IF the Philippine Sports Commission scores an ace, golf will soon enjoy one of the biggest boosts in its grassroots program, giving the sport known for its exclusivity, a mass appeal and a path for the youth to access courses previously reserved for the moneyed.
Under a plan initiated by PSC chair Patrick Gregorio, the country's golf courses under government control and supervision would be opened to boys and girls 15 years old and under for free, from 12 noon upwards, seven days a week.
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It is expected that military courses, especially in Metro Manila, will resist the plan as it would cut into their income, besides creating massive traffic at starting tees and also depriving armed forces personnel and older players their normal unfettered access to the few public courses in the city.
But Gregorio said at least two golf courses - John Hay in Baguio and Intramuros Golf Club in Manila - have agreed to the proposal to open their courses.
Metro Manila military courses include Villamor, Kagitingan, Aguinaldo and Veterans, layouts that usually burst with patrons, most of them paying customers, nearly all hours if play is possible.
The plan has been sent to the Office of the President which Gregorio said is just awaiting signature.
Prresident Bongbong Marcos, who is not a golfer, unlike his late father Ferdinand Sr., reportedly is now consulting stakeholders in the golf industry to determine if the plan is viable before giving the go signal.
Gregorio, in submitting his plan, said: “If we want golf to grow, we have to let more Filipino kids touch a golf club, not just the ones who can afford it.”
The PSC chair, who assumed his position last July 1, has seen golf grow in recent years, propelled by successes of Yuka Saso, who won two US Open titles, Rcio Hoey, a Filipino based in the US and recently, Miguel Tabuena, who won an International Series event supervised by the Asian Tour.
But he also has seen how the sport's progress has been stymied by the inherent exclusivity associated with golf which without question is a very expensive sport. To be able to play, one has to be a member of private clubs where initiation fees run into millions.
Even public courses are not cheap. The best ones, such as John Hay in Baguio, charges P4,000 for a weekday round, P5,000 on weekends. At Veterans, considered a "poor man's course located in the heart of government centers in Diliman Quezon City, green fee is P1,625 on weekdays, including caddie fee. At Villamor, it is P2,500.
If the plan is approved, Gregorio sees the program leading towards scholarships in private universities with the possible formal inclusion of golf in collegiate sports calendars—turning today’s curious students into tomorrow’s varsity athletes, pros, or even champions.
By many measures, golf is in its most promising era in years.
But behind the momentum is a hard reality: The sport is still mostly built for those who can afford it.
Access remains the sport’s biggest wall. For decades, golf has been one of the most inaccessible sports in the Philippines. Clubs are private. Fees are high. Equipment is expensive.
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