Mission Hills - Faldo Course

Mission Hills - Faldo Course
觀瀾湖高爾夫球會

Course Data

Location	Shenzhen, China
Yardage	6892 yards　Par 72
Course Rating	73.6
Playing Date	30 Aug. 2003 & 18 Jan. 2005
Desingner	Nick Faldo, Shmidt & Curley
Opened	1999
Caddy	Yes
Golf Cart	Yes (Compulsory)

Rating

Overall Rating

4.30

Course Layout	4
Difficulty Level	4
Greens Conditions	4
Fairways Conditions	5
Landscaping & Views	5

It is my first time to play a Nick Faldo designed course. Most people say it is an easy course but I think that it is difficult because the length is 6900 yards from the pro-tees and bunkers & ponds are strategically well placed. If the intermediate or advanced players use the blue-tees, the distance is a mere 6200 yards, 900 yards less. I assume that consequently a lot of hazards that are in play from the pro-tees become just ornaments. The course layout demands forces you to think carefully about how to attack the pins before you hit each shot. This is a wonderful course, having a good layout, a high degree of difficulty and superb fairway conditions, which make you want to come back here and challenge it again.

2nd　 Par 4　448 yards

2nd　 Par 4　448 yards (2)

2nd　 Par 4　448 yards (1)

A slightly downhill dogleg to the right and long par 4. A pond extends from 100 yards in front of the green to the left side of the green. A large bunker in front of the green comes into play, which makes the second shot demanding.

4th　 Par 5　492 yards

This is not a long par 5 but requires a very challenging tee shot. If the ball is curved to the left, even if only slightly, it goes into a pond facing the left side of the narrow fairway. If you take the right side of the fairway, 4 big bunkers are waiting for the ball. Even if your tee shot is good, you’ll be under big pressure on the second shot of this par 5 because there is another pond extending from a hundred yards in front of the green to the right side of the green

4th　 Par 5　511 yards (3)

4th　 Par 5　511 yards (2)

4th　 Par 5　511 yards (1)

5th　 Par 4　371 yards

5th　 Par 4　371 yards (2)

5th　 Par 4　371 yards (1)

A short par 4 with the green swung to the right. The tee shot is intimidating because you need to hit the narrow landing area guarded by bunkers on the right and water on the left. The green is also protected by water on the front and bunkers at the rear, so an accurate approach shot is needed.

6th　Par 3　197 yards

6th　 Par 3　197 yards

Because there is a pond running from right in front of the green to the left side of the green edge and there is plenty of distance as much as 200 yards left to the green, this hole is very difficult. It would be a wise decision to hit the right edge of the green by giving up a birdie, and to save par for a long par putt or one chip one putt. The official stroke index shows that this hole is the 4th easiest hole, which I cannot believe.

9th　 Par 4　471 yards

A slight uphill, very long par 4. The bunkers crossing the left half of the fairway come into play off the tee. Par here is like birdie anywhere else.

9th　 Par 4　471 yards (3)

9th　 Par 4　471 yards (2)

9th　 Par 4　471 yards (1)

14th　 Par 4　452 yards

14th　 Par 4　452 yards (2)

14th　 Par 4　452 yards (1)

A dogleg to the left turns uphill on the second shot. The landing area on the first shot is not generous due to 5 well-placed bunkers. The shape of the green is like a horseback and you may face 3 putts depending on the ball position.

16th　 Par 3　163 yards

16th green seen from the diagonal

16th　 Par 3　163 yards

Although downhill and a short distance par 3, the island green is only 30 yards in diameter so a precise shot is required. The right club selection is crucial on this hole. It is a kind of fun to play this hole from the tee but not from the front tee. It’s only about 110 yards to the green from the front tee and when you consider that it’s downhill, the real distance would be around 90 yards. The distance from the front tee needs to be shortened for beginners because the green is small compared to the average size of island greens. However, I think that not many people will be happy to hit a green in regulation for 90 yards distance by using PW or SW.

17th　 Par 4　470 yards

17th　 Par 4　470 yards (2)

17th　 Par 4　470 yards (1)

A long and difficult par 4 with water on the right. The green is swung to the right and the second shot is over water and bunkers, which is demanding.

18th　 Par 5　516 yards

A beautiful par 5 with a tight fairway and a pond on the right and bunkers on the left side of the fairway, which make you nervous on the tee shot. The pond on the right is extended to the front of the green and so it is difficult to hit the green in two. The green is a peninsular shape and guarded on three sides by water.

18th　 Par 5　516 yards (3)

18th　 Par 5　516 yards (2)

18th　 Par 5　516 yards (1)

19th hole

It is a little inconvenient to spend extra 15-20 minutes from the clubhouse by a golf club bus. So, there are fewer players compared to the other 4 first-built courses, which helps to maintain the good condition of the fairways. One drawback is the current slow condition of the greens but otherwise it is almost a perfect quality golf course.

I could play from the black tees, the longest tees by showing the starter a single-handicap certificate.

10 designers' pictures

Mission Hills GC is the world’s biggest golf complex with 10 courses or 180 holes as of 2004, overtaking the huge Pinehurst resort in North Carolina, which has eight 18-hole courses.　The picture shows the 10 designers who are all world-famous players or a teaching pro. The 10 courses are designed by Jack Nicklaus, Vijay Singh, Nick Faldo, Jumbo Ozaki, Ernie Els, Annika Sorenstam, David Duval, Jose Maria Olazabal, David Leadbetter and Greg Norman.

Co-designers, Lee Schmidt & Brian Curley are the principal architects behind the 8 of the 10 courses. They designed the other courses in Asia, Muang Kaew GC (remodeled), Chiang Mai Highlands G＆SR, Amata Spring CC in Thailand, Grande Hamanako GC in Japan and Agile (雅居楽長江) G&CC - B Course in China.

Their joint designs with Jack Nicklaus in Asia are Spring City (春城) Ｇ＆ＬＲ - Mountain Course, Chung Shan Hot Spring (中山温泉) GC - Jack Nicklaus Course in China, Ishioka GC, Rokkou Kokusai GC (remodeled), The Tradition GC, President GC, Sanyo GC (remodeled), New Capital GG, Sun Belgravia GC, Bear Paws Japan GC in Japan, Sungai Long CC in Malaysia, and Springfield Royal CC in Thailand.