Canlubang (South)

Located an hour’s drive from downtown Manila along the South Superhighway, Canlubang Golf & Country Club boasts two fabulous Robert Trent Jones Jnr 18-hole layouts that were unveiled in the late 1970s, shortly before another RTJ2 design debuted at Calatagan Golf Club.

There were no further projects for the architect in the Philippines during the 1980s but he returned in some style during the 1990s with fabulous new courses at Sta. Elena and Pueblo de Oro, following up their success in the new millennium when courses at Ayala Greenfield and Summit Point appeared within a year of each other in 2005.

Built on the site of a former coconut and sugar plantation, the South course opened for play a year after the longer North course in 1977, quickly establishing a reputation as the more player-friendly track. Set on higher ground at 200 metres above sea level, the South’s topography is varied with generally wide fairways, offering latitude off the tee, but beware the trademark Jones sand traps around the greens.