Mission Hills Golf Club, China (Part 2)

Mission Hills Golf Club has announced its recent recognition as the “World’s Largest Golf Club” by the Guinness World Records for the fifth straight year. Following the previous post we continue with a brief description of the courses at the Mission Hills Golf Club.

Duval Course – Duval Course (David Duval), a complex topographical layout that provide holes embracing a full range of golfing challenges The David Duval Golf Course at Mission Hills features numerous water hazards, deep groundcover and a mixture of long, short and multi-angled dogleg holes, providing a unique challenge for any golfer.

The course is designed in such a way that half of the course is situated on an uphill and the other half on a downhill slope. The first half of this course works its way up to a secluded natural valley in the northeastern part of the site, and the finishing holes work back down to the spacious, clubhouse setting. A stream meanders throughout many of the golf holes, forcing players to accurately place their golf shots to avoid this natural water hazard. Deep green groundcovers and large leafy trees mirror the natural setting of a tropical lush environment, resulting in a memorable golfing experience for players of all levels.

The Designer – David Duval is an American player full of character. He won the British Opens in 2001 and is the first player who has beaten Tiger Woods to become the World’s No.1 player, even before Vijay Singh.

Els Course – Els Course (Ernie Els), with a core layout as opposed to corridors. As the 5th signature course of Mission Hills, the theme of the Els Course is to create a lush look of dense trees, wide swaths of manicured turf to evoke a unique flavour of his South Africa homeland. Measuring over 7,000 yards, it follows a unique core layout, as opposed to corridors. Invigorating is the 4th tee, sitting atop the highest point of the course, with commanding panoramic views of Mission Hills and the outlying properties.

The Designer – Coming from South Africa, Ernie Els is a professional golf player full of energy and passion for winning. His intrinsic drive to excel earns him the nickname, “the Model Student”. He impressed the world by winning the U.S. Opens in 1994, while in 2001, his team beat many top players to win the World Cup championship.

Faldo Course – Faldo Course (Nick Faldo), Asia’s premier tournament venue. Opened in early 1999 to great critical acclaim from the international media, the Faldo Course is destined to become Asia’s premier tournament venue. One of the world’s toughest island greens is the 16th hole, the ultimate in target golf. Nick Faldo has used his outstanding shot-making skills to design an extremely challenging course for major professional championships. Every hole is highly strategic yet eminently playable.

The Designer – Named as “the European’s hero” by the European golf community, Nick Faldo is the British professional player who helped the European team to win most Ryder Cups in the world golf history. His legendary achievements of the past decade have earned him a statue in Madame Tussauds in London.

Leadbetter Course – Leadbetter Course, a true test of golfing skills, for to play it will demand every single club in the bag. David Leadbetter decided to design his first golf course in the world right here at Mission Hills. The course reflects David Leadbetter’s teaching concepts. In order to play his course well, golfers will need to use every single club in their bags – a true test of skill.

The Leadbetter Course requires precise approach shots to large undulating greens in order to play to a par. Meticulously manicured landscapes and ground covers create an aesthetic quality that golfers are sure to remember. Large, traditional, sand flashed bunkers frame the well-contoured fairways throughout the course. Tees are strategically located on each hole to assure the golfing experience will be both enjoyable, yet challenging for golfers of all levels.

The Designer – David Leadbetter is widely recognized as the “Godfather” of the world golf community. He opens the first David Leadbetter Golf Academy in China at Mission Hills. Awarded as the World’s best coach in 2003 again, his student list include several of the top 100 golf players in the world.

Norman Course – The 7,214-yard Norman Course reflects the perfect combination of golf course style and nature. The front 9 holes meander through mountain ridges and the hillside, while the back 9 holes are set in a valley. The narrow fairways, surrounded by long grass and dense forest vegetation contribute to the course’s difficulty index of over 150, which is one of the highest in Asia. Accurate golfing strategy is key to conquering this ‘Tournament Course”.

The Designer – The “Great White Shark” from Australia, Greg Norman was the world’s top player for a decade, winning close to 90 international tournaments during the 80s and 90s. Now in the business world, he is equally invincible with his strong entrepreneurship.