Tagaytay Highlands Golf Club
A dramatic par 71 mountain course on the cool Tagaytay ridge, designed by Richard Bigler and opened in the mid 1990s. Cliffside fairways, deep ravines, shifting fog and a famous cable car climb, all under the eye of Taal Volcano.
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The verdict
Tagaytay Highlands International Golf Club is the most theatrical mountain round near Manila. Carved into an 89 hectare slope on the cool Tagaytay ridge, the course was designed by the American architect Richard Bigler and opened in the mid 1990s as the centerpiece of the Tagaytay Highlands resort development. It plays to a par of 71, and what it lacks in raw length it returns in pure drama.
This is target golf in the clouds. Tight fairways tumble along cliff edges and leap across tropical ravines, the wind and fog can change a club in minutes, and the elevation changes are severe enough that the club runs a cable car system to carry players back up the mountain on the back nine. Add the views over Taal Volcano and its lake and you have one of the most photographed courses in the country. It is a private club, but for a traveling golfer it is the signature round of a Tagaytay golf day, well paired with the championship courses on the plain below.
Tagaytay Highlands Golf Club at a glance
- Designer
- Richard Bigler
- Opened
- Mid 1990s
- Type
- Private mountain course
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- About 6,100 yds
- Green fee
- Private, guest access
Designer, opening era, par and character verified June 2026 from the club and leading course databases. Tagaytay Highlands was designed by Richard Bigler and opened in the mid 1990s, playing to a par of 71; reported back tee yardage varies by source from roughly the mid 5,000s to about 6,100 yards because the severe mountain terrain measures differently across cards. The club is private; visitor play is by member arrangement or through a golf tour operator, and any green fee changes by year. Always confirm access and rates directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The defining feature of Tagaytay Highlands is the land itself. Richard Bigler routed the holes across a steep slope of ravines and cliff side shelves, so almost every shot plays uphill, downhill or across a tropical chasm, and judging the wind and the elevation is as important as the swing. It is a thinking player's course where local knowledge and a steady nerve count for more than length.
The back nine delivers the moment golfers remember. The terrain falls away so sharply that the club operates a cable car, or gondola trolley, to lift players back up the mountain rather than asking them to climb, a genuinely unusual piece of golf infrastructure and a story in itself. The reward is a run of holes with the lake and the smoking cone of Taal Volcano filling the horizon.
For a visiting golfer the appeal is the spectacle. The cool highland air, the fog drifting through the ravines and the volcano views make Tagaytay Highlands feel nothing like the lowland parkland courses near Manila. It is the scenic centerpiece of a Tagaytay golf trip, best combined with a championship round on the plain below.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members club; visitor play is by member arrangement or through a golf tour operator |
| Green fee | No standard public rate; any guest green fee is arranged case by case and changes by year |
| Booking | Through a member or an operator; book ahead, weekends are busy with Manila members |
| On the day | Smart golf attire and soft spikes; bring a layer, the ridge is cool and the fog rolls in |
| Getting there | On the Tagaytay ridge in Cavite, roughly two hours south of Manila by road, traffic depending |
| Best months | November to May, the cooler, drier season; mornings are clearer before afternoon cloud |
Access arrangements verified June 2026; Tagaytay Highlands is a private club and policies change, so always confirm directly before planning a visit. Our team can secure a round through the right channels and pair it with accessible championship golf nearby.
Where to stay nearby
Tagaytay is a popular cool weather escape from Manila, with ridge top hotels and resorts looking out over Taal Lake, many within minutes of the course. Staying on the ridge lets you catch the clear early mornings before the afternoon cloud builds, and it keeps the southern Luzon courses within easy reach.
Pair Tagaytay Highlands with the championship golf on the plain below, such as Sta Elena Golf Club and Manila Southwoods, or see our Philippines golf holidays and the best golf courses in the Philippines. Our team arranges the tee times, lodging and transfers.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Tagaytay Highlands Golf Club.
Build a Tagaytay golf trip
Tagaytay Highlands is the scenic centerpiece of golf south of Manila, and it pairs beautifully with the championship courses on the plain below. We secure the round through the right channels, build the wider itinerary, and book the ridge top lodging and transfers around it. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Tagaytay Highlands Golf Club questions
Who designed Tagaytay Highlands golf course?
The course was designed by the American architect Richard Bigler and opened in the mid 1990s as the centerpiece of the Tagaytay Highlands resort.
Does Tagaytay Highlands really have a cable car on the course?
Yes. The mountain terrain falls away so steeply that the club runs a cable car, or gondola trolley, to carry players back up the slope on the back nine.
What is the par at Tagaytay Highlands?
The course plays to a par of 71. Reported back tee yardage varies by source because the severe mountain terrain measures differently across cards.
Can visitors play Tagaytay Highlands?
It is a private members club. Visitor play is by member arrangement or through a golf tour operator, so most traveling golfers reach it as part of a planned Tagaytay itinerary.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening era, par and course character verified June 2026 from the club and leading course databases; access is private and arrangements change by year, so always confirm directly before planning a visit. Last reviewed June 2026.