Last Updated on April 5, 2026 by Vinod Saini
Golf courses in the Philippines sit among the most scenic and underrated in all of Asia — and 2025 marked the year the world started paying serious attention.
The Philippine Open made a historic return to Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club in January 2025, attracting 144 participants including Patrick Reed and Dustin Johnson as part of the International Series Philippines tournament. The Philippines Department of Tourism formally launched its GolfEx (Philippine Golf Experience) project, with Tourism Secretary Ma. Esperanza Christina G. Frasco stating a clear government ambition to position the country as Asia’s premier golfing destination. And Asia’s golf tourism sector — which the Philippines is actively targeting — is projected to reach USD 9 billion by 2030, growing at a 9.7% CAGR.
For international and local golfers planning a trip in 2026, the timing has never been better.
What Makes Golf in the Philippines Different From Other Asian Destinations
The Philippines offers something most Southeast Asian golf destinations can’t replicate: genuine landscape variety within a single trip.
You can play a mountain course in Tagaytay with Taal Volcano as your backdrop, drive two hours to a Jack Nicklaus-designed links-style layout in Cavite, and end the week on a coastal course in Cebu with ocean views from the fairway. The Philippines has over 80 golf courses spread across its islands, ranging from highly exclusive private clubs to resort-style layouts that welcome visiting golfers with no membership required.
Green fees remain among the most competitive in Asia. Where comparable round quality in Japan or South Korea costs two to three times more, the Philippines delivers world-class design at prices that make multi-round trips financially sensible for most international travelers. That value gap — combined with the country’s natural beauty and genuine hospitality — is precisely what the DoT’s GolfEx project is trying to make known to a wider global audience.
Top Golf Courses in the Philippines for 2026
Sherwood Hills Golf Club — Nicklaus Design in Cavite
Consistently ranked among the top golf courses in the Philippines and across Asia, Sherwood Hills Golf Club sits in Trece Martires, Cavite, and plays to 7,265 yards from the back tees. Designed by Nicklaus Design, it features wide fairways, deep bunkers, and a network of lakes that create a different challenge on every nine. GolfLux’s 2025–2026 rankings list it among the country’s best, and its links-style character suits golfers who prefer a strategic test over a purely scenic one.
Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club — Home of the Philippine Open
Manila Southwoods in Biñan, Laguna, carries two Jack Nicklaus courses: the Masters Course and the Legends Course. The Masters Course is considered one of the tougher Nicklaus designs in Asia, with tight out-of-bounds layouts, demanding dogleg holes, and challenging water hazards throughout the back nine. It hosted the Philippine Open in January 2025 after a decade-long hiatus — a return that attracted some of the best golfers in Asia and confirmed its standing as the country’s flagship competitive venue.
Sun Valley Golf Club — Mountain Golf in Antipolo
Located in Antipolo, Sun Valley Golf Club uses the natural hilly terrain of the Sierra Madre foothills to create a course that demands both power and precise placement. GolfLux’s 2025–2026 guide rates it among the Philippines’ most scenic and challenging layouts, with elevation changes that reward shot-making skills and punish wayward drives in equal measure.
Tagaytay Highlands International Golf Club — Volcanic Views and Cool Air
Tagaytay Highlands sits at altitude, which means two things: you get one of the most dramatic golf views in the country — Taal Volcano framed against the caldera (check local PHIVOLCS alerts before travel, as Taal remains an active volcano and alert levels can change with short notice) — and you play in noticeably cooler temperatures than sea-level Manila.
The mountain terrain creates narrow fairways, steep inclines, and tricky wind conditions that make it one of the better tests for experienced golfers visiting the country. The cool air and elevated scenery alone make the two-hour drive from Manila worth the trip.
Riviera Golf Club — Fred Couples Design in Silang, Cavite
Designed by Fred Couples, Riviera Golf Club in Silang, Cavite, is an international-standard layout that combines strategic bunkering with a course routing that uses the natural contours of the land effectively. It’s a popular choice among both local club players and visiting golfers who want a round that competes on design quality with courses in Thailand or Malaysia — without the travel cost of getting there.
Hann Reserve Nicklaus Course — Clark’s Major New Opening for 2026
The most significant new opening in Philippine golf is the Hann Reserve Nicklaus Course in Clark, Pampanga. Part of a 450-hectare golf and lifestyle development, Hann Reserve will ultimately feature three signature 18-hole championship courses designed by Nicklaus Design, KJ Choi, and Sir Nick Faldo respectively. The Nicklaus Course opened in March 2026, offering golfers a layout set against stunning mountain scenery in one of Luzon’s fastest-growing tourism corridors.
Unlike most of the Philippines’ top-ranked courses — which are private clubs requiring member accompaniment — Hann Reserve is a resort-style development with its own dedicated visitor booking portal, making it one of the most accessible championship-quality rounds available to international visitors right now. If you’re researching the wider Clark golf and resort scene, check our guide to the best golf resorts in Clark, Pampanga for a full breakdown of the area’s accommodation and course options alongside Hann Reserve.
