Malarayat Golf Course

Malarayat Golf & Country Club sits at the foot of Mount Malarayat in Lipa City, one of the most dramatically situated courses in the Philippines. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and opened in the late 1990s, the layout takes full advantage of its volcanic highland terrain — fairways rise and fall through dense tropical vegetation, with the mountain providing an imposing backdrop that makes the course feel genuinely removed from the bustle of the Calabarzon region below.

RTJ Jr.'s fingerprints are evident throughout: strategic bunkering, generous landing areas that tighten on approach, and greens that reward patience and local knowledge over raw power. The elevation changes are real and consequential, affecting both club selection and the way shots fly in the cooler, thinner air of the Batangas highlands. Several holes play across ravines or demand precise carries, making the course a legitimate test rather than a scenic diversion.

Lipa City itself is a prosperous, fast-growing urban center roughly 2 hours south of Manila via the STAR Tollway, making Malarayat a manageable escape for Metro Manila golfers seeking mountain conditions without a long journey.