Revisiting Cavite’s hidden gem

Since the 1990s, Cavite has been regarded as one of the premier golfing destinations in the country. From Carmona to Silang, Dasmariñas to General Trias, and Trece Martires to Ternate, Cavite is home to an impressive collection of championship golf courses — each with its own unique charm and challenge.

Situated in Trece Martires, Cavite, Sherwood Hills Golf Club stands as an unassuming torch-bearer. Awarded in 2018 by Golf Digest as the #1 course in the Philippines, a visit to this special layout leaves no doubt why it was heralded as such. Sherwood isn’t always top of mind for golfers outside of Cavite. Tucked in a vast residential development in Trece Martires, Sherwood serves as a gem for those “in the know.” I have played Sherwood several times, but haven’t revisited the course in over five years. But an invitation by general manager (GM) Jerome Baldoz was much too tempting to pass up, so together with some friends, I headed to Sherwood one weekday to refresh my memory.

Great course

As soon as I stepped into Sherwood’s clubhouse, I was reminded why the course has always been regarded as among the very best. The sight of wide, well-maintained fairways greeted our group.

This is a golfer’s course through and through — no frills, just pure focus on the game. Its championship layout is long from the tips, and still a solid test even from the regular blue tees.

Maxing out at 7277 yards, the course is a tough track, even for pros.

For us mortals, it’s advisable to play from the silver tees, a more reasonable starting point, as the blue tees are quite close to the tips. Of course, we could have also played off the white tees, but as is often the case, pride got in the way.

Teeing off from the blue tees, the fairways at Sherwood will look generous, and they mostly are. It’s the length that provides the challenge.

Being a little wet the past few months, there is hardly any roll. But to Sherwood’s credit, the fairways were amazingly mud-free, and the turf was as good as any. I was actually pleasantly surprised at how nice the course conditions were, considering the recent downpours and the number of players that go through Sherwood daily.

For a course that gets a lot of tourists and regular members, even in wet months, the course was in amazing shape. Not a brown patch in sight — just a blanket of rich, vibrant green. Not a brown patch in sight — just a blanket of rich, vibrant green.

The fairways were lush and velvety — soft enough to take a crisp divot, yet firm enough to hold their shape perfectly.

I would consider Sherwood a bomber’s course. The generous fairways tempt players to swing freely and give their drives a little extra. But even when you hit the fairways, approach shots require precision as their greens are quite small and well-guarded.

On most par 4s, I was hitting approach shots from 140-180 yards. Not once did I have a wedge in, even on holes where I crushed it off the tee.

The par 5s aren’t reachable in two — at least not during the months when the fairways offer zero roll. The par 3s are reasonably long from the blue tees, but are generally guarded by deep bunkers or hazards. The greens, as I mentioned, are quite small, and on our visit, they were rolling a little slow. The thicker greens seemed intentional — likely part of preparations for their annual championships, when they’ll be trimmed and rolled to tournament speed.

Playing Sherwood Hills was a joy. Any true golfer will surely appreciate the quality of the layout, the challenge, and the course conditions.

There is no doubting why Sherwood won the best course in the country in 2018.

With the right weather and their exceptional maintenance team, they can truly present a championship course in magnificent condition.

As Sherwood’s GM mentioned, they owe their top course condition to their hardworking grounds crew, and since golf courses are at the mercy of the elements, prayers do wonders, too.

A tourist favorite

We played Sherwood on a Tuesday morning, and right at the bag drop, there was a coaster and two vans in front of me.

GM Jerome shared that they attract a large number of Korean tour groups — something most other courses can only wish for. Maintaining a golf course is not cheap, and often, there are not enough active members to support operations.

Unless a club charges its members steep monthly dues, welcoming paying guests is often the only way to stay financially afloat.

Of course, there needs to be a balance between income and keeping members happy. Too much traffic can also take a toll on the course.

Remarkably, GM Jerome seems to have struck the perfect balance — a steady flow of tourists, satisfied members, and a golf course maintained to the highest standards.

My chat with GM Jerome was quite enjoyable. I knew him as the then GM of another course in Laguna. But two years since taking the reins at Sherwood, he has done, in my observation, an amazing job.

I mistakenly thought that Sherwood hardly gets any play.

On the contrary, the general manager shared that the course averages around 100 rounds on weekdays and up to 180 rounds on weekends and holidays! That’s a lot of traffic for an 18-hole course.

And yet, his management style and the support of his teams have maintained an impeccable course. The tourists bring in a steady income, which is in turn used to improve facilities, making the members happy.

GM Jerome also created new tournaments for members. It’s a delicate balance between exclusivity and accessibility — but at Sherwood, the mix of privacy and tourism works beautifully. They have found the right balance to keep their club improving.

Stay for the food

Dining can be just as important as the golf itself — especially for food lovers like me.

After a tiring round, the food dictates whether I’d want to stay or take a quick shower and eat on the way home. At Sherwood Hills, I would advise golfers to stay and try their offerings.

Our group came at the perfect time, just as GM Jerome and his F&B team are launching their revamped menu.

I would consider their food as creative takes on Filipino Classics, with Korean and international offerings. The food is not fusion; it is familiar but modernized and focused on quality and value. The prices are very reasonable, and the servings generous.

As GM Jerome shared, they carefully studied their food and beverage operations, benchmarking against other top clubs in the area.

Having an in-house food operation as opposed to concessionaires meant they could provide the best value.

During our visit, we had the chance to sample several of Sherwood’s signature dishes.

Here are a few must-try dishes on your visit:

Sizzling Boneless Bangus, Bulalo with Coconut Cream, Beef Kare-Kare, Spicy Beef Adobo, Seafood Curry Rice Bowl and Sizzling Tofu and Mushrooms.

They also offer a selection of Korean favorites such as Bibimbap, Sundubu Jjigae, Kimchi Jjigae, and more.

Playing Sherwood

Unaccompanied guests are welcome at Sherwood, though due to the high volume of players, reservations are a must. Rates start at P2,200 for member-accompanied guests, P2,400 for member-endorsed guests, and P4,000 for unaccompanied players on weekdays.

On weekends and holidays, rates increase to P3,600, P3,800, and P5,000, respectively.

Add another P400 for F&B consumables, hole-in-one fee, and accident protection fee.

Golf carts are available in 2 and 4-seat configurations, and prices range from P600 to P1,000.

The caddie fee starts at P700. For those planning to stay overnight, accommodations are also available on-site.

For inquiries and reservations, contact +63 977 805 6920 between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., Tuesdays to Sundays.