A Chinese Golf Odyssey
Hainan Is An Oriental Golfing Treat With Pristine Beaches And Verdant Fairways
In China, there are 618 golf courses spread across expanses that range from mountains to seaside links and even courses with views over some of the country's iconic ancient relics and culture.
The heyday for golf in the Middle Kingdom began in the early 2000 with countless properties sprouting up all over the vast nation – it was a game that businessmen and government officials enjoyed with as much fervency. It also began luring golfing tourists from the world over, particularly Southeast Asia, to its shores.
Alas, while politics played a part in its growth, it also caused its demise. Since 2017, more than 100 golf courses have been ordered to shut its doors in a nationwide crackdown on graft. The privacy of the golf club was rumoured to be a place where politics and business mixed in more ways than one.
However, a bright spot has shone throughout this difficult time for the game, Hainan Island being the shining example.
An island province of China and the nation's southernmost point known for its tropical climate, beach resorts and forested, mountainous interior, Hainan's southern city of Sanya has many beaches that include the 22-kilometre long Sanya Bay and the crescent-shaped Yalong Bay with its panoply of luxury hotels and golf courses.
Haikou, its capital city situated on the northern coastline, also boasts some amazing golfing treats with the astoundingly massive Mission Hills Resort, dubbed the world's largest golf club, at its helm.
Sandy Sanya
With immaculate beaches lined with coconut trees and a breathtaking view of the crystal clear South China Sea, Sanya has emerged as a popular holiday destination over the past decade due to the efforts of the Hainan Tourism Office as well as the growing hospitality industry sited on the southern end of this unique island province. A luxury holiday haven that boasts both sea view and mountain landscapes with numerous scenic spots and trails to hike, it's great for families too.
Apart from the family-friendly activities available, golfers are also in for a treat with some of the best golf courses on a stretch known as ‘China's Florida'; namely Yalong Bay, Red Gorge Golf Club, Luhuitou Golf Club and Sanya Haitang Bay Peninsular Golf Club.
Yalong Bay Golf Club
Designed by the renowned Robert Trent Jones Jnr., Yalong Bay Golf Club is every golfer's must-play at Sanya on Hainan Island, or what the local authorities term, the “Hawaii of China”.
Located 30 minutes from the Phoenix International Airport, the golf course boasts lush tropical vegetation and native grasses that line each hole, with glistening water features constructed within the playing grounds to give the course more character.
Having earned international accolades and played host to major tournaments in the region, Yalong Bay's brilliant course structure provides golfers of all levels a certain amount of challenge.
In comparison to Palm Beach or Palm Springs in Florida, Yalong Bay's broad fairways and 98 well-placed bunkers add to the challenge and charm of this seemingly easy course. However, don't be fooled, the course may not be long, playing at only 7,189 yards from the tips, but accuracy is key to certain holes, keeping golfers on their toes.
Nine of the 18 holes are flood lit to accommodate golfers finishing after sundown, and buggies are restricted to the cart paths. Take note that the caddies are an absolutely delight, with many having worked the course for numerous years and also caddying for professional events.
This world class golf course is also adjacent to a resort property a quick two-minute buggy ride away, with 28 spacious deluxe rooms and nine suites overlook the driving range and first tee. Golfers looking to do some shopping and evening galivanting will delight in the La Floret Mall with its varied dining options only a 10-minute walk away.
Besides staying at the golf hotel, there is also the Palace Resort & Spa Yalong Bay or the Sanya Marriott Yalong Bay Resort & Spa.
The Palace Resort & Spa Yalong Bay in particular, has 452 fully equipped rooms and comprehensive facilities, and faces the beautiful coast of the South China sea, which stretches across seven kilometres of sand and white waves. Adjacent to Yalong Bay Love Cube Beach, Sanya Art Center and the largest cinema in Yalong Bay, it is a stone's throw away from Baihuagu Town Fengqing Commercial Street and Yatai Commercial Center.
Red Gorge Golf Club
A further 20 minute car ride away, and you'll be greeted by the Red Gorge Golf Club, also known as Sun Valley Sanya Golf Resort. Similar to Yalong Bay, this course is tied to a resort built within a stone's throw, making the stay-and-play option an obvious choice.
The 27 hole layout is situated much closer to the mountains surrounding Sanya, which also means that forest vegetation is much denser, with entwined shrublands. Clear skies and fairly wide fairways lead up to relatively largish greens, which meant hitting it on target wasn't much of an issue on most holes, but its sloping and slightly undulating terrain may require consulting your caddie for local knowledge to steer you away from three putts.
Spread out as three nine-hole courses, it is not difficult to have more than one favourite hole on site, especially since they were awarded as Golf Digest's Best Mountain Course in 2009.
The signature hole on the Lake View course (A Course) has to be the 4th hole, where it holds the record for the longest tee box in China at a length of 175 yeards, as well as for the largest green in Sun Valley with a total area of 1,1840 square feet.
In addition, the view is absolutely spectacular – with the lake on the right, the backdrop features stunning views of the mountains with the next few holes wrapped snug between.
Then, there is the 9th hole on the Desert course, which will appeal to golfers who enjoy a good rip at the only Par 6 in China that measures off at 828 yards.
