ANOTHER world-class sport is taking root in the southern Philippines as Davao City prepares to host the first-ever Davao-Japan Friendship Golf Tournament, a two-day international sporting event that aims to put the city on the map as a rising golf tourism destination.
Slated for December 5 to 6, the tournament will gather around 180 local and foreign golfers at South Pacific Golf and Rancho Palos Verdes, two of Davao’s premier golf courses.
The event combines sport, business, and leisure in one high-value tourism showcase that positions Davao as a “good for gold” city, where sports excellence meets tourism investment.
According to Liza Gamo, president of the Davao Hotels/Resorts Sales and Marketing Association Inc. (HRSMA), the tournament is open to hobbyists and enthusiasts to showcase the golf tourism potential of Davao City.
“Davao has a lot of beautiful golf courses that we can offer to the Japanese market,” she said during the PEP Talks on November 7.
Gamo added that Davao’s hotels and resorts are fully prepared to welcome both international players and visiting spectators. About 40 to 50 Japanese golfers currently based in Davao are expected to join the competition, alongside foreign participants from partner tour operators in Japan.
Gamo also emphasized that they were able to meet a lot of tour operators and partners in Japan who are very keen on golf.
The entry fee is pegged at P20,000 per team or P10,000 per player, with early bird discounts available until November 16. Registration includes green fees for practice and tournament rounds, caddy services, shared carts, meal vouchers, giveaways, and raffle entries—designed to blend competition with hospitality.
Last September, Davao tourism officials began exploring golf tourism as a strategy to enhance the city’s attractiveness to foreign visitors, particularly those from Japan and South Korea.
“We are promoting golf tourism in Japan, kasi yan ang gusto kasi ng mga Japanese—in fact, not only Japanese but also Koreans. Yan talaga ang hinahanap nila,” said Gene Bangayan, co-chairperson of the Davao MICE Board (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions).
Bangayan explained that playing golf in Japan and South Korea is expensive, making Davao’s scenic fairways and affordable courses highly appealing.
“It’s so expensive for them to play in those places, and we have beautiful golf courses here,” she said.
The MICE Board, a multisectoral body promoting Davao as a major business and events destination, views sports tourism—particularly golf—as an extension of its strategy to attract international conventions and long-stay visitors.
“We include golf packages, so aside from sightseeing naa gyud golf na activities (there are golfing activities). We have packages already that we sent to the DOT (Department of Tourism),” Bangayan added.
According to the Department of Tourism–Davao Regional Director Tanya Rabat Tan, the region is well-equipped to welcome golf tourists.
“In Davao City we have three 18-hole golf courses, and we actually have in Mati City a nine-hole golf course. There’s a big market for golf and we have big potential for that,” Tan said.
Davao’s championship courses—Apo Golf and Country Club in Bago Aplaya, South Pacific Golf Club in Catalunan Pequeño, and Rancho Palos Verdes in Mandug—offer a mix of challenging layouts and tropical scenery.
Meanwhile, Don Paco Rocamora Golf and Country Club in nearby Mati City, Davao Oriental, offers a nine-hole coastal experience that appeals to leisure travelers.
This local initiative aligns with the national tourism strategy. Last August 29, the Department of Tourism (DOT) launched the Philippine Golf Experience (GolfEx) in Clark, Pampanga, a program positioning the Philippines as a premier golf tourism destination.
“We have always known that the Philippines, with its stunning landscapes, vibrant culture, and warm hospitality, together with more than a hundred world-class quality golf courses across our islands, has all the makings of a world-class golf destination,” Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said during the GolfEx launch.
For Davao, the Davao–Japan Friendship Golf Tournament is more than just a sports event. It signals a turning point in how the city merges sports, tourism, and business, ushering in a strategic push to attract international investors, stimulate niche tourism markets, and position Davao as a premier destination for world-class sporting events.
Beyond the greens, the tournament serves as a platform for strengthening bilateral ties between Japan and Davao, fostering collaborations that extend to trade, education, and cultural exchange.
Local tourism officials view the tournament as an opportunity to showcase Davao’s safety, hospitality, and competitive business environment. With the city emerging as a preferred venue for meetings, conventions, and large-scale international events, the participation of Japanese players, business leaders, and visiting delegates underscores Davao’s capacity to host cross-border engagements. DEF