The Camp John Hay Golf Club, one of two courses that host the annual Fil-Am Invitational, is opening its doors to the general public following the takeover of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).
Through a legal resolution, the BCDA rescinded club memberships and contracts entered into by the previous management.
In place of memberships, the BCDA offers a one-time entry fee of P40,000 to loyal patrons valid for the six-month interim management period. They will have the option to renew at the applicable rate if the interim period is extended, contingent upon their maintaining good standing.
The fee does not include a P5,000 monthly payment, inclusive of P500 worth of consumable food and beverages.
Green fees will be P3,000 on weekdays and P4,000 on weekends. The cart fee is P1,000, the caddie fee is P600, and insurance is P80.
Junior golfers (17 and below) will enjoy a 50-percent discount.
The BCDA has engaged the consortium of Golfplus Management Inc. (GMI) and DuckWorld PH to manage the course, marking a significant milestone with a ceremonial tee-off on Thursday.
“This marks a new era for this facility. Now, it is open to the public, not just its loyal patrons,” said Engr. Mark Torres, BCDA officer-in-charge, senior vice president for Conversion and Development Group, and interim general manager of John Hay Golf.
Torres thanked the new management partners for ensuring a smooth transition and emphasized their shared vision for the course.
GMI president Eduardo “Bong” Arguelles pledged full commitment to transforming the facility into the country’s premier golf destination.
“We only have one thing in mind, and that is to make John Hay the best course in the country. We will be enhancing its heritage while modernizing its systems and services. We will not stop until it is the best,” he declared.
The ceremonial tee-off was led by BCDA director Anthony Marvin Ponce de Leon, BCDA OIC SVP Torres, John Hay Management Corporation president and CEO Marlo Quadra, and their new partners: GMI president Arguelles and Jason Leonardo of DuckWorld PH, a sports management and marketing agency.
GMI, known for managing driving ranges in top-tier estates like Nuvali and Alviera, aims to apply its expertise to improve the greens, tee mounts, fairways, and facilities of John Hay Golf.