Golf in Cebu Island
Cebu pairs a warm, year round tropical golf scene with some of the best beach resorts in the Philippines. Play a Gary Player championship layout set hundreds of feet above the coast, a historic country club that has hosted the national tour, and a tidy course minutes from Mactan's white sand and dive sites. It is a compact, easy island where golf and the beach sit side by side.
Photo: Alta Vista Golf and Country Club via Google.
Why golf in Cebu Island
Cebu is the easiest golf and beach combination in the central Philippines. The island is served by Mactan Cebu International Airport, a major regional hub with direct flights from across Asia, and the courses sit within a short drive of the city and the Mactan resort strip. The golf is tropical and scenic: warm year round, lush and well kept, with sea views from the higher ground and the gentle challenge of trade winds rather than the brutal links wind of the north. For a traveling golfer it works as a relaxed, sun filled trip where a morning round is followed by an afternoon on the beach or out on a dive boat.
The golf scene is compact rather than vast, which suits a group that wants quality and variety without long transfers. The standout is Alta Vista, the Gary Player design perched some 500 feet above the coast just outside the city, paired with the history and pedigree of Cebu Country Club, the oldest club on the island and a regular host of the Philippine tour. Add the convenient Mactan Island course near the airport and the beaches, and Cebu delivers a genuine, characterful golf escape with world class resorts to come back to each evening.
The courses that matter
Alta Vista Golf and Country Club · Gary Player, 1994
A Gary Player Black Knight design opened in 1994, a par 72 of about 6,237 yards set roughly 500 feet above the nearby beaches just outside Cebu City. Sweeping coastal and city views, picturesque holes and a popular tournament venue. The standout round on the island and the centerpiece of a Cebu golf trip.
Cebu Country Club · founded 1928
The oldest golf club on the island, founded in 1928 and grown from nine holes to a mature par 72 of about 6,677 yards in the Banilad area of the city. Tree lined, well conditioned and a regular host of the national golf tour, it is the prestige private club of Cebu and a proper test for the better player.
Mactan Island Golf Club · Lapu Lapu City
A compact, enjoyable course on the coral island of Mactan, minutes from the international airport and the resort beaches. Tight fairways, water hazards and bunkering around the greens give it more bite than its size suggests, and the location makes it an easy add for a beach based group.
Designers, founding years, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the clubs and recognized course databases. Alta Vista is a Gary Player design opened in 1994, a par 72 of about 6,237 yards; Cebu Country Club was founded in 1928 and plays as a par 72 of about 6,677 yards. Access, conditioning and visitor policy change, so confirm with each club before planning.
When to go: the Cebu golf season
| Window | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Dec to Feb | The pick of the year: the dry season at its most comfortable, with lower humidity, lots of sunshine and the best conditions for golf and beach |
| Mar to May | Hot and dry, the peak of the dry season; play early in the day to beat the heat, with courses firm and the resorts at their busiest |
| Jun to Sep | The wetter, more humid months with afternoon showers; golf is still very playable around the rain, and prices and crowds ease |
| Oct to Nov | The tail of the rainy season, warm and green; conditions improve through November as the island dries out toward the high season |
December to May is the prime golf season. Green fees and rates change by season and year; always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there, costs and where to stay
Mactan Cebu International Airport is the second busiest in the Philippines, with direct flights from across Asia and easy domestic connections through Manila, and it sits on Mactan island right beside the main resort strip. The courses are within a short drive of the city and the beaches, so a hire car with a driver, the standard arrangement here, makes a golf and beach week simple to run. Green fees in Cebu are excellent value by international standards, which is a large part of the appeal.
Most golfers base on Mactan island for the beach resorts, the dive sites and the proximity to the airport, driving across to the city courses for the morning round. Alternatively a city base puts Cebu Country Club and Alta Vista on the doorstep. We can pair the right resort with the best of the island's golf and arrange the tee times, transfers and any island add ons as one package.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts on Cebu Island, or read the wider Philippines golf hub.
Plan a Cebu golf trip
Tell us roughly when you want to travel and who is in the group, and a concierge will build a Cebu itinerary around Alta Vista, Cebu Country Club and the island's best beaches, costed to the head, with no obligation.
Cebu golf questions
What is the best golf course on Cebu Island?
Alta Vista Golf and Country Club, a Gary Player design opened in 1994 and set some 500 feet above the coast outside the city, is the standout round on the island, with sweeping views and picturesque holes. Cebu Country Club, the oldest and most prestigious club, is the other must play.
When is the best time to play golf in Cebu?
December to May, the dry season, is the prime window, with December to February the most comfortable for lower humidity and plenty of sunshine. The wetter months from June to October are still playable around the afternoon showers and offer better value.
Can you combine golf and the beach in Cebu?
Yes, that is the appeal of Cebu. The courses sit within a short drive of the Mactan resort strip and its white sand beaches and dive sites, so a morning round and an afternoon on the beach is the natural rhythm of a trip here.
Can visitors play the Cebu courses?
Alta Vista and Mactan Island welcome visiting golfers, while Cebu Country Club is a private members club where visitor access is more limited. We arrange the bookings, including the harder ones, and the transfers as part of a planned trip.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Club histories, designers, par and the regional season verified June 2026; green fees indicative for the 2026 season. Last reviewed June 2026.