Tagaytay Highlands sits high on the ridge above Taal Lake, and the air is noticeably cooler than in Manila. The golf course is the centrepiece of a private mountain resort of homes, lodges and clubs. Richard Bigler routed it across steep slopes with views over the lake and the volcano, and the drop between nines is so large that a cable car carries players from the 9th green up to the 10th tee. It is private, and access needs planning, but it is unlike any other course near the capital.
Tagaytay Highlands International Golf Club green fees and tee times.
Access to Tagaytay Highlands is reserved for homeowners, club members and their guests. A non-member needs to play with a member or be endorsed by one in good standing. In practice, visiting golfers use agents: Golfasian arranges confirmed tee times, and KKday sells a Highlands green-fee package that is confirmed within three working days and cannot be cancelled. Allow extra lead time, as the club must approve the booking. No guest green fee is published. For membership questions, the resort’s FAQ points to its Membership Services line, open Wednesday to Monday.
The round, in perspective.
The Highlands course is a par 70 of 6,119 yards; Golfasian dates Bigler’s design to 1995. Fairways are Tifton 419 and greens Tifdwarf. Length matters less than accuracy, because the elevation changes are severe and many landing areas are hidden from the tee. A Japanese reviewer who played in October 2018 noted a blind downhill drive at the 357-yard 3rd, where a long ball can run into a pond short of the green, a drop of nearly 100 metres from tee to green on the 533-yard 4th, and a 190-yard par three played steeply downhill over a valley at the 12th. Back-to-back par fives follow at 14, uphill at 490 yards, and 15, at 541 yards, which turns sharply left and can leave a blind approach. The same reviewer reports that carts may be driven on the fairways, which helps on the climbs.
Know before you go.
Access
Members, homeowners and accompanied or endorsed guests
Cable car
Links the 9th green and 10th tee; a bus stood in when it was out of order (Kimigolf, 2018)
Carts
Allowed on fairways (Kimigolf, 2018)
Make the trip work.
Early tee times on the ridge can start in mist and finish in sunshine, so expect cooler mornings than in the city. Pick a cart rather than walking, since the routing climbs and drops constantly. Cable cars and a funicular link parts of the wider resort, and club rules give golfers and caddies with their bags priority on them. The Country Club, the spa and the other clubhouses are for members and the guests they bring.
The club is about 65 km south of Manila, and Golfasian puts the drive at around 90 minutes; the reviewer above made it in 75 minutes from Makati. Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) is the nearest airport. The usual route is the South Luzon Expressway to Santa Rosa, then up the Tagaytay road. KKday lists 62 km and about 80 minutes from Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The Lodge at Tagaytay Highlands, inside the gates, is the closest bed if you have member access or a package that includes it. Otherwise the town of Tagaytay, a short drive away, has a long line of ridge-top hotels, cafés and restaurants facing Taal Lake. Staying up here means a cool night’s sleep and a short morning drive.
Make a trip of it.
Tagaytay Midlands, the sister course, sits lower down the slope, some 1,000 feet above Taal Lake according to Golfasian, and is a par 72 of 5,732 yards; it is also private. Eagle Ridge in General Trias and Manila Southwoods in Carmona are within an hour. Away from the course, Tagaytay’s ridge road gives views of Taal Volcano across the lake, and the town’s cafés and roadside stalls are a weekend ritual for Manila families.
Find your season.
November to May is the best window. Tagaytay is cooler than Manila all year, and the dry months bring clear views of Taal. From June to October the monsoon brings rain and low cloud, and fog can sit on the ridge for hours, so morning tee times may be delayed.
Only with a member or a member’s endorsement, according to the club. Agents such as Golfasian arrange guest tee times, and KKday sells a green-fee package, but approval rests with the club.
Is there a cable car at Tagaytay Highlands golf course?
Yes. A cable car takes golfers from the 9th green up to the 10th tee. A 2018 visitor reported that a large bus ran instead when the cable car was out of order.
How far is Tagaytay Highlands from Manila?
About 65 km. Expect 75 to 90 minutes by car from Makati or the airport in normal traffic, longer on weekends when Tagaytay fills with day-trippers.
Last checked 11 November 2026. This is an independent planning guide, not a first-hand review or a booking service. Check live availability, access, fees and travel details with the operator before booking. Airport suggestions are starting points for route planning.
