Philippine golf is a Manila story. Most of the country's best courses sit in the cooler hills of Cavite, Laguna and Batangas, an hour or two south of the capital, carrying the names of Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Fred Couples. Here are the ten we rate most highly, ranked, with our verdict and how to play each.
Photograph: Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club, froi rivera, via Google
The modern Philippine game grew through the 1990s, when a wave of championship building south of Manila brought Jack Nicklaus to Carmona, Gary Player and Arnold Palmer to Dasmarinas, and Fred Couples and Bernhard Langer to Silang. The result is a dense cluster of resort and members courses in the high country around the capital, where the air is a few degrees cooler than the city and the views run to volcanoes and lakes.
We weighed design quality, conditioning, setting and championship pedigree, and we noted access plainly, because several of the best are private members clubs that a visitor reaches most easily through a tour operator. Every fact here, from designers and opening years to yardages, was checked at the time of writing. Green fees are indicative and the drier months from November to May are best. The verdicts are ours, the order reflects our editors' view, and if you want these built into a costed trip, that is exactly what our concierge does.
Jack Nicklaus's 7,225 yard championship course south of Manila, with water in play on fifteen holes and a finish that has decided plenty of professional events. Twice voted the Asian Tour's venue of the year, it is the most respected layout in the country and the regular national benchmark. Private, with visitor access through operators.
One of two championship courses at The Orchard south of Manila, the Gary Player course a strong, well bunkered test that has helped rank the club among the country's very best, with the Arnold Palmer course as its equal sibling. A polished members club with visitor tee times.
A Nicklaus design in the Cavite hills that has topped national rankings, rolling and strategic, with the bold green complexes that mark his work. Quieter and less corporate than Southwoods, and a fine companion round. Private, playable through operators.
The 36 hole Riviera in Cavite carries a Couples course and a Langer course, two contrasting championship layouts laid among ravines, creeks and mature trees. A genuine two course day for a Manila golf week. Private, with visitor tee times.
The largest golf complex in the country, with four championship courses by Norman, Faldo, Andy Dye and Aoki; the Norman course is the pick for its bold shaping and width. A busy, well run club close to the capital. Open to visitors.
A scenic 27 hole resort in the cooler high country of Batangas south of Manila, designed by the JMP studio, with mountain views and a calmer climate than the city. A relaxed, beautiful escape and a member and guest course. Open to resort guests.
A Robert Trent Jones Junior course on Subic Bay in Bataan, framed by mountains and sea and set in an upscale beach community, a popular weekend escape from Manila with a fine seaside stretch. Open to members and guests.
One of the oldest and most storied clubs in the country and a longtime host of the Philippine Open, a mature, tree lined parkland in the heart of the metro whose East is the championship course. The grand old club of Manila golf. Highly private.
The most exclusive members club in the Philippines, an impeccably groomed parkland at Sta Rosa south of Manila that sits at the top of the national pecking order, near impossible to access without a member but impossible to leave off the list.
A mountain golf and leisure club perched above Taal Lake in the cool Tagaytay highlands, with dramatic elevation changes and volcano views that make it one of the most spectacular settings in the country. A member and guest course that rounds out a Manila golf week.
Designers, opening years and yardages verified June 2026. Several courses are private members clubs reached most easily through a tour operator, noted where relevant. Green fees are indicative only. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
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Manila Southwoods Masters, Jack Nicklaus's 7,225 yard championship course in Cavite south of Manila, is the most respected layout in the country and the regular national benchmark. The Country Club at Sta Rosa is the most exclusive, while the Gary Player course at The Orchard and Nicklaus's Sherwood Hills lead the rest.
Most of the best Philippine courses sit in the cooler highlands of Cavite, Laguna and Batangas, an hour or two south of Manila, among them Southwoods, The Orchard, Sherwood Hills, Riviera and Mount Malarayat. The climate is warm year round; the drier months from November to May are best. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
Asian tee time windows, the best months to travel and the warm weather trips our concierge is quietly building. Every other week.