On a typical mid-week 18 holes with Carlo Chungunco of Top Gear Philippines, Joel Pedro of Overland Kings and myself, with Dr. Carolyn Pedro of Centro Holistico joining us to witness the coming madness, the idea of organizing a golf tournament for members and friends of the Philippine automotive industry was hatched.
The plan was simple. Most brands host their respective golf tournaments for clients, media, and partners, but there was no current tournament specifically organized for the brands themselves—and that’s where we come in. We started listing down the names of automotive company executives, media, and industry partners we could invite, and came up with around 20 to 25 players.
That translates to around six flights, which is a manageable number and well within Sta. Elena’s 36-player limit for a Wednesday mini-tournament. A minimal fee would be collected to cover green fees, caddie fees, cart rentals, and meals. Then any expenses over our budget would be split among the three of us.
We booked with the Sta. Elena Golf Club, and the earliest date given to us was on September 30 (apparently the Wednesday mini-tournament format is very popular). That date meant that we had three months; plenty of time to plan, but also plenty of time for other things to happen.
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Carlo and I had organized golf tournaments together in the past, and Joel was a master at crafting big outdoor events. Between the three of us organizing a tournament with 25 participants, it should be a walk in the park. Besides, we wanted to keep it simple. Just a group of friends coming together to play golf, then have a nice dinner and drinks after.
There would be no big program, no fancy giveaways, not even a raffle—the only thing we would splurge on would be the best food that Sta. Elena was known for, and unlimited drinks. For added fun, we gave our little tournament a name: the Bogey Golf Invitational, a title that wouldn’t be intimidating.
Three months quickly passed, and with about six weeks to go things started to get serious. Our 25 players suddenly became 34, and from the original idea of industry friends, we suddenly had company presidents, expatriates, and senior executives from big brands joining. With the caliber of participants we now had, it was decided that we needed to step things up and make sure our guests would have the best tournament experience possible.
Joel volunteered to have his event team from Overland Kings work with us since we could use the extra hands now. Within days, we had Bogey Golf-branded giveaways like an umbrella, camping mug, ball markers, and a fancy tote bag to fill with our giveaways.
At this point, we also solicited sponsors like Lamoiyan Corporation, who showcased their latest products. Empire Golf provided genuine Titleist pouches, and Shell Pilipinas chipped in with fuel vouchers which formed part of our raffle. (Yes, we now had a raffle!) Other product partners also came in: 24 Chicken, Sarsa Manila, Bubu Retail, and Donut Lab, providing players with product gift certificates.
And then came game day on September 30, 2026. Having barely slept the night before due to a combination of anxiety and excitement, I awoke that morning to a perfect sunny day. A quick check on the weather forecast showed a minimal chance of rain.
Players started arriving at the club, and soon we had 100% attendance on a month-end and quarter-end. Amazingly, not a single player was late. The games started and ended on time, the dinner service was flawless, and as expected the food was great. Everyone left that day with smiles on their faces thanking us for a wonderful day. In my years of planning events, this has to be the first time that the whole day went by without a single hitch.
To say the event was successful would be an understatement. We had achieved our goal of bringing industry people together for a day of golf with no agenda other than to foster camaraderie and build relationships. As Joel mentioned, brands compete for market share everyday, but the Bogey Golf Invitational created a relaxed setting for executives of the Philippine automotive industry to unwind, all in the spirit of unifying the community so we may move the industry forward together.
I would like to use this space to thank everyone who made this possible. First, to my partners-in-crime Carlo and Joel—I don’t know if you guys realize what we just pulled off here, but thank you. Second, to the players who joined, thank you for the trust you put in the three of us to take the day off work (weekday and month-end!) and play in the Bogey Golf Invitational. Third, to our sponsors, Ces Pedro, Chris Tang, Serge Bernal (and team), Rachel, Marvin, Jake, and Francesca—this event would not have been possible without your support. Fourth, to the Sta. Elena team of Mary Grace, Saline, and Lorie, always a pleasure working with you guys. Finally, special thanks go out to the amazing Overland Kings team of Cynthia, Rachelle, and Jaye, whose hard work ensured that the event went smoothly.
So where to from here? Carlo, Joel, and myself have already brought up the possibility of hosting a second edition of the Bogey Golf Invitational. Nothing is final yet, but we have pencil-booked a date with Sta. Elena. And while we are limited to 36 participants, we are hoping that brands and partners who were not able join the first edition can play in the second edition. We will keep you posted. Fore!
