Camp John Hay

John Hay Air Station, commonly called Camp John Hay, was established by the Americans as a military installation in 1903, though it’s not known exactly when the golf course appeared.

The site operated as a hill station for rest and recreation for the US Armed Forces as its elevated location made it a much cooler and less humid place than most of the other Philippine islands.

The property was turned over to the Philippine government in 1991 for conversion into a leisure and tourist destination. Golden Bear International was brought in to upgrade the course and it reopened after 9 months when work was completed at the end of 1998.

Fairways were sand capped and widened, bunkers were re-shaped and added. Tifway 419 bermuda grass now carpets the fairways and bent grass is the greens putting surface. A state-of-the-art irrigation system was also installed, along with three lakes to collect surface water run-off.

Today, this hilly track plays to a par of 69 (35 out then 34 in) and tight, tree-lined fairways demand precision off the tee and with the approach shot. Waters come into play at several holes, most memorably at the 4th and 11th, where both par threes play across the same pond.