Riviera Golf Club (Couples)

Overview: The Couples Course is one of Riviera Golf Club’s two separate 18-hole routings in Silang, Cavite. Associated with Fred Couples, Gene Bates and IMG Worldwide, it measures 7,102 yards from the gold tees and plays to par 72. The layout uses rolling ridges, tropical planting and deep changes of direction to create a resort-like appearance without softening the strategic demands. Broad fairways give the routing an inviting first impression, while bunkers, out-of-bounds lines and large, undulating greens make the approach game decisive.

History: Riviera was developed as a 36-hole golf complex on the high ground of Silang, with the Philippines Tourism profile recording 1997 as the completion year. The project was developed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines Retirement and Separation Benefits System, and the two championship routings were designed separately by major golf figures. That distinction matters here: the Couples Course is not a generic Riviera loop, but one half of a deliberately varied 36-hole property.

Did You Know? Philippine Golf Tour coverage compares the Couples routing with a Hawaiian resort course because of its tall palms and large, undulating greens. The comparison is about visual character, not difficulty. The same coverage notes that the companion Langer layout presents a markedly different test, giving Riviera two contrasting design personalities within the same elevated Cavite setting.