Hann Reserve is preparing for its highly anticipated grand opening, with the impressive golf-centered lifestyle resort off to an impressive start since its soft launch in January, as IAG discovered on a recent visit.
Hann Reserve, the eco-golf and lifestyle resort being developed in New Clark City, achieved a long-awaited milestone on 30 January when it soft-opened the first of its three world-class golf courses: Dragons Landing by Nicklaus Design.
The elevated course, offering sweeping views of the Zambales mountain range that edges Luzon’s central plains, has since been available to only a select few – no more than 40 of nearby Hann Casino Resort’s casino players and VIP guests per day – with the experience still a far cry from the finished product that awaits but enough to whet the appetite of those lucky enough to have driven its lush fairways.
A second course designed by Korea’s KJ Choi and a third from Faldo Design are in the works, but already the feedback has been universally encouraging, according to Tim Neil, General Manager of Hann Reserve Golf.
“It’s been a long journey to get here, and one of the best things has been how overwhelmingly positive the feedback has been,” Neil said.
“You know, the design we have here for Dragons Landing is like a mountaintop link style golf course. It’s exposed to the elements. We’ve got hard, fast greens, and there is a lot of undulation through the fairways.
“So, it’s a challenge but I think a challenge the golfers are really enjoying.”
It has also been an epic challenge just to arrive at this point.
“We’ve been doing this for almost three years now, and at the start the whole project seemed almost impossible because of how mountainous it is here,” recounts Agnes “Neki” Liwanag, Vice President for Real Estate and Property Development of Hann Philippines Inc.
“The land was not even available for lease at the time, but [company founder Dae Sik Han] had the vision. We knew it would be difficult because it was located on a mountain and it’s really big.”
Asked about the biggest challenge to date, Liwanag quickly replied, “Nature, because you cannot change nature – you have to adjust to it. The rain here [in New Clark City] is a lot more than what we experience down [in Clark]. Plus the style of development is different, because what we have built in Clark (Hann Casino Resort) is vertical buildings whereas here it’s land development.
“It has been a learning experience but a good one, too. And we have proven to be successful because we have planted properly, we have worked with a lot of experts to help us and that’s the easiest way to do it.
“It has been daunting but now we can see the progress and it’s just beautiful.”
When Inside Asian Gaming spoke with Paul Stringer, President of Nicklaus Design, in November, he detailed a golf course that utilizes the natural topography of the landscape while ensuring a playable experience even for casual golfers.
But that’s just the start.
Once fully realized, Hann Reserve will boast three PGA-accredited golf courses alongside a spectacular clubhouse and a PGA Performance Center aimed at becoming a training ground for the next generation of golfers. These will form the center of a community that also houses premium residences, world-class dining and retail, an international school, multiple outdoor lifestyle experiences, fitness and wellness offerings and cultural spaces.
Although opening across three distinct phases, when IAG visited in April – we even played a round on the Dragons Landing course – the impressively expansive clubhouse was already on the verge of opening, and the second KJ Choi course was taking shape just to the right of the clubhouse’s main viewing area.
There was also a flurry of activity all around the property, with hundreds of workers busily preparing everything from access roads to bunkers to the large maintenance building that will ensure Hann Reserve always stays in pristine shape.
Further infrastructure is on the way, while a brand-new arterial roadway makes the trip from Clark to New Clark City a breeze.
“When the government decided to build the road, it helped us a lot in terms of accessibility and making [Hann Reserve] easy to locate,” Liwanag explains. “We’re also anticipating other developments like trains coming up, so it will bring more people here.
“From our perspective, we like the concept of New Clark City being a smart city that is an environmental and nature-led development, because that’s what we are building now. We are about nature, wellness, so everything lines up together. Obviously in Clark, it’s different and more about lifestyle, entertainment, the fun side of the urban lifestyle.”
On Hann Reserve’s environmental pledge, Neil notes that the property was recently recognized by The R&A – one of world golf’s two governing bodies – as a sustainable venue, becoming one of only around 30 courses worldwide to have been formally recognized for its practices. Neil emphasized that sustainability goes beyond surface-level initiatives.
“It comes down to the choices that we’ve made,” Neil says, “whether it’s the low hanging fruit like no single-use plastics and things like that or the finer details such as the type of grass we use, the reduced water consumption we’ve embraced or the sourcing of water from borewells. We’re using natural aquifers to actually water the golf course.
“And above that is the technology and the irrigation systems, the way that we can monitor dry areas on the golf course and can be a lot more targeted in how we use water. So, water conservation is incredibly important.”
Aside from providing a unique experience for Hann’s casino members, the ultimate vision of Mr Han is, Neil adds, to be a game changer on the regional golfing scene.
“I remember having this conversation when I first met Mr Han around how do we move the needle for golf in the region?” he explains. “I think that obviously comes down to great golf course design and great partnerships that have incredible credibility. Partnering with KJ Choi [for the second golf course] was a great strategic move because 60% of our business is South Korean, and we have terrific relationships with the R&A and the PGA of America. We will in the future open the PGA Centre of Excellence here at Hann Reserve.
“So, I think what Mr Han has done is create a melting pot of quality golf education with the goal of developing the next generation of talent, and then to bring great tournaments, great events here through our relationships with the major tours as well.
“The big picture is to build this elevated luxury, high-quality base, bring these brands in and go on this journey together. And I think that model hasn’t really been done before anywhere around the world. For us, that will be our defining feature.”
More broadly, Hann Reserve aims to become an independent community with golf as its anchor but with much more to offer those who opt to call it home.
“The international school will help us put people here for the long term, which will increase our viability as a community,” says Liwanag.
“Obviously commercial real estate is in the pipeline for Hann Reserve, which really points to Mr Han’s vision coming to life. He is a very hands-on style of person and is always there reminding us of what the direction is. He’s also looking into the global markets and the direction of the world economy, because he wants to make sure that we are aligned with it and won’t be left behind.
“As I always tell people, Mr Han is a future thinker, so even though we’re in 2026 right now, his mind is already in the future. That’s good for us and for Hann Reserve.”
