championship-level tranquility in a private eco-sanctuary
Sta. Elena doesn’t just look good — it plays smart. The fairways are tight and technical, the greens are fast, and the air feels cleaner than anywhere within two hours of Manila. It’s a pro-level experience without the ego. Eco-conscious, impeccably maintained, and wildly underappreciated on the global circuit.
3. Sherwood Hills Golf Club – Trece Martires, Cavite
Jack Nicklaus Signature Course
You know the Golden Bear didn’t play around when he designed this. Sherwood Hills is a strategic beast — deep bunkers, long par-4s, and fairways that dare you to overcommit. If you want a course that makes you earn every stroke, this is it. Nicklaus brought his A-game to Cavite, and it shows.
2. Anvaya Cove Golf & Sports Club – Morong, Bataan
Designed by David Dale | Cliffside + Rainforest Terrain
Few places in the world offer what Anvaya does: elevated tee boxes that drop toward the West Philippine Sea, with lush forest hugging the sides. It’s like Pebble Beach and a jungle temple had a baby. Technically stunning, visually absurd, and quietly becoming one of Asia’s most sought-after private golf escapes.
1. The Country Club – Santa Rosa, Laguna
Designed by Tom Weiskopf | Host of the Philippine Open
If there’s a course that captures golf supremacy in the Philippines, it’s The Country Club. It’s exclusive — we’re talking invite-only — and brutally challenging, with long fairways, narrow greens, and championship-level winds. Designed by major winner Tom Weiskopf, it’s not just good — it’s elite. No surprise it regularly tops Asia’s private course rankings.
Philippines golf is up next!
The Philippines isn’t trying to become Southeast Asia’s next golf capital — it’s already doing it.
From volcanic highlands to seaside cliffs, this archipelago offers terrain no other country can replicate. The fact that many of these courses are still underplayed by international visitors? That’s about to change.
PGMN will continue ranking and revisiting our Top 10 every year. With new developments happening in Palawan, Cebu, and Davao — and with golf tourism initiatives rising — the next decade could see the Philippines break into the global Top 5.
Until then, grab your clubs, book a tee time, and make your own ranking.
