When it comes to patches of green, golf courses are usually above par.
It used to be that golf courses were low on the eco-friendly list since the manicured greens required everything from herbicides to fungicides to keep them pristine, while land clearing for courses were blamed for the ruin of ecosystems.
Not any more.
The push now is for greener fairways with water conservation, as well as the formation or preservation of natural habitats.
Anvaya cove golf and country club is one such mountainside, and seaside residential resort.
Complete resort
Anvaya cove itself is an exclusive, non-profit membership club featuring, among others, a world-class resort, an 18-hole all-weather golf course, nature grounds, and an extensive sports complex.
It sits not too far from Subic Bay in a distinctive natural setting in Morong, Bataan, some 130 metres above sea level. It has a 3.5-km coastline with two private coves.
The championship course is designed to be environmentally sustainable through minimal earth works, saving mature trees. It boasts landscaping with endemic flora fairways and tees designed so that the course feels like “it has always been there”.
Developer Ayala Land Premier (ALP) made a painstaking effort to preserve the area’s natural ecology while retaining its inherently lush terrain. Roads were built to follow the natural contour of the site to preserve the ecosystem.
Green protectors
For centuries the area where Anvaya cove now sits has been a sanctuary for migratory birds and other wildlife. For example, it serves as a nesting place for the pawikan (pronounced pah-wee-khan) or Olive Ridley sea turtles.
Having traveled the seas for over 100 million years, sea turtles have outlived almost all of the pre-historic animals with which they once shared the planet, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
The pawikan make an annual visit to Anvaya cove’s shore to nest and lay eggs. Protecting these critically endangered marine turtles is therefore key to the survival of the eco-system. ALP made it a priority to safeguard the pawikan along with other resident and visiting wildlife when it built Anvaya cove in Morong, Bataan.
But back to the greens and fairways….
Interesting challenge
Spread across approximately 82 hectares, there are a pair of nine-hole courses that promise to be challenging for the seasoned golfer, and yet kind to the high handicappers. In all, there are 7,200 yards in the par 72 championship course to conquer amidst breathtaking scenery. Each hole generously offers five tee placements, including junior tees.
Designed by American golf course architect Kevin Ramsey of Golfplan USA, the front nine plays out a mountain course while the back offers play on the seaside nine.
The mountain nine (holes 1-9) tees off from a scenic elevated green, with the rest of the course offering challenges from woody groves. Expect high grasslands atop the ridges and tropical rainforest at the inland portions. With play situated at or near the peaks and ridges of the development there are views of the sea as well as the Zambales and Bataan mountain ranges.
The seaside nine (holes 10-18) is reminiscent of popular seaside courses. This is a slightly more challenging course, but also the most scenic. The layout combines panoramic sea views and nature preserves with play towards, and even right on the beach.
Each hole has its own character and names, such as Resilience, Discipline and Composure.
Still, nothing gives better inspiration than a stupendous view. These include holes perched on a cliff above the sea, or set high atop the rolling hillsides with wraparound views of the West Philippine Sea and the mountains across the bay to the Bataan peninsula.
The mountains frame everything, yet the ocean is so close—visible from everywhere on site.
No golf widows
There are no golf widows, and orphans in Anvaya cove, which offers a beach and nature club, and a residential community.
Anvaya is a Sanskrit word for ‘family’. True to its word, ALP designed Anvaya cove with “resort lifestyle” in mind. Appealing to those who want privacy and exclusivity, it offers an abundance of activities that encourage family bonding.
The property—covering 470-hectares—offers the best of both worlds: the golf course and sports club, as well as the beach and nature club.
The exclusive beach and nature club features two restaurants, a spa, a nature camp, a pool complex and a pristine beach, all to ensure you won’t have to leave the property to relax and be entertained.
Although there are essentially two clubs in one location, members of the golf & sports club can also enjoy the amenities at the beach & nature club, including more than 40 guest cottages or casitas.
The Toyota Altis 1.6V gets to Bataan in a breeze
Takes 2.5 hours journey, 96 kms of highway, with aplomb
Getting to Anvaya cove means travelling through a breathtaking backdrop of the Silangin and Bataan mountain ranges amidst the waters of Subic Bay. The roads are superb, but ostensibly challenging due to the long straightaways and tortuous hairpin curves and steep climbs.
For this trip, Manila Standard opted for the Toyota Altis, 1.6 V, a compact sedan which was more than equal to the challenge of navigating though Metro Manila’s traffic snarl, the ultra-modern tollroad system of the NLEX and SCTEX, and the country roads leading to Bataan.
The Altis balances elegance with sportiness. Look hard and you’ll see bits of Camry, RAV4, and 86 thrown in.
Inside, the Altis 1.6 V does luxury, instead of going sporty. From a monotone black interior, the 1.6 V swaps it for a two-tone black-and-beige number. The color palette does wonders in creating a much airier feel and makes the 1.6 V feels homey and welcoming. It also visually enlarges the already cavernous cabin making it look even bigger.
No pretense
The entirety of the Altis 1.6 V driving experience is best summed in two words: small Camry . While the 2.0 V, with its sporty body kit and 17-inch alloy wheels, may create expectations of a four-door 86, the 1.6 V doesn’t have to deal with such pretense.
The 1.6 V feels responsive from the get-go. A bulk of the credit goes to Toyota’s unique CVT transmission that integrates a torque converter that keeps the engine at optimal revs during take-off. There’s absolutely none of the rubber band-like sensation commonly associated with CVT transmissions.
Though the 1.6-liter engine and CVT transmission combo has little problem cruising on NLEX at a steady pace, overtaking requires more careful planning as top-end power just isn’t there. But for as long as you’re driving relaxed rather than attacking corners, the power is more than enough. As for fuel economy, the 1.6 V does 10.75 km/L in city traffic.
The rest of the Altis package falls among similar lines: it’s a relaxed, smooth, and quiet cruiser. The steering is precise; the brakes bite well but require some pedal force; and there’s pronounced body roll through corners.
On the flipside, it manages to soak any sort of road undulation, big or small, low speed or high speed. The Altis 1.6 V behaves squarely in line with the traditional sense of what makes for a great ride.