Mission Hills Golf Club (Faldo Course)
觀瀾湖高爾夫球會、費度球場

 

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, Schmidt & Curley
Opened 1999
Caddy Yes
Golf Cart Yes
Rating
Overall Rating
430
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.

Scorecard

 
2nd  Par 4 448 yards
4番 パー4 457ヤード
2nd  Par 4 448 yards (2)
4番 パー4 457ヤード
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
 
4番 パー4 457ヤード
4th  Par 5 511 yards (3)
4番 パー4 457ヤード
4th  Par 5 511 yards (2)
4番 パー4 457ヤード
4th  Par 5 511 yards (1)
 
5th  Par 4 371 yards
4番 パー4 457ヤード
5th  Par 4 371 yards (2)
4番 パー4 457ヤード
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
4番 パー4 457ヤード
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.
 
4番 パー4 457ヤード
9th  Par 4 471 yards (3)
4番 パー4 457ヤード
9th  Par 4 471 yards (2)
4番 パー4 457ヤード
9th  Par 4 471 yards (1)
 
14th  Par 4 452 yards
4番 パー4 457ヤード
14th  Par 4 452 yards (2)
4番 パー4 457ヤード
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
4番 パー4 457ヤード
16th green seen from the diagonal
4番 パー4 457ヤード
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
4番 パー4 457ヤード
17th  Par 4 470 yards (2)
4番 パー4 457ヤード
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.
 
4番 パー4 457ヤード
18th  Par 5 516 yards (3)
4番 パー4 457ヤード
18th  Par 5 516 yards (2)
4番 パー4 457ヤード
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.



Restaurant

Breakfast


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, 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 216 holes.

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.