Golf travel to China

China is definitely not among the world's most important golf destinations - yet. With over 600 golf courses China has definitely to offer less than e.g. Japan with over 2000, but its golf courses are of outstanding quality and most of them designed by the world's leading golf players such as Nick Faldo, Robert Trent Jones JR. and Jack Nicklaus just to mention a few.
Since all major tourism destinations in China offer one or several Golf Courses, China is a perfect travel country to combine cultural sightseeing with golf play on well designed, special and attractive Golf Courses.
Besides, China offers some very unique courses, that should be aprt of every Golf Aficionado's to do list:

- Lijiang Jade Dragon Mountain Course: Located in the north of Yunnan Province, the Jade Drgon Mountain Course is with 3100 meters above sea level the highest in the Northern Hemisphere and the 8454 Yard Fairway is the second longest in the world. The adjacent and name giving Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (5596 m) offers on top of it a true mountainous or even Himalayan feeling. The course can be played all year round (except when there is snow - which is relatively rare). Lijiang, inhabited by the local Naxi minority offers in addition a rich cultural life and is a great hub for excursions lasting from one day to several weeks. The golf course is situated around one hour by car from Lijiang.



- Shenzhou Peninsula "The Dunes": Built at the south eastern part of Hainan, The Dunes, designed by Tom Weiskopf, is the new star in the Chinese golf scene and has been rated in 2014 second best golf course in China. The two 18-hole courses which almost play like a true Links course, offer especially between the holes 14 and 17 stunning vistas and the fairways and greens are in perfect condition. To get a maximum of pleasure it is recommended to play each course at least twice. For accommodation a 5* Sheraton and a 4-Points by Sheraton offer everything needed for a few days of perfect golf experience.



- Kunming Spring City: Around 2 driving hours south of Kunming, (capital of Yunnan) you can find Spring City, one of Asia's most awarded golf courses which annually makes it into Asia's Top Ten and is counted among the 100 best golf courses in the world. The "Mountain Course" was designed by Jack Nicklaus and the Lake Course by Robert Trent Jones JR. Both courses received together more than 70 awards since their opening in 1998. The courses are surrounded by luxurious villas and some of them can be rented and the resort also has a nice 5* Hotel.



- Kunming Stone Forest: Around one hour driving from Spring City, or around 2 hours from Kunming, Stone Forest opened its gates in 2011 and is a unique course adjacent to the famous Shilin Stone Forest tourist site. With the fancy stone needles this course offers some truly unique golf play and also beginners will fancy the course as there are despite all the features no major obstacles and the fairways are wide and forgivable. The proximity to Spring City makes it perfect for a combination of some of the best golfing in Asia.



- Haikou Mission Hills Hainan: Mission Hills Haikou is located south of Haikou and the latests addition of the Mission Hills Group. With ther 10 golf courses Blackstone, Sandbelt Trails, The Vintage, Stepping Stone, Lava Fields, Meadow Links, Stone Quarry, Double Pin, The Preserve and Shadow Dunes they created another supersized golfers paradise. Like in Shenzhen there is a 5* Hotel facility with a large pool area and a Spa with a record breaking 168 pools and basins which are themed based on the different continents and countries of the world. Mission Hills Haikou is a 45 minutes drive away from the airport of Hainan's Capital



- Shenzhen Mission Hills: Mission Hills is by far the most renown golf course in China, maybe even all over Asia. The major competition is the prestigious OMEGA World Cup and Mission Hills offers 11 competition courses and is worldwide on the the largest golfing facilities of its kind. The courses have been designed by the worls's leading golf course designers such as Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Annika Sörenstam, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Nick Faldo, José María Olazábal, David Duval, Jumbo Ozaki, David Leadbetter, Pete Dye as well as Chinese Zhang Lian-wei. In addition Mission Hills has a 5* Hotel facility and the metropolis Shenzhen, Hongkong and Macao can be visited as a day trip (for Hongkong and Macao multiple entry China Visa are required though).