You can’t say you’ve golfed in Kunming unless you’ve played both courses at Spring City. The Mountain course, a Jack Nicklaus design, is a good warm up before the more exacting Robert Trent Jones Jnr designed Lake Course. The longer of the two, the main features of the Mountain course are elevated tee boxes and greens, and generous fairways that roll out to bonus distances.
Do watch out for a liberal sprinkling of bunkers and grassy hollows that will catch any lapse in concentration. Well contoured Bentgrass-covered greens will test your short game to the fullest. But otherwise, the five sets of tees will ensure anyone of any level will enjoy playing the Mountain course. For what is seen as a resort course, the Lake is a tough one with tee shots that will test a golfer’s nerve nearly every hole. Narrow fairways, crisscrossing trenches, green terraces, breathtaking lake views and a 150-yard elevation drop between Hole 1 on the hill and Hole 9 by the lake’s side will have anyone marveling at the panorama and test of skill. Factor in the strong winds which blow from time to time, and the golfer definitely has his hands full. US Golf Digest magazine ranked Spring City Golf Resort The Number One Course of China.
Special emphasis was put on incorporating much of the original terrain into the rolling hills of Meadow Lake’s golf course, with expansive views of the landscape as far as the eye can see. Inspired by the classic links style of design, the melding of wild nature and carefully considered nurture has the golfer either taking his next shot off the beautiful bent grass fairways or attempting a more than challenging hack out of the native long grass. Winding undulated fairways, strategically placed bunkers, and graduated greens with testing breaks are the hallmarks at Meadow Lake, a course that challenges and entertains golfers of every level for an unforgettable golf experience.
This Robert Trent Jones Jr design garnered four awards from Golf Digest magazine back in 2005. Described as a mountain course, numerous elevation changes will see both drives that are longer as much as approaches that come up short. Survey the terrain before teeing off so as not be caught off guard by the deviously canted fairways that could see a well struck drive rolling into the rough or any one of the 63 bunkers, some of which are cavernous.
The course meanders through two separate and distinct valleys lush with the native vegetation; wild flowers, pine woods, and fruit trees circumvent the 7,217 yard course along with four man-made lakes. Through the round, the golfer might very well be picking ripe fruit between swings and catching glimpses of hares and squirrels in the woods, or stepping around the clusters of wild ducks and geese near the greens. Generous in size, the fast greens are more than a challenge with numerous subtle breaks; the good news is that the front nine features a milder topography, allowing the golfer to warm up before the much more undulating terrain of the back nine that requires strategic thought for safe navigation to the green
The latest addition to the plethora of golf courses in Kunming is Yunling’s 27 hole layout, a mix of open and wooded holes that include a dramatic elevation change of nearly 600 feet and prominent rock outcrops; all in all a visually dramatic and exciting golf course featuring the natural diversity of Yunling’s mountainous surroundings. The first nine offers panoramic views of Yangzonghai Lake, while the wooded second, and hilly but open third nines are sited at the highest points for breathtaking 360-degree views of the region. On the highest holes where wind is expected, fairways are wide and greens receptive, but still of various sizes, elevation and shapes so as to be unique. Confident drivers will be tempted on the third hole, a driveable short par 4 that starts off from an elevated tee down to a green surrounded by bunkers and steep drop offs.
Each of Stone Forest’s three courses feature a 270-million year old Stone Forest as a backdrop, and great care was taken to preserve these dramatic rock formations; holes were gently nestled among the rugged outcroppings. With the stone as the show in this otherworldly setting, there are less bunkers and water elements to catch the golfer out at Stone Forest’s three courses, although one can expect more than the unexpected wild ricochet from wayward shots off the rocks. Leader’s Peak, the longest of the courses at 7,528 yards, has a unique par 3 in the 12th hole featuring an island green surrounded not by water, but the native stone formations.
