Mission Hills golf resort is the epitome of the new China
A super-luxe Chinese resort just 45 minutes from Shenzhen has a golf club that will bring weekend hackers to their knees.
Asia
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Downhill, left to right. The eight-foot putt is never in doubt, thanks to caddie Li, who is a master of all things Mission Hills – a fully integrated golf and lifestyle resort that is the epitome of the new China.
It’s lavish, luxurious and leisurely, a world away from the technological hub of Shenzhen that teems with people less than an hour away.
The World Cup course, designed by none other than the Golden Bear Jack Nicklaus himself, played host to the 41st World Cup of Golf in 1995 and ranks comfortably within the top 50 courses in the world.
Its rolling fairways are lush and long, but their width favours all levels of golfers – from low handicappers to those who, like this writer, could do with a little assistance from Li in reading a green from time to time – to ensure the day isn’t diminished by difficulty.
That’s not to say a day at Jack’s place is an easy one. Take the 14th hole par 4, for example. It’s uphill – an anomaly for the largely flat track – and you’ve got no option but to back your drive that must clear a lake or flounder.
Once you’re over, things don’t get easier, with vast bunkers awaiting before a sweeping green. No matter how your day goes on one of the seven 18-hole resort and championship courses at Mission Hills, the surrounding grounds – including townhouses and mansion homes lining a number of holes – include a range of birdlife providing a perfect soundtrack to a round. Carts are compulsory, as are caddies like Li, so the length of the courses is no worry.
Come Saturdays, members fly in from around the region to play, with memberships at Mission Hills ranging from $82,000 to the chartered diamond membership at almost $500,000 a year. Yes, you read that correctly.
For hotel guests things are a little more reasonable, with green fees, cart and caddie coming in at just under $400.
If slogging it out on the likes of the World Cup or Norman course – the toughest in Asia – isn’t your style, China’s first Masters entrant, Zhang Lianwei, has taken inspiration from top par 3 holes from around the world to create a leisurely yet challenging and much shorter course option. They’re “borrowed”, according to the club, with replicas of holes from St Andrews and Royal Troon, immaculate island greens and a number of deep, steep-faced pot bunkers.
There are no carts on Zhang’s course, making it a good option for walking off last night’s barbecued-seafood buffet indulged in back at the resort.
Once the 18th is done, it’s farewell to Li and back to the palatial clubhouse, which features a multitude of golfing stores and food and beverage options, plus countless memorabilia from Tiger and Rory’s big day out, Mission Hills course designers Vijay Singh, Ernie Els, Annika Sorenstam and Greg Norman and celebrity guests including Nicole Kidman and Matthew McConaughey.
We retire to our rooms, complete with spa facilities and lounge areas, no less, before heading back out past the two distinct pool areas, gym, one of the six dining rooms and out to the marbled foyer. Things certainly aren’t done by halves.
It’s there that our transport south to downtown Shenzhen awaits – the bustling city that, despite being only 45 minutes away, couldn’t be further from the peace of Mission Hills.
Thousands of apartments juxtaposed with rainforest line the trip, with construction as far as the eye can see, as the technological hub of the region continues to grow.
Shenzhen is home to 14 million people, with an eye on reaching 18 million by 2020.
And with its residents having an average age of just 28, it’s progressive, clean and green with parklands dotted throughout the city. The jewel in the crown is Lotus Mountain. The pleasant walk through the rich trees of Lianhuashan Park, set in the city’s CBD, is a welcome return to nature.
Atop the hill stands a tribute to “grandfather of Shenzhen”, Deng Xiaoping, the national leader between 1978 and 1989 who opened the region to the global market, with a 6m-statue erected in his honour.
His view spans Shenzhen’s centre, with the large birdlike civic centre the centrepiece.
Like most areas, it’s busy, but there is room to breathe amid the humidity, and while the sky is a shade of Melbourne-autumn grey, we are assured that the environment is a key focus for the still-developing city.
Traditional yum cha at the Shangri-La is a must, where you can indulge in juicy and sweet har gao, siu mai and, naturally, an egg custard tart or two, before a visit to one of Shenzhen’s many shopping malls.
The shopping is part of a rich cultural scene that includes restaurants, reading and drinking coffee, and lots of it.
The city is writing its own history, while also borrowing a bit from around the country with must-visit centres such as Splendid China and Wonders of the World. The former, a folk village that is easily accessible by the city’s Metro rail line or bus service, allows visitors to take in all 9.6 million square kilometres of China – or miniature versions, at least.
Fancy a visit to the Great Wall? It’s there, mere metres from a miniature Temple of Heaven and Forbidden City. There are also 24 ethnic villages that showcase the housing and traditions of a range of Chinese regions, and a number of performances that – like the city itself – astound with their scale and precision.
More than 1.6 million Australians visit the region each year – many for business – but it’s about to become a whole lot easier, with plans reportedly under way to include Shenzhen as one of the country’s 72-hour “without visa” destinations and even lengthen the period. And with direct flights from Sydney to Shenzhen with China Southern, that sneaky golf trip is well within reach. See you on the fairways.
The writer was a guest of China Southern Airlines.
ESCAPE ROUTE
GETTING THERE
China Southern flies direct from Sydney to Shenzhen three times weekly. Fares start from $887 including taxes. csair.com
STAYING THERE
Rooms at Mission Hills Shenzhen start from $170 a night. missionhillschina.com
Originally published as Mission Hills golf resort is the epitome of the new China
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