Olazabal Course MIssion Hills

The course is so good that the World Cup was moved from the World Cup Course at Mission Hills to the Olazabal course and with the arrival of the WGC-HSBC Champions event also being played here the pedigree of the course is no more than it deserves.

At 7300 yards the course is long and wanders its way through the undulating terrain. Large elevation changes create a nightmare for club selection and with the stunning Shenzhen mountain scenery as a backdrop to almost every single hole the views are mesmerizing.

A distinctive feature of the design of this course in the concave fairways which create the perfect visual impact against the backdrop of the jungle and natural lakes.

If you are not a fan of bunkers then be prepared, because each hole is adorned with a myriad of bunkers varying in size and depth, but the placement of the bunkers is not just strategic it is pure artistry that only Olazabal could have created.

Of the holes that stand out, and there are few due to the incredible design, there is not a poor hole on the course the par 5 15^th has to be considered the signature hole. For those scared of bunkers skip this paragraph as there are 24 bunkers that come into play on this exquisite hole.

The view from the tee will leave you speechless and fill you with nerves at the same time. The hole follows the curve of the immense reservoir to the left resulting in the need for accuracy from the tee to this tight fairway. A creek winds its way across the fairway some 150 yards from the green maing the lay-up shot tricky and with a plethora of bunkers waiting to catch anything that is wayward trouble is waiting to catch you. Once you have negotiated your way to the green the fun doesn´t stop with interesting slopes and undulations testing your skill to the end. 

As you stand on the final tee you are treated to a view of arguably the hardest hole on the course. A par four that again doglegs to the left with water in play the length of the hole. Braver golfers will want to take on as much of the corner as they dare to leave a shorter second into the elevated green which juts out into the lake. A bunker is waiting or any shot played out right, make a par here and you will be dancing all the way to the clubhouse.