This is the dramatic moment a powerful lightning strike jolted golfers sheltering from a monsoon storm in the Philippines.

The players abandoned their round on the fairways and took cover under a pavilion as heavy rain battered the Tagaytay Highlands Golf Club in Tagaytay province on July 1 afternoon.

As they waited for the storm to subside, a bolt of lightning flashed followed by loud thunder that crackled across the golf course, causing the guests to flinch.

Tourist Oneal Tan said: 'We didn't check the weather. We thought it was okay since there was no rain on Friday, June 30.

'We arrived at around 12 and started playing at around 1:40 pm. The weather was okay at first. It was sunny when we started. Then at around 3 pm, the golf club issued an advisory to stop playing.

'The thunder was intense. I counted around 20 lightning strikes. It was like Mother Nature waging war on us.'

The Philippines and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia are approaching their annual monsoon rainy season which sees soaring temperatures followed by powerful rain storms in the afternoon leading to widespread flash floods.