The Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club
清水灣郷村倶樂部

Course Data
LocationHong Kong, China
Yardage 6115 yards Par 70
Course Rating70.5
Playing Date 2 Aug. 2003
DesignerT. Sawai & A.Furukawa
Opened1982
Caddie No
Golf CartYes
Rating
Overall Rating
3.65
Course Layout
3
Difficulty Level
4
Greens Condition
4
Fairways Condition
4
Landscaping & Views
4
When there are official games and pro’s tournaments, the first 9 and the back 9 are reversed, so I played accordingly. Consequently, hole indications here are for the other standard routing with normal course indications as shown on the scorecard’s indications.
The course is located at the southernmost part of the Sai Kung peninsula on the cliff top along the coastline. The scenery seen from the course is breathtakingly spectacular, like Pebble Beach or Cypress Point in California or Kawana GC in Japan.
The 5th and 18th are world-class excellent holes and some par 3s are also impressive. However, due to the constraint of severe terrain and poor course design, I felt that many other holes have been forced to use unsuitable terrain, so there are many blind holes or unpleasant holes. Although the overall course layout is not great, the excellent views such as from the clubhouse and from the 18th green more than compensate for some shortcomings. The course is relatively short for Par 70 but the difficulty level of the course increases if it is exposed to strong winds off the sea.

A view from the clubhouse

A view from the clubhouse

A view from 17th green
5th　 Par 4　345 yards
This is a mere 335 yard par 4 but it is still selected as one of the best 500 holes in the world in the year of 2000 by a US golf magazine. It is called the canyon hole. At this dogleg to the right, you need to carry over a cliff and hit a protruding small peninsula. The fairway is very tight and if you slice the ball even a little, the ball will disappear into the ocean or bushes. If you hit too cautiously to the left side of the fairway, you may find heavy rough or the OB stick for the next hole, which make it difficult to have a birdie or a par. If you use a fairway wood instead of a driver for the tee shot, the far fairway bunker on the left is in play. This beautiful hole is a short but great hole since you need to elaborate a plan of where to land the ball by calculating the effect of strong costal winds on your ball line.
 

5th green

5th　Par 4　345 yards (2)

5th　Par 4　345 yards (1)

6th　 Par 3　192 yards

6th green

6th　Par 3　192 yards
A slight downhill par 3. If you slice a ball even a little, you may find 3 bunkers on the right side of the green. If you slice it further, the ball fades into the ocean. You need to read the wind and use the right club.
11th　 Par 3　163 yards

11th green

11th　Par 3　163 yards
You can enjoy the scenery of this hole, too. In spite of its relatively a short distance, it is not easy hole, it takes the brunt of the sea wind. The left side of the green is ocean and the right side has two deep bunkers. The green is big with undulations, so you might make 3 putts although you hit the green in regulation.
17th　 Par 4　332 yards

17th　Par 4　332 yards (2)

17th　Par 4　332 yards (1)
A strong uphill hole with narrow fairways. The left side faces the ocean. The panoramic views from the green are superb.
 
18th　Par 5　556 yards
A challenging finishing hole with good scenery. At official games and pro’s tournaments, the club uses this ordinary 9th hole as the 18th. This is demanding downhill dogleg to the right. If you choose a shortcut and aim too much to the left side of the fairway, you may find yourself in the valley. If you take to the right side, the ball has a high chance of going into a grove and being lost. There is an uphill to the green and very difficult putting due to the steep slope.
 

18th hole seen from the green

18th　Par 5　556 yards (2)

18th　Par 5　556 yards (1)

19th hole

A shop overlooking panoramic views

You need to be accompanied by a member and Saturdays and Sundays are members only. This time I could play here since I was selected as a player of an interclub match held once a year against the Discovery Bay GC that I belong to. There are 4 private golf clubs in Hong Kong and the interclub matches are held with each other one a year.

A new clubhouse has recently completed and the scenery from the pro shop is excellent. They plan to redesign and overhaul the front nine within a few years and make it 200 yards longer and more challenging. Also, they plan to install new grass on the in 2004 since the condition of the roots is poor, which makes the speed very slow. When these kind of extensive renovations are completed, the evaluation could be superior.

It takes 40 minutes by car from Central, the center of Hong Kong, to the club that is located in much greener area compared to the general image of “ Hong Kong as a skyscraper big city” Amazingly, in Hong Kong where 40% of the land area is designated as country parks, so you can enjoy the great outdoors just a short distance from downtown.