TAT Filipinas Golf Club, San Pedro, Laguna, Philippines

MANILA, Philippines—They were able to shake the car industry out of the doldrums, an extraordinary feat considering that car sales have remained uninspired for the past several years.

By launching more appealing car models—with better performing engines and more inspired designs—coupled with a more aggressive marketing strategy, the country’s car companies have succeeded in wooing back buyers.

Lots of them, in fact.

For the first time in more than a decade, this year’s domestic car sales are poised to exceed the 1996 sales figure of 162,000 units—a pre-Asian crisis high.

To acknowledge this feat, the Philippine Daily Inquirer Motoring section and Inquirer Golf Monthly magazine together with major backer Pilipinas Shell have decided that it’s time to salute the irrepressible car executives and the other industry partners and treat them to a game of golf that they will not easily forget.

The First Philippine Automotive Golf Cup, which will be held at the TAT Filipinas Golf Club in San Pedro, Laguna, on November 16 will certainly be an excellent reason for them to take time out from their busy schedule.

After all, almost everyone in the local automotive business will be there—the big bosses behind the Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Ford, Foton, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, MINI Cooper, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, UMC, Toyota, and Volvo brands in the Philippines—and it would be exciting to know who among them will turn out to be the most skilled—or the luckiest—in the game of golf.

“I believe every executive needs interludes of quiet and rest as he or she thinks through what has been going on in his or her office. Golf events such as this offer us a chance to clear away some of the stresses at work,” said Isuzu Motor Philippines SVP Arthur Balmadrid who will be playing along with the automaker’s Japanese executives.

Balmadrid added the First Philippine Automotive Golf Cup is a perfect event to link up with their colleagues in the automotive industry most of whom enjoy their weekends by heading to their favorite golf courses.

“While we try to outdo each other in the hope of posting the best car sales figure, we are fellow partners all working to make the Philippine car industry return to profitability,” he said.

Balmadrid is also excited about the game’s venue describing TAT Filipinas Golf Club “as one of the finest and most challenging golf courses in the country.”

Designed by world renowned Japanese architect Inoue Seiichi, the championship 18-hole, par 72 course puts sustainability at its heart considering that it conserves water way much better than the rest as well as uses nitrogen fertilizer way below the prescribed limits.

Such sustainability efforts bodes well for the players of the November 16 event considering these automotive executive also puts sustainability at the heart of their respective company’s operations as well as car products.

What the Inquirer Motoring and Inquirer Golf Monthly prepared should prove exciting for the participants.

The First Philippine Automotive Golf Cup will be awarded to the team (made up of car executives) which will score the lowest in a four-to-play, three-to-count format.

The event will also feature a separate individual competition among all the invited guests.

Of course not only the car executives will be able to enjoy the game as their invited teammates (dealers and suppliers) will also be able to play in the Open category.

The First Philippine Automotive Golf Cup, which is presented by Pilipinas Shell and supported by Lucerne, The Primer Group/Travel Club and Johnny Tan as major sponsors and Bosch, Philippine Airlines and Red Rock Travel as minor sponsors will give the winning teams travel packages, golf carts and many more.

Hole-in-one prizes include a Yamaha cart and a Club Car.

Among the sponsors are Print Town Group of Companies, Hinge Inquirer Publications, Home Depot, The Bellevue Manila, Winterpine, Club 357, Boracay Sands, Johnnie Walker, Concept One, Master Sports Corp., and the Autohub Group.