The Philippine Golf Tourism Push — What’s Changing in 2025–2026
The International Series Philippines tournament in October 2025 brought Patrick Reed, Dustin Johnson, and Charl Schwartzel to compete on Philippine soil — an event the government used deliberately as a showcase for the country’s golf tourism potential. The tournament was part of a broader strategy to access the USD 9 billion Asian golf tourism market that Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan have dominated historically.
The DoT’s GolfEx project specifically targets access to private courses — historically one of the Philippines’ biggest barriers to golf tourism. Most of the country’s best layouts are private clubs, which means visiting golfers have faced real difficulty booking rounds at the venues they’ve read about. The government is working with Philippine Airlines and Marriott International to create packaged access that removes this friction for international visitors.
For 2026 travelers, this means more structured golf packages, more hotels offering guaranteed tee time access, and a growing number of resorts — Hann Reserve being the clearest current example — that have been purpose-built with visiting golfers in mind from day one.
When to Go and How to Plan Your Golf Trip
The dry season from December to May gives you the most reliable playing conditions across the Philippines. Temperatures stay manageable, rainfall is minimal, and courses are in their best condition — particularly at elevation venues like Tagaytay where humidity stays low.
June through November brings the monsoon season, with heavier rainfall affecting coastal and mountainous courses most severely. Some Manila-area courses drain well enough to stay playable through light rain, but planning a dedicated golf trip during this window carries more scheduling risk than most travelers want.
Practical planning tips for 2026:
-
Book tee times at least two weeks ahead for popular courses — Manila Southwoods, Sherwood Hills, and Tagaytay Highlands all fill quickly during peak season
-
Use Hann Reserve’s dedicated booking portal directly for the Clark Nicklaus Course — it’s a resort development designed specifically for visiting golfers, so no member contact or package operator is needed
-
For other private clubs, use GolfSavers or Golfasian — both platforms have updated Philippines inventory for 2026 and can arrange tee times at courses that don’t accept direct visitor bookings
-
Check PHIVOLCS alerts if you’re traveling to Tagaytay — Taal Volcano’s activity level affects local access and travel conditions around the Highlands area
-
Plan a Clark two-night stay to combine the new Hann Reserve Nicklaus Course with the area’s other courses, accommodation, and cultural sites
Culture, Food, and the Filipino Golfing Experience
Golf in the Philippines doesn’t begin and end at the clubhouse. The caddie culture is genuinely different here — caddies are knowledgeable, conversational, and typically grew up near the courses they work on. A round with a good caddie is as much a cultural experience as a sporting one, and tipping well is both appreciated and customary.
After your round, the clubhouse food is worth staying for. Filipino cuisine — adobo, sinigang, kare-kare — appears on clubhouse menus at a quality and authenticity that upmarket golf resorts in other countries struggle to match. Local golfers are welcoming toward visiting players, and informal games with fellow golfers are a natural way into conversations about the regions you’re playing through.
Several courses near major cultural sites also make natural bases for combining golf with wider travel — Tagaytay for the Taal Volcano boat trip (subject to current alert levels), Clark for the American-era history sites, Cebu for island hopping after your round.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I book a round at golf courses in the Philippines as a visiting golfer?
Access varies by course. Resort-style developments like Hann Reserve in Clark have dedicated visitor booking portals and welcome international golfers directly — no membership or contact needed. For private clubs like Manila Southwoods and Sherwood Hills, use GolfSavers or Golfasian, both of which have updated 2026 Philippines inventory and pre-arranged access agreements with courses that don’t accept direct visitor bookings.
2. What is the best time of year to play golf in the Philippines?
December through May is the optimal window. The dry season brings cooler temperatures, minimal rainfall, and courses in peak condition. Elevation venues like Tagaytay Highlands offer particularly pleasant playing conditions during this period. Avoid June through November if possible — the monsoon season brings heavy rainfall that disrupts play, especially at coastal and mountain courses across the country.
3. What is the Hann Reserve golf development in Clark, Philippines?
Hann Reserve in Clark, Pampanga, is a 450-hectare golf and lifestyle destination featuring three championship 18-hole courses by Nicklaus Design, KJ Choi, and Sir Nick Faldo. The Nicklaus Course opened in March 2026. As a purpose-built resort development, it offers its own direct visitor booking portal — making it one of the most accessible high-quality golf experiences available to international visitors in the Philippines right now.
4. Are golf courses in the Philippines affordable compared to other Asian golf destinations?
Yes — the Philippines offers significantly lower green fees than Japan, South Korea, and Singapore for comparable course quality. The Department of Tourism’s GolfEx project is also working to create packaged visitor access to private courses, making it easier for international golfers to book rounds at the country’s best layouts without paying premium intermediary fees or requiring a club membership contact to arrange access.
5. Which Philippines golf courses hosted professional tournaments recently?
Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club hosted the Philippine Open in January 2025 — the tournament’s historic return after a decade-long absence — welcoming 144 participants including Patrick Reed and Dustin Johnson. The International Series Philippines in October 2025 brought those same top names to the country as part of the Philippines’ targeted bid to grow its share of Asia’s USD 9 billion golf tourism market by 2030.