A first for Philippine golf and a potential boost to sports tourism.
That, in a nutshell, is Golaman: the country’s first online golf booking platform, which currently covers 79 golf courses across the Philippines, including destinations in Manila, Tagaytay, Clark, Subic, Batangas, Cebu and Davao.
After nearly a year of development by Korean-led company PGRR (Philippine Golf Resort Reservations), the platform is now available for download through the Android Play Store and is expected to be fully operational by September 15.
PGRR CEO Aaron Kim, who led the development of the platform, said Golaman is designed not only to make golf more accessible to local and foreign players but also to help position the Philippines as a major golf tourism destination in Asia alongside Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore.
More importantly, Kim said a portion of the revenue generated by the platform will be directed toward grassroots programs of the National Golf Association of the Philippines, creating a direct link between the growth of golf tourism and the development of the country’s next generation of golfers.
“This is not just about booking tee times. We want to create an ecosystem where the growth of golf tourism also contributes to the growth of Philippine golf,” Kim said.
He added that part of Golaman’s revenue will be allocated to NGAP’s grassroots initiatives, which will help provide greater opportunities for young Filipino golfers and support the development of the sport at the community level.
Kim made the remarks during the well-attended media launch of Golaman on Friday at the Philippine Sports Commission House, where key stakeholders from the sports, tourism, golf, and airline industries gathered to support the initiative.
Among those present were PSC chairman Patrick Gregorio, NGAP president Al Panlilio, and secretary-general Bones Floro, Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Arrey Perez, and Tourism Promotions Board COO Marga Nograles.
“I think this program will click. We’ve been talking about this for the last 12 months, and now it’s here. It’s a perfect collaboration,” said Gregorio, who expressed confidence that more golf courses from the country’s 120-plus facilities will eventually join the platform.
“I’m sure they will,” added Gregorio, who is also leading the Philippine Sports Tourism Inter-Agency Committee.
“If we push sports tourism we push sports development.”
For Panlilio, Golaman represents more than just a digital booking service, describing the platform as a major component of a broader national golf tourism initiative.
“Golaman is not simply a booking platform but a launch of the national golf tourism initiative,” said Panlilio.
“And this will reposition our country as a premier golf destination. This is a national effort that is designed to showcase the Philippines to the rest of the world. Golf tourism creates jobs and creates business. This will attract more tourists to our country.”
Panlilio also emphasized the potential of the initiative to strengthen Philippine golf beyond tourism by creating more opportunities for local players and supporting the continued development of the sport.
“We have a lot of (tennis superstar) Alex Ealas in golf,” he said, referring to the wealth of young Filipino talent that could emerge with greater support and opportunities.
The launch also highlighted the strong connection between golf and tourism, with Nograles pointing to the sport’s ability to bring international visitors to destinations beyond traditional tourist attractions.
“Golf is more than just a sport but a gateway for people to discover our culture and our world-class golf courses,” Nograles said.
“This is a milestone initiative.”
Representatives from several golf facilities — including Lakewood, Pradera, Subic International, Mimosa Plus, South Pacific, Philippine Navy, Villamor and Mt. Malarayat — were also present, alongside representatives from Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Sunlight Air, Jeju Air, Singapore Airlines, Korean Air and Hana Tour.
With 79 courses already onboard and more expected to join, Golaman hopes to create a more seamless booking experience for golfers while giving international visitors easier access to courses across the country.
At the same time, its planned contribution to NGAP’s grassroots programs could ensure that the growth generated by golf tourism reaches the local level, helping build a stronger pipeline of Filipino golfers for years to come.
