The forests of the world are home to the highest biodiversity. They are the cradle of life on our islands. Much to our shame, little of our native forestland remains. Much has been cut down to make way for agriculture and urban sprawl. The number of species that we have driven to extinction is unparalleled at any time in history after the extinction of the dinosaurs.
The remaining old growth rain forests are living treasures that must be protected at all costs. Thanks to the Americans, the rain forest that constitutes the great majority of the Subic Freeport Zone survives untouched to this day. More so than the airport, deep water harbor and other facilities and infrastructure inherited from the Americans, Subic Bay’s greatest asset is the rain forest.
Beyond the Pamulaklakin trail
The forest experience run by the region’s indigenous people, the Aetas, the best way to experience this treasure is to rent a house in the Binictican housing area above the Subic International Golf Club. There are several available on Airbnb; the one we found was on Lauan Circle. It’s a charming little 2-bedroom bungalow with lots of living space right on the edge of the rain forest. Fortuitously, it was located just 3 kilometers from the golf club, which meant that we didn’t have to leave the area at all unless we wanted to.
We took the opportunity to bask in the quiet calm afforded us by the ever-present jungle.
The golf course meanders in and around the forest’s edge. The calm you feel as you meander its fairways brings a serenity hardly ever intruded upon by the din of the development in Subic. It’s what defines this golf course.
The dichotomy of Subic International Golf Club is that of the most modern golf club in the country coexisting right next to a thousand-year-old rain forest whose very existence is now protected by the very thing that once threatened it—Subic’s progress.
SIGC recognizes this asset and has worked diligently to coexist here without harming the ecosystem. The club’s use of paspalum from tee to green was of most importance. It is a seashore grass that not only tolerates brackish water, it thrives on it. Not having to worry about keeping its turf healthy means that the club can focus on providing the best possible conditions for the golfer.
On this, as on our other visits, the property is immaculate. Everything is as it should be, everything works. There is little that is superfluous; it is the Japanese aesthetic. The clubhouse is worthy of a five-star hotel. The panoramic glass window showcases the golf course juxtaposed with the rain forest. It is, for lack of a more appropriate adjective, spectacular. It is such a pity that so few experience it for themselves.
The golf course continues to mature. It hasn’t been that long since our last visit, but the improvements are noticeable. The trees in the middle of the golf course are years away from truly adding to the ambiance but the jungle adds an aesthetic that no other golf course since Puerto Azul can match.
Although not quite a championship layout, SIGC is a very good round of golf. The demands it makes on the golfer don’t favor one shot shape. The holes turn in both directions so on many of the shorter holes, you find yourself playing away from the hole often with less than a driver to find the best vantage point from which to approach the green.
The greens are still quite young, which means that the club can’t really shorten the cutting heights all that much yet. Just as well, as they’re still fairly hard and don’t receive the ball as well as they will once the roots systems deepen. Expect green speeds of 7.5-8.5 when you make the trip up the SCTEx.
They are also huge. A poor approach might still find the green but will most likely leave you a very lengthy putt. On a particularly poor strike, a flight mate faced a putt of almost 40 paces. It was all he could do not to four-putt. This makes it a difficult course to play until the driving range finally opens.
When playing Subic International, do take the opportunity to walk as much as you can; your caddy will happily drive the cart to your golf ball. There is a real solitude for those that are attuned to it. The quiet is shattered only by bird calls and the occasional simian sighting. You are alone with your thoughts and your golf game.
The service of the club is solicitous to a fault. The staff is as friendly and as helpful as any that you’ll find on these seven thousand islands. The caddies are still a bit green but continue to improve. The club continues to focus its marketing efforts around the caddies, and for better or worse continues to rub many the wrong way. Hopefully, this is just an intermediate stage in the club’s existence. They can’t move on soon enough for some.
After the round, head over to Meat Plus or Urban Deli to pick up some ribs, steaks and a few good bottles of wine. Celebrate a great day on the golf course in the quiet company of friends. Listen to your neighbors in the jungle as they wake and start their nocturnal lives. Life here is good. Simple. Soothing for the soul.
The next day might bring the sorrow of goodbye, but the quiet at sunrise is just the best time of day. Make a coffee, say a prayer and bask in the rays of the morning sun while steeling yourself for the drive back to reality.
It won’t have been time to leave before you start planning your way back. It was the best golf trip to Subic yet.