Manila DREAM Golf Package

You are spoilt for choice here, as these golf courses will suit players at all levels. All four courses are par 72 but with different lengths.

The Isao Aoki course has 6,990 yards, the Greg Norman course has 7,123 yards, the Andy Dye course has 7,323 yards, and the Sir Nick Faldo course runs at a hefty 7,443 yards.

The Andy Dye golf course is known locally as the “Beast of the East,” as it is strategically laid out with numerous deceptive and fairly deep bunkers. Dye used his 18 holes to add difficulty and some cunningly placed sand traps. Initially, his layout took maximum advantage of a spectacular natural canyon that meanders through the course, using traditional and classic golf design with the fundamental elements of risk and reward holes.

The Aoki Course was deliberately designed for the weekend golfer, with its wide-open fairways and negligible rough. The course is not that heavily contoured or bunkered, but some of the greens could pose a problem if you end up on the wrong side of the pin placement. In deference to its designer, the clubhouse has a sushi bar and fishponds, and even the changing rooms have a Japanese-style bath and sauna.

Sir Nick Faldo has designed a long 7,443-yard up-and-down course that will present a golfing test to golfers of any level. There is an array of comprehensive and tight driving holes, where he tests you with bunkers in the most unwelcome spots along the 18 holes. A well-struck drive, however, will most certainly be rewarded.

The greens will test your approach shot and putting touch, as some slope radically away from the line of play. The Faldo course is maturing into one of the most challenging golf courses in the Philippines.

The Greg Norman course has the Norman trademark of carefully planned landscaping, verdant thickets, and water displays. For the top-level golfer, he has created signature holes offering the ultimate golfing pleasure.

Greg Norman has designed a course that has been subtly shaped on the fairways and greens, where accuracy and distance will be put at a premium. It does appear to be a challenging course; however, it would be enjoyed by all.

Their clubhouse facilities are second to none. It might be advisable to book an early tee-off to drive down from Manila before the rush hour traffic.

Mount Malarayat Golf & Country Club is part of the sweeping scenery of the Malarayat mountain range, with uninterrupted views of rolling hills and lush panoramas.

Elevated at 1,200 feet above sea level, the cool fresh mountain breeze sweeps thru the 200-hectare property, great on a hot day.

Conceptualized with golf as its premiere attraction, the centerpiece of the whole resort is an all-weather 27-hole championship course, complemented with excellent club and sports facilities.

Ever since its establishment in 1998, it has received several recognitions like the best course in the country by Golf Magazine. The golf course also became the chosen venue of two highly regarded tournaments – the ASEAN Tour and Philippine Open.

The all-weather 27-hole championship round features three courses, named as Mt. Makulot, Mt. Lobo, and Mt. Malipunyo, and were designed by J. Michael Poellot Golf Design Group (JMP).

Among the courses, Mt. Makulot is perhaps the most notable for golfers, because of its hole no. 7 that is ranked the Top 500 Best Golf Course in the World by Golf Magazine. This hole is surrounded by different bunkers, sand traps, and water hazards that makes this course challenging and award-winning.

All courses are known for their tiered greens some even having up to three tiers. Carts are optional here as it is a very pleasant track for walking.

Manila Southwoods, opening in 1992 and quickly gained international recognition. Asian Monthly awarded these courses the “Best Environmentally Responsible Golf Course” and the “Most Challenging Private Golf Course in the Philippines.”

Here you have two 18-hole layouts - the Master's Course and the Legends Course. Legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus designed both Southwoods' courses.

The Master's Course is long, playing at 7,342 yards from the back tees. Jack has added many bunkers and narrow fairways. Fifteen holes have water hazards, and the Master's Course is one of the toughest Nicklaus designed 18 holes in Asia. However, despite the challenges, the Southwoods Master's Course is challenging and fun to play.

The Legends Course is a shorter layout. Playing 6,912 yards with bunkers designed mainly on the left side of the fairways, water hazards on the right side, with its most difficult challenge being hole sixteen. This is a gentler challenge than the Master’s course, with some wonderful scenery but few trees so that it can be a bit windy.

The facilities are next to none, boasting two clubhouses, one for each course—everything from fine dining to steam rooms is offered here. Manila Southwoods is a must-play club and well worth a visit for any Manila golfer.

Nicklaus was in the country doing a site inspection of the construction of the two golf courses at Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club (both Nicklaus signatures) when Freddy Campos invited him out to Trece Martires, Cavite to check out another property they were in the midst of developing. Jack liked what he saw and created these 18 excellent holes, that are now always listed in the top 5 in the country. Since 2011 Sherwood Hills course was featured in  the Rolex World’s Top 100 Golf Courses.

Jack Nicklaus made excellent use of the natural landscape at Sherwood Hills, which features relatively few trees but lots of thick brush, to produce a course in the style of an inland links. The course plays to 7,265 yards and features wide fairways and mostly small greens. The generous fairways make for the bump and run game, very typical of links golf.

The rough is cogon grass and this can prove tough from which to escape, especially if you have a long distance remaining to the green.

Volcanic gorges run along the front nine on one side, and the 1st has in addition a -off right before the green.

The back nine proceed along the shore of one of the three lakes that figure in the layout to a 452-yard par 4 with a green on another of the lakes. There is a nice balance of longer par 4s (there are eight of them over 400 yards) and shorter par 5s where the green can be reached in two.

The clubhouse features a restaurant, pro shop, locker rooms and showers. Practice facilities include chipping and putting greens and driving range.