Yalong Bay Golf Club is every golfer’s must-play at Sanya on Hainan Island, or what the local authorities term, the “Hawaii of China”.
Luhuitou Golf Club
A hot favourite, Sanya Luhuitou Golf Club is an hour's drive from the Yalong district. Its perfect rolling fairways and pristine greens located away from the hustle and bustle of the city makes the journey more than worth it.
Designed by Neil Haworth, whose firm has designed nearly 10% of all the courses in China, the Par 72 course plays to a total length of 7,310 yards. With the beautiful Luhuitou Park on the other side and a long stretch of slivery beach which leads out into the Dadong Sea, most holes are a sight to behold.
The layout follows the natural terrain of the course, with approach shots to greens elevated and surrounded by bunkers strategically placed throughout the course. The Par 5s at Luhuitou are tricky, with the second hole reachable in two down a stretch which narrows down to the green, and an absolutely breathtaking sixth hole.
Both holes feature water hazards on the right through the green. Playing to the left side and leaving a slightly longer approach is the recommended prudent play, especially when against the wind with a bunker protecting the green's front.
The 18th hole wraps up the round with a challenging uphill battle against the wind to a green that is completely not visible. But get to the top and you'll be greeted by stunning views of the surrounding landscape and the Dadong Sea while you catch your breath.
A popular spot for wedding photos, it isn't uncommon to see several couples at the same time posing with the scenic backdrop. The course plays relatively long, with many Par 3s about 200 yards to the pin while the shorter Par 4s are designed with a narrow girth and lined with water hazards and thick vegetation.
Sanya Haitang Bay Peninsula Golf Club
This seaside championship 18-hole course pairs a sensational view to its exceptional tract. Playing at 7,345 yards, Sanya Haitang Bay Peninsula Golf Club is surrounded by the inland sea and the South China Sea, making exciting use of beach and water to ensure golfers get an experience. The magnificent sea-view golf course was built with bunkers strategically placed to make the fairways look narrower than it actually is.
Bustling Haikou
From Sanya, tourists may also head up north to another point of view of this tropical Chinese island called Haikou, otherwise known as the port city of Hainan, as well as its capital. One of the first things that is hard to miss here is the abundance of coconut trees, which is a breath of fresh air as compared to other parts of China.
Mention Haikou to golfers and the first thing that comes to mind would be Mission Hills Golf Club, but golf in Haikou is more than the distinguished charms and wonder of Mission Hills. Two other notable golf courses come to mind, the R&F Mangrove Golf Club and West Coast Golf Club.
Mission Hills Golf Club
The newly formed Hainan International Golf Alliance in May this year has the mandate to promote inbound golf tourism to the island province. Tenniel Chu of Mission Hills Group, owner and operator of Mission Hills Haikou, the world's largest public golf resort with 10 courses in Hainan, will serve as Chairman of the Alliance.
This mega golf resort 1.5 times the size of Manhattan, and its sheer size reflects its status within the province. But more than that, it is firstly a wonderful exposition of golf and the luxury lifestyle.
Built in 2010, the championship Blackstone course has held its own against the top golfers in the world. Site of the World Cup of Golf in 2011, various celebrity Proams, including the 2012 Mission Hills World Celebrity Pro-am with a US$1 million prize purse, have been hosted on Blackstone.
At 7,808 yards long on a 350-acre site, the course is a mix of mature trees, dense tropical jungle and natural wetlands, and is designed by Brian Curley of Schmidtcurley Design; he was also instrumental in the construction of many of the resort's courses, including Lava Fields, built amongst prevalent volcanic rocks that double up as aesthetic breaks as much as hazard, and the classically designed Vintage course.
Built as though it were a township, the property has been developed to includ cinemas, sporting facilities, retail outlets and a water theme park to boot.
R&F Mangrove Bay Golf Club
Located in the famous city of Chengmai only 30 minutes away from Haikou City, R&F Mangrove Bay Golf Club boasts 148 hectares of rolling fairway and plays to 7,107 yards. Lakes and tropical plants abound, integrating with the mangrove trees and wildlife throughout the course making it more challenging for elite and social golfers alike.
Curving around lakes and villas, the golf course plays mostly to doglegs both left and right, with the occasional elevation and depression on trickier holes such as the Par 5, 6th where a good drive will place you in a favourable position to cross the water before approaching the green.
West Coast Golf Club
Located at the coast of the Qiongzhou Straits directly opposite Meishi Mayflower International Golf Club, there is a strong oriental feel throughout the clubhouse courtesy of the strategically placed fengshui items.
This championship 18-hole golf course is the first Dye family design in China. Playing to a par of 72, The 7,627 yards long course features undulating fairways and gentle sloping greens that requires sufficient course knowledge to understand and navigate around with ease. To add to the challenge, the wind sweeps off the ocean to test a golfer's ability and accuracy. In the late afternoons, the temperature drops slightly making the round even more enjoyable.
Since its formal opening, West Coast Golf Club has attracted numerous guests from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, including Korea and Japan.
From Sanya to Haikou, the multitude of options for golf coupled with the fair weather, Hainan is ideal for a golf holiday many times over. As touted by Hainan tourism, it is all the sun, and all the fun.