Ask any Manila local who has spent time in Intramuros and chances are they’ve passed by the golf course without thinking twice — until someone points out that it’s over a hundred years old. That discovery usually leads to the same reaction: How did a golf course end up here?
The answer lies in TIEZA’s ongoing work to maintain Club Intramuros as both a sporting venue and a cultural landmark, keeping its unusual story alive.
The Club Intramuros Golf Course (CIGC) — one of the few golf courses on the planet fully enclosed within a preserved heritage district — continues to evolve as both a destination and a legacy site, guided by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA).
Founded in 1906 during the early American period, CIGC has long been viewed as a recreational curiosity. Today, it stands as an example of how sports, heritage, and urban public space can coexist.
A venue where history frames the game
A round of golf here is unlike play anywhere else — hole signatures are outlined by old watchtowers and stone battlements, reminding guests that the greens occupy reclaimed history.
For visitors, the course does double duty: a green lung inside Manila’s concrete core, and an attraction that anchors sports tourism in the country’s oldest district.
TIEZA describes Club Intramuros as a space that sustains cultural identity while giving communities a venue for recreation and tourism activity — a place that connects leisure with memory.
A property aligned with TIEZA’s preservation mandate
As one of TIEZA’s managed sites, CIGC reflects two central duties of the agency:
protect tourism infrastructure and preserve cultural assets.
This has led to ongoing improvements that are historically sensitive — upgrading drainage systems, strengthening irrigation, rehabilitating landscaping, reinforcing structural features, and improving safety, lighting, and playability without losing the integrity of the site.
TIEZA COO Mark T. Lapid frames it this way:
“The Club Intramuros Golf Course is a symbolic reminder of our past and a vibrant platform for sports tourism. Its continued preservation is made possible through the support of every Filipino traveler.”
How travelers help keep Club Intramuros alive
TIEZA emphasizes that travel taxes paid by Filipinos are more than fees — they help sustain sites like this.
A portion of travel tax collections goes toward maintenance, heritage-sensitive upgrades, and visitor servicing across TIEZA-managed properties.
For the Club Intramuros Golf Course, this includes day-to-day upkeep of fairways, greens, irrigation, lighting, and visitor amenities to allow year-round play within the historic Walled City.
A heritage site that strengthens golf tourism appeal
As the global golf market continues to grow, CIGC strengthens the Philippines’ positioning in sports tourism. Its central location, heritage backdrop, scenic holes, and night golf offering make it attractive for both local and international players — particularly those looking for experiences with narrative value.
The course complements the country’s network of championship courses from Luzon to Mindanao and gives Manila a compelling pitch for tour operators who curate themed or historic golf itineraries.
A space evolving beyond its original purpose
The continued relevance of Club Intramuros involves multiple stakeholders — TIEZA, the Department of Tourism, the Intramuros Administration, and Filipino travelers.
In support of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive for revitalizing Manila landmarks, TIEZA recently opened the fairways to the community through “Sundays at Club Intramuros,” inviting residents and tourists to walk, jog, exercise, and hold small picnics in a heritage setting normally reserved for golfers.
The initiative repositions the space as more than a sport venue — it becomes a shared urban cultural park.
A tourism future rooted in memory and stewardship
Club Intramuros is a reminder that successful tourism assets are those cared for and experienced by communities, policymakers, and visitors alike.
As TIEZA advances its mission of Building Tourism Together, CIGC stands as a living case study: heritage preserved, space activated, and tourism strengthened through collective support.
For updates, visit tieza.gov.ph or follow @TIEZAOfficial on Facebook and @tiezagovph on Instagram and X.
