Villamor Air Base Golf Course — Attraction in Pasay

UPDATE May 24 2019:

Played yesterday. Some rough patches on the fairways. The grass still rebounding from the harsh summer and I'm told some areas have yet to get back to normal.

The layout has a lot of straightaways but there are enough interesting holes. This is still the most substantial public golf course in Metro Manila.

Zoysia matrella greens are incredibly pure and free of invasive species but they are really, really slow. I'd guess 6 or 7 on the stimpmeter. Not quite sure why they can't cut them shorter. It detracts from the enjoyment of the course for me.

P2100 on a weekday. Not bad. Showers and facilities are adequate. It's not Sta Elena but it will be good enough for most.

Traffic coming out is a real pain if your play in the afternoon.

It's also a bit of a bummer that the club only accepts cash and not credit cards. There is a pnb ATM there though.

Original review:

One of the best-located golf courses in Manila, so close to Makati. Good maintenance for a public course. The layout is nothing special though, lots of straight holes. Lush native grass fairways.

UPDATE: Just played it yesterday. Greens are smooth and well-maintained, much nicer than in many private tracks here. I just wish they were a bit faster. Bunkers need more sand.

But the native grass fairways are superb. Who needs Tifton when you have carabao...

Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base, or simply Villamor Air Base (IATA: MNL, ICAO: RPLL), is the headquarters of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) and shares runways with the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). It is also known as Nichols Field or Nichols Air Base possibly known as Nichols Freeport Zone. Chiefly used as a PAF transport/helicopter airbase, it is also the military installation that the Philippine president uses when departing for foreign or domestic trips, though foreign departures are mostly done at the Philippine Airlines-operated NAIA Terminal 2 (as PAL is the official charter airline for the Philippine president). Also, foreign dignitaries visiting Manila would usually arrive at the airbase. The base is named after Filipino WWII pilot Jesús A. Villamor. Nichols Field was built in 1919 by the United States during the Philippine Commonwealth period and in 1941 was used as an airfield by the United States Army Air Forces in the southwest Pacific Theatre. The field was the location of the U.S. Far East Air Force's U.S. 20th Air Base Group. Also, based on the field was Troop F of the U.S. 26th Cavalry Regiment. A Fifth Air Force base, Nichols Field was within the territory of the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, December 1941 –...

As a first-time visitor to Manila, I was excited to play a round at Villamor Golf Club based on online recommendations. Unfortunately, my experience was extremely disappointing. I attempted to contact the club in advance via phone and Facebook to confirm details, but received no response and couldn’t get anyone on the phone.

Everything I read suggested it was fine to simply show up and wait for a tee time. When I arrived, I found out there was a cash-only tournament happening. That would’ve been fine—if the on-site ATM had been working. When I asked for alternatives, I was met with unhelpful and dismissive responses. The staff, particularly the front desk attendants, came off as rude and disinterested, giving the impression they had no desire to accommodate or welcome new visitors.

It’s unfortunate, because I genuinely wanted to play and support the course. I hope Villamor improves its communication, customer service, and payment infrastructure for...