Yufeng Ridge is the most elevated with views of all three golf courses and the Yunnan countryside. Its feature hole is the eighth, a par 4 that plays into a wall of stone and vegetation. The more conventional and tournament level Masters Resort has grass-faced bunkers, more colourful landscaping, and greens with greater undulation. Standout holes include the uphill par 5, 10th, which plays toward a stone pinnacle backdrop, and the par 5, 18th, which offers spectacular long views to the valley floor below.
Located close to the holiday resort town of Anning, Kunming Hot Spring plays as the typical high altitude course would, with changing elevations over rolling hills surrounded by wooded areas. Don’t be expecting the widest of fairways of this course which plays to 7,330 yards off the back tees, and beware the more than one hundred bunkers both large and small that will test your sand play. The first half of the course plays easier, its relatively wider and more level fairways offers up more scoring opportunities before the turnaround and the contrast of the challenging back nine where precision drives onto tighter and more undulating fairways are called for, blind holes come into play, and approaches are into more testing greens. Kunming Hot Spring is enjoyable golf for the thinking man.
Renowned for its narrow fairways; crisscrossing trenches; strong winds; terraced greens and breathtaking lake views. Require golfers to constantly take into account the winds which add a degree of difficulty to the game.
Designer:
Robert Trent Jones Jr
Par:
72
Course Length:
7,204 yards
Utilizes the natural terrain with elevated greens and tees and aims to inspire golfers to give their best shots. The award winning signature Hole-18 is the longest and most demanding par 4.
Designer:
Jack Nicklaus
Par:
72
Course Length:
7,454 yards
Another Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed course. Reclining upon the mountain and situated beside the lake, the traditional golf design with the front 9-holes being relatively less difficult than the back 9, gives golfers of all level a challenging and yet enjoyable golfing experience.
Designer:
Robert Trent Jones Jr
Par:
71
Course Length:
7,217 yards
Lakeview Golf Club benefits from the spectacular views of Xishan Mountain and the Dianchi Lake. Its peculiar hole design provides a great experience for all level of golfers. It provides world-class amenities ranging from natural hot springs and fine dining facilities for golfers. It is also the only night lit golf course in Kunming allowing those with a busy lifestyle to enjoy a round after dark.
Designer:
Nick Faldo
Par:
71
Course Length:
7,222 yards
Located by the Stone Forest Scenic Spot, consisting of three variations -the garden landscape, steep mountain peaks and Karst land formations.
Designer:
Brian Curley
Course:
Yufeng Ridge
Par:
72
Course Length:
7127 yards
Yufeng Ridge starts high above the property with views of all three golf courses and the Yunnan countryside. Among the feature holes is the par 4 8th that plays into a wall of stone and vegetation.
Course:
Masters’ Resort
Par:
72
Course Length:
7320 yards
Masters Resort has grass-faced bunkers, more colourful landscaping, and greens with greater undulation. Earmarked as the club’s tournament course, standout holes include the par 3 7th which features a green set into a natural low, the uphill par 5 10th, which plays toward a stone pinnacle backdrop, and the par 5 18th, which offers long views to the valley floor below.
Course:
Leaders’Peak
Par:
72
Course Length:
7565 yards
Leaders Peak occupies the most heavily-treed portion of the property. The course’s par 3 12th has an island green, but this time surrounded by stone rather than water.
The unique water hazard made up of 16 man-made lakes and 3000 m2 of bunkers will challenge golfers of all levels.
Designer:
LCW (Australia)
Par:
72
Course Length:
6,638 yards
The longest par 72 in the world with three of the four par 3s measuring more than 260 yards and the shortest at 236 yards! The 5th par 5 plays to 711 yards, which is the longest par 5 in the world. The front 9 has Scottish style and the back 9 is a mountainous course, with completely different characteristics.
Designer:
Nelson & Haworth
Par:
72
Course Length:
8,548 yards
With Yulong Snow Mountain in the background, this golf course front 9 present a mountainous style of golf while the back 9 presents wonderful lake view and watery hazards.
Designer:
Joe Obringer
Par:
72
Course Length:
7,661 yards
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