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This is a links course laid out on a flat terrain along Yangtze River.
Some tees and greens are elevated, providing minor ups & downs through
the course. Wind plays a significant factor. Sometimes you may feel strong
winds on the elevated tees but only a minor breeze on your second shot.
Don’t let this fool you as strong winds are actually prevailing up in
the air and you might end up with the wrong club selections. Likewise,
when you hit down to lower greens, you will feel strong winds but it won’t
be actually affected by strong winds because of the prevailing breezes
in lower grounds. Overall, the course is interesting and creates many
illusions to players. Even if there are no winds, the course has a very
high quality, challenging layout. You will feel like playing in Scotland
thanks to a links style atmosphere and raising gales through the entire
course. There are 5 par 4s over 450 yards and they become extremely difficult
on head winds. The landing areas of the tee shots are generous but closer
to the green, more hazards will come into play to pressure you on the
approaches. I like this about the Nicklaus designed courses.
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A slight dogleg to the left with the green swung further to the left. The
left side of the fairway touches a lake. The lake squeezes the fairway in
front of the green, so the approach shot is over water. |
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| A difficult hole over a lake. The green has 2 faces which
divide into left and right. The left side is a little lower. When the pin
is on the left, the hole becomes very demanding as the left of the green
borders the lake. When you take precaution of the left lake and hit safely
to the right side of the green, you might have a risk of 3 or 4 putts because
of a strong undulation. A bunker in front of the green also comes into play. |
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A gentle uphill, long par 3. It is actually much longer due to a head wind.
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| A relatively short par 5. It is possible to hit the green
in 2 as you play with a tail wind. The hole doglegs slightly to the right
100 yards in front of the green. |
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| A long straight hole. The tee shot requires you to clear
a water. A long hitter can aim the route over bunkers on the right side.
To play safe, you should hit the left half of the fairway. The left side
of the green is protected by a bunker. |
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A long par 4. This hole is very challenging as wind often blows against
you. You can drive hard as the fairway is wide but the demanding second
shot needs the distance as well as accuracy because a lake makes inroads
into the fairway in front of the green. This is a hole that you are
happy with a par. |
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| A signature hole, a slight dogleg to the left. Both the tee
and second shots require you to clear water. If you are short of the green
on the approach, your ball will be caught in a lake, and if you are long
over the green, you are likely to hit a demanding shot from the heavy rough. |
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| An almost straight hole. The layout of bunkers on the tee
shot is excellent. The tee shot from the elevated tee is gentle downhill
and the approach shot is gentle uphill. |
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You need to have a member’s introduction or to be accompanied by a member
to play here. The club is very close to the Shanghai international airport,
just a 15 minute-drive, so I saw a lot of airplanes while playing. It
takes 50 minutes from ai by car and free shuttle buses are available from
the downtown.
The official clubhouse has not yet been completed for the last 6 years
since the opening, but the restaurant in the temporary clubhouse was comfortable.
I could freely choose which tees to play.
The other Jack Nicklaus designed courses in China are Chung
Shan Hot Spring (中山溫泉)GC – Jack Nicklaus Course,
Pine Valley International (華彬國際)GC, Spring
City (春城) G&LR – Mountain Course, Palm
Island (棕櫚島) GC, Wuyi Fountain Palm (江門五邑蒲蔡)
GC, Hangzhou West Lake International (杭州西湖國際) G&CC,
Suzhou Sunrise (蘇州中興) GC, Nanhu
(南湖) GCC, Mission
Hill (觀蘭湖) GC – World Cup Course.
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3rd Par 4 410 yards (2)