Story & photos by Mike Besa
Ningas cogon is perhaps one of the most insidious personality traits of the Filipino. It virtually guarantees the eventual failure of any endeavor. We start out with grand plans and full of bluster, but things flame out quickly and little, if anything, is accomplished.
Golf course maintenance is a tough nut to crack. The care and feeding of a golf course can be insanely expensive. Especially if the membership demands and can afford a course of PGA Tour quality. Things become even more expensive when there’s remedial work involved.
Therefore, when an unprofitable golf course falls into disrepair, rehabilitation is seldom possible without a massive infusion of cash. Many cannot afford it given the meager revenues and eventually become unplayable.
There are more golf courses than we care to consider that are currently in this predicament, and it is sad to think that given the competitive disadvantage created by the courses’ unfavorable condition, these golf courses may soon cease operations altogether.
The Riviera Golf and Country Club was once in that position. If anything, their situation was particularly dire as the club was being run into the ground. There was little money being spent on the course’s upkeep and allegations of impropriety were thick. The magnificent golf courses fell into near unplayability, members stayed away and, in many instances, stopped paying their monthly dues in protest.
When we visited Riviera last year, the club had just turned the corner. New management was in place and the turn-around had begun. The courses had begun to recover, but there was much left to do. The task that faced the club was considerable as were the funds required. Tasks were prioritized and the rest has been history. There were no secrets, but given the club’s recent past, a premium was put on hard work and integrity.
The proof is in the pudding, as they say.
The Riviera today is in full resurgence mode. The golf courses continue to improve, and work continues on all fronts; rehabilitation where necessary and proper maintenance everywhere else. The club’s good work hasn’t gone unnoticed either.
Members that stayed away have begun to trickle back and new members are being inducted quite regularly. Given the regularity and volume of tourist traffic augmenting now healthy collections from monthly dues, the club has returned to profitability.
The banks have noticed and have reopened the clubs credit lines. New mowers, golf carts and other equipment vital to operations have been acquired and will enable the club to do more in less time. The club has begun to turn its attention to the clubhouse and is planning its restoration.
Beyond the economic gains, the club stands to benefit from the opening of the 47-kilometer-long Cavite-Laguna Expressway (Calaex) that will connect the South Luzon Expressway (Slex) to the Manila-Cavite Expressway (Cavitex). The new artery will have an off ramp at the Riviera’s doorstep, improving the club’s (and others in the area) prospects immensely.
It only made sense for me to make the Riviera my home club.
Beyond its geographical desirability, the two golf courses at the Riviera are among the best in the country. If the club’s numerous awards will show, the Langer Course especially, that it is high on the shortlist of the country’s best golf courses. It is certainly one of the most difficult.
Although its an acquired taste, I love the challenge of the Langer. When you think you have this game figured out, the Langer is the one that will slap you back to reality. It’s a puzzle, a tough one at that, but one that is infinitely satisfying when you get it right. I’ve shot close to par and failed to break 90 in succeeding games. Emotions here are seldom on even keel; you’ll explore both thresholds of the spectrum on the Langer’s fairways.
The Langer Course is alternately long and wide, open or short and exceedingly tight. The long holes will take their toll on the shorter hitters, but it is the short holes that are the most dangerous. The greens are all exceedingly difficult and most require local knowledge to figure out. The is the most difficult golf course of modern design in the country.
Everyone talks about the six-hundred-something-yard par 5 fifth hole, but the short par 4 sixth is every bit as dangerous at little more than half the length. The 11th is the other short, devilish par 4. Don’t let the wide fairway fool you. You need to find a comfortable yardage into the green. Miss the approach shot, and your score could be embarrassing.
The signature 17th is a pretty hole but isn’t overly difficult unless the wind is howling. Don’t let it lull you into a false sense of security; the final hole is so difficult that it’s almost unfair. You need four near-perfect shots to make par.
It is brutal, but it is playable. You can shoot a personal best one day then fail to break 90 the next. It’s an enigma, a Rubik’s Cube of a golf course that will push and prod you to play your best. If you can find a level of comfort here, you can play anywhere.
The stretch of 14 through 16 is my favorite on the golf course; the holes offer serene settings that mask the enormity of the task at hand. If there’s a word that best describes this golf course, it’s relentless.
The Couples Course is a very nice contrast to the Langer. Like Couples, the course is laid back but is no pushover. From the tips, the locals say the Couples can be as difficult as its German neighbor. But played from the forward tees, it is a pleasure.
The Couples occupies a more inland piece of the property. The Langer plays along the cliffside and across a stream, challenging the golfer at every turn. The Couples gives the golfer more room and a completely different ambience. It feels more relaxed in every aspect.
Couples was renown for his prowess with the driver, but he was also a consummate iron player and his golf course reflects it. The contours on some of the greens are quite severe, making it imperative to find the correct portion of the green with the approach shot.
But of course, if you’re accustomed to the Langer Course, this isn’t a problem.
My favorite stretch of holes is 12 through 15. It mimics a course on the garden isles of Hawaii. It’s as good as a quartet of holes as you’ll find anywhere in the country. I have a special affinity for 13 and 15, a pair of strong, very beautiful par fours.
I’m one of those freaks that really enjoys practicing, and to be honest, this is where the club could use the most help. The range is adequate but the short game areas fall short on variety. The new practice green at the driving range and the expanded practice green on the Couples should help address this shortcoming when they come online.
Tough golf courses produce great players. Riviera has two notable contributions to professional golf. Wang Jeung-hun, known to many as James, was a fixture on the Riviera Federation team. There was little doubt that he was destined for greatness. He turned professional in 2016 after winning the Philippine Amateur. He was a regular on the Langer Course where he worked on his game tirelessly. Wang is now a three-time winner on the European Tour.
He was followed by Kim Joo-hyung, Tom to his friends. Tom has been a Philippine resident since his early teens. He speaks excellent English and swings a mean stick. After a stellar amateur career, he turned professional and now ranks 11th on the Asian Development Tour’s Order of Merit. The Riviera played a huge role in the development of both golfers.
In pure golfing terms, Riviera lacks nothing. The tough, intervening years have set the club back, but current management has been determined to set that right and continues to fight the good fight. We can only hope that they get as much time as they need to restore the club to where it can live up to its billing as one of the best golf clubs in Philippine golf.
Image credits: Mike Besa