| Attn: Regarding the course rating,
it used to be 73.6 for 7104 yards. I estimate 74.2 because the recent renovation
has lengthened the course extended more than 200 yards. |
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The course is long, over 7,300 yards, over an
almost flat terrain. You can see greens from tees on many holes, which gives
you a good impression. Overall the course is not too tough and its fairways
are relatively generous, so you don't feel it is as difficult as the total
yardage might indicate. However, the course provides an excellent layout
where good shots are rewarded and bad shots are penalized. The last 9 holes
are especially great and you can enjoy all kinds of golf challenges with
each hole varying dramatically.
Scorecard
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| A gentle dogleg to the right with
a drive over a lake and a bunker. The second shot is slightly uphill with
a pond and bunkers on the front left of the green. The hole has very beautiful
natural scenery. |
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A dogleg to the left with a narrow fairway. The second shot is uphill to
the two-tiered green. |
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| A downhill tee shot enables a long hitter to hit
the green in 2. However, a lake crossing in front of the green might make
you decide to lay up in front of the lake. The view of the green and its
surrounding area is wonderful. |
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A long, slightly uphill par 4. The tee shot needs to carry 200 yards to
clear a lake. The bunkers in front of the green are well positioned. You
can enjoy the natural scenery on this hole, too. |
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An excellent par 5 that can can be reached in two shots. A precise and
long drive is required down the narrow fairway guarded by bunkers. Bunkers
are also well positioned on the second shot. A lake bordering the right
side of the narrow fairway extends to greenside, so watch out on left
to right balls. If you hit every shot accurately, you will be rewarded
by a birdie. But if you slice or hook the ball, you end up with a bogey
easily. This hole has undergone a big change in 2004. In the past, the
landing area for drives used to be a lake and bushes, and you had to hit
the fairway to the right of the lake, which does not exist under the current
layout. Then, the second or third shot is across the lake to the green
whose front is guarded by water, which made it a stunning dogleg to the
left. The former layout was selected as one of the best 500 holes in the
world in 2000 by US Golf Magazine. I don't know whether or not the new
hole will be selected again (surely not) but the club maintains that the
new hole is even more difficult. Personally I prefer the old hole but
I can still completely enjoy playing the new one..
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A very long par 4 because the uphill second shot makes the hole some 20-30
yards longer than its listed 459 yards. 4 bunkers in front of the green
enhance the beauty and challenge. This is a hole where you are very happy
with a par.
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It takes one and half hours from Hong Kong by a club car. The car is
better and more comfortable than a bus because you can shorten the time
through immigration. The course requires players to have handicap certificates
and is open to members and their guests only. The adjacent hotel was very
comfortable and its Chinese restaurant was very testy.
I played in 2003 and the fairway conditions were bad because I guess too
many players like to play at this popular course. At the end of 2003, the
old fairway turf was replaced, so the course condition this time was good.
This club immediately became famous because the World Cup was held at
the World Cup Course in 1995. The Dynasty Cup, a Ryder Cup-style shootout
between Asia and Japan, was also held at the World Cup Course in 2004 & 2005.
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, Rose
- Poulter, Jose
Maria Olazabal, David
Leadbetter and Greg
Norman. The two couses were added in 2007, Pete Dye Course and Zhang
Lian Wei Couse (Par 3s course), so the club currently holds 12 curses
or 207 holes.
The other Jack Nicklaus designed courses in China are Spring
City (春城湖畔度暇村) G&LR – Mountain Course, Chung
Shan Hot Spring (中山温泉)GC – Jack Nicklaus Course,
Pine Valley International (華彬国際) GC, Shanghai
Links (上海林克司) G&CC, Hangzhou West Lake International
(杭州西湖国際) G&CC, Suzhou Sunrise (蘇州中興)
GC, Nanhu (南湖) GCC,
Palm Island
(恵陽棕櫚島) GC, Wuyi Fountain Palm (江門五邑蒲蔡)
GC.
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4th Par 4 424 yards (3)