SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – Amid the myriad of different golf clubs scattered around the Philippines, Ayala Land Premier’s new residential leisure community, Anvaya Cove, could be one of, if not, the best and most hospitable in Southeast Asia.
Located in Morong, Bataan, Anvaya Cove is an exclusive, premium seaside development that runs alongside the waters of Subic Bay. The 470-hectare area features unique residential living experiences that harmonize with the natural environments they are built within, and a fully integrated world-class sports complex consisting of multiple swimming pools, tennis courts and a variety of other leisure activities suitable for all members of the family.
“The expansive 470-hectare land area is an advantage that gives Anvaya Cove the opportunity to present its best to its community,” says Jose Juan Z. Jugo, Head of Ayala Land Premier. “Thus, it was a priority to maximize the property’s best features—from its cobalt waters and fine sand shore to the extensive greens of Bataan—to provide residents with an unparalleled living experience.”
Golf For Everyone
The crown jewel of the Anvaya Cove Golf & Sports Club is the recently opened par-72, 18-hole all-weather sustainable golf course designed by landscape architect, Kevin Ramsey, of prominent California-based design firm, Golf Plan.
“We started plans on Anvaya Cove back in 2006. When we first saw the property, our eyes immediately lit up,” says Ramsey.
Running from the tops of the Bataan mountain range down to the Subic Bay beach, the Anvaya Cove golf course blends seamlessly into its picturesque surroundings with each hole embodying the characteristics of the environment around it.
“From the beginning, the whole project was supposed to fit into nature. We wanted to leave as much of the original setting as possible,” says Ramsey. “The terrain was the biggest challenge. Despite the challenges, I believe we built an extremely unique golf course with great contrast of elements that plays to all of a golfer’s senses.”
The Anvaya Cove Golf and Sports Club officially launched on Saturday, December 7, before Mr. Fernando Zobel de Ayala – Chairman of Ayala Land, and Tony Aquino – President and Chief Executive Officer of Ayala Land Inc., along with exclusive members and chosen representatives from various industries.
The exclusive event allowed avid golfers to experience first hand the different microenvironments of the course. From the grassland settings of the 5th hole to the 6th where players have to hit to narrowing fairways guarded by rows of giant trees on each side.
The back 9, aptly labeled ‘Seaside Nine’ has some of the most stunning views in all of golf. Most notably, the 11th and 12th holes, which play from the mountains straight down to the sand of the beach, and the signature 13th hole, which is a short par-3 built on top of an overhanging cliff with a 270 degree panoramic view of the ocean.
Although not that long at just over 7,000 yards, Anvaya Cove is a “thinkers course” that is visually intimidating but not difficult for amateurs so long as they slow down and golf smart.
“We tried to build a very cerebral course. Aside from the hole 13, par-3 on the cliffs, my favorite is probably the 11th hole,” says Ramsey. “I always like the risk vs. reward factor of a short par-4.”
Regardless of skill level, Ramsey and his team at Golf Plan together with Ayala Land Premier insisted on a course that would be enjoyed by all. Each hole therefore has five tee placements affording all members the luxury of learning the sport together with their entire families.
• Junior Tee (For kids)
• Red Tee (Ladies)
• White (Beginners and novice players)
• Blue (Experienced golfers)
• Gold (Pro Tee)
All about the details
What truly differentiates Anvaya Cove from the slew of other golf resorts is its service and attention to detail. Yes, the club has the expected army sized staff all dressed in matching finely pressed white uniforms to answer any questions posed. But it’s more than that.
It’s the waiters who automatically give you a glass a water the moment you sit down at a table, and the locker room staff that intuitively understand your feet will be wet when you get out of the shower so they lay down a floor towel in front of your bench out of courtesy. It’s the landscapers on their hands and knees tirelessly manicuring the course the entire day to make sure even the smallest blades of grass are even with the rest, and the useful yardage guides printed and placed daily in each golf cart that tell you the exact distances from the surrounding fringes to the new hole placement.
It’s these small, often overlooked, gestures that make Anvaya Cove a true world-class development.
“Anvaya Cove is one of Ayala Land Premier’s crown jewels that showcases the company’s commitment to intelligently building residential properties that set the country at par with international developments,” says Jugo.
When it was time to check out, I asked the receptionist, “Do you like working here?”
With a warm and happy smile, she quickly replied, “Yes, sir. Very very much!”
This made me smile, even if it was time to leave paradise.
To learn more about Anvaya Cove, visit their website here.
–Rappler.com
Will Hsu is an economics graduate from Tufts University who worked in finance before relocating to Manila in 2006 to chase the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. He currently manages a public relations agency and in his spare time can usually be found landscaping the local golf courses with his 7-iron. Track his golf woes on his Instagram account and at www.mulligang.com.
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