Cebu is a multi-talented Filipino town offering three highly enticing 'ings': diving, sightseeing, and without question the most important of all, golfing!

Just a jet hour south of Manila in the midst of the Visayas Island Group, Cebu is second only to the capital in population and commerce.   Visitor interest in the country's oldest city is focused on its many historic attractions, a bounty of affordable beach resorts on nearby Mactan Island, non stop nightlife and an unlimited horizon of both water and land-based sporting activities.

One of the main sporting specialties of Cebu is diving at a variety of superb sites with a day's range of the city the golfing enthusiast hasn't been neglected by a long shot!  In fact, it's quite the opposite.

As Cebu is home to the two greatest golfers of the Philippines, Ben Arda and Celestino Tugot, it's no accident that several excellent championship courses have been located around the "Queen City of the South".

Though mass tourism is a relatively recent phenomenon in the ever busy city the Cebu Country Club is no newcomer to the city's sporting scene.   The club itself was organised in 1935 but it wasn't until 1948 that the first country club facilities were constructed on a rural farm site near the edge of a then quiet country town.

With a population in excess of one million, Cebu is no longer quite so tranquil although it's still a place of pilgrimage for culture - and heritage-minded visitors.

Even avid golfers will want to see its trio of hole-in-one attractions: the Magellan Cross shrine which commemorates the entry of Christianity into the Philippines; the Basilica Minore del Santo Niņo, the first basilica in the Far East and the nearly 435 year old triangular Fort San Pedro, one of the oldest Spanish structures in the country.

As all of these photogenic drawcards are within the overcrowded central city district the first thing that golfers notice at the Cebu Country is the spaciousness.

The 18 hole, par 71, 6288 year course was constructed over 62 hectares of what was once land used for rice and sugar cane.

"Back in those post-war days nearly 50 years ago, politicians would look out over the peaceful farmland fields as they played golf and discussed the rebuilding of the newly independent Philippines," said Cebu Country Club official, Purita Alda.

The basic crops are no longer grown here although the fairways today are lined with rubber trees and those bearing mango and star apples.

Golfers on a round around this historic course regularly encounter such 'fruity hazards' but there are far more obstacles to hinder your attempt at obtaining a low score.

For instance, when the Country Club course was upgraded and reconstructed a few years ago, more water hazards were added.

The par 3, 3rd was was given two new lakes while the par 4, 6th got a 'swimming pool' sized lake 'perfectly positioned' in front of its green.

Beyond these ponds and at the par 5 16th, a golf ball swallowing lake was carefully crafted into the country club's fine layout.

And so it is to the 18th where a dogleg toward an elevated and slanting green will make this finishing hole memorable and tough.

Despite the establishment of other golfing centres the Cebu country Club's relatively flat and old tree-dotted course is a favourite with its hundreds of members and frequent business and holiday visitors from Japan and Taiwan, Southeast Asia, the USA and Australia.

Visitors are welcome (book a day in advance) except on competition days when the club hosts such events as the Philippine Airline Ladies' and Senior's InterClub Golf Tournaments.  As well, there's a San Miguel Amateur Tournament and a well patronised tournament for the local Filipino Chinese community.

Only Filipino tournaments are played here as officials feel the facilities are too limited for international events.  Despite this the facilities at Cebu's oldest course are sufficient to attract the renown and the powerful.

It's worth noting however to note that quality sporting opportunities extend beyond the 18 carefully groomed fairways and greens because visitors can indulge in tennis, swimming, badminton, hand ball, bowling or gym activities should a high profile movie start or politician decide to 'instantly' reserve the course and play an exclusive round.

(24 Nov 1998)

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