Greg Norman gained notoriety for creating difficult golf courses that reflected the traditional designs of his native Australian Sand Belt. His 7,228-yard offering at Mission Hills is similar, with its tight fairways encircled by deep forest flora and long, native grasses, earning it a reputation as one of Asia’s most challenging layouts. The back nine nestles carefully in one of the property’s numerous verdant valleys, while the front nine winds through spectacular mountain slopes and hillsides.
David Leadbetter’s first venture into golf course design showcases his dedication to teaching. The well-known teacher created a layout with the intention of teaching and challenging players without being intimidating. Wide fairways, short par 4s, and drives from higher tees are all over the course. Large, sand-flashed bunkers and broad fairways are also present, albeit they hardly ever produce a completely level lay. As any excellent teacher would insist, the player must use every club in the bag at some point during the round.
Magnificent views of the surrounding landscape and mountains, which tower more than 300 meters above the golf course, may be seen from Annika Sorenstam’s maiden design credit. The course’s abrupt elevation changes offer a number of expansive tee shots situated high above broad fairways that wind across valleys. The edges of the tee and green are dominated by well-kept landscaping, which gives the space a visually pleasing “botanical” feel.
