Jack Nicklaus Designed Gem Heralded as International Trailblazer
(SHENZHEN, China) – Mission Hills Golf Club – the world’s largest collection of premier golf courses with 12 layouts designed by many of the greatest golfers and golf course architects from five continents – and its World Cup Course have been recognized by LINKS Magazine as one of the 10 “most significant and influential courses” of the last 20 years.
Designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened for play in 1994, it was considered the prime example of golf’s astounding overseas growth the last 20 years. The course hosted China’s first international golf tournament, the 41st World Cup of Golf in 1995, and in the process introduced the game to a significant portion of the world’s most populous country. Thirteen years later, interest in golf continues to increase exponentially and shows no signs of abating, as evidenced by Mission Hills’ historic agreement to become the home of the OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup through 2018. The club’s Olazabal Course, a collaboration between the two-time Masters Champion and Schmidt-Curley Design, will host.
“The World Cup Course paved the way for our dreams at Mission Hills,” says Dr. David Chu, Chairman, Mission Hills Group. “We were able to seize the momentum created by the tournament and simultaneously bring both Mission Hills and golf in China to unimaginable prevalence on the sporting landscape in a very short period of time.”
In addition to Mission Hills’ World Cup Course, LINKS’ 20th Anniversary issue awarded highly-renowned layouts such as Bandon Dunes, Kingsbarns, the Ocean Course atKiawah Island and Chambers Bay for groundbreaking contributions to golf.
“We’re honored to be ranked among such esteemed company,” says Chu. “Recognition like this will help to continue China’s increased influence in the world of golf, Mission Hills’ primary goal since its founding in 1992.”
About Mission Hills Golf Club
Since opening in 1994 and hosting the World Cup in 1995, Mission Hills Golf Club has emerged as one of the world’s leading venues for international golf events, hosting more than 50 tournaments including the 2001 Tiger Woods China Challenge. In a resounding statement about its place in the pantheon of international professional golf, Mission Hills and the Olazabal Course will be the permanent home of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup through 2018. In addition, Mission Hills has firmly entrenched itself as the epicenter of golf in China, one of the fastest growing markets in the world for the construction of new golf courses and grass roots growth of the game via junior golf programs.
Mission Hills seeks to create ‘International Goodwill through Golf.’ The Club occupies over 15 square kilometers of land and boasts 12 signature courses designed by golf legends from five different continents: Jack Nicklaus, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Jumbo Ozaki, Nick Faldo, Jose Maria Olazabal, David Leadbetter, Greg Norman, Annika Sorenstam, David Duval, Zhang Lian Wei and Pete Dye. Each course is reflective of the designers’ style, offering unique risk / reward challenges to the player. As a complete golf destination, the Club houses a five-star hotel and world-class spa and was voted Best Golf Resort in Asia by readers of Asian Golf Monthly in 2006 and Golf Resort of the Year in the Rest of the World category in 2005 by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO). In May 2004, the Club was accredited by the Guinness World RecordsTM as the World’s Largest Golf Facility, making a name for itself in the world of premier golf through its exceptional ability to deliver an unsurpassed level of service excellence.
The Chu family, true ambassadors for the game of golf, have also invested heavily in practice facilities and instructional academies in order to promote the sport through retention of players. There are three practice ranges on site – all with state-of-the-art amenities and TOUR-level conditioning. And Mission Hills has the rare distinction of having two teaching facilities from renowned instructors in the same location: the David Leadbetter Golf Academy and the Mission Hills Golf Academy by Cindy Reid. In conjunction with international golf star Nick Faldo, the club hosts the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final. The Faldo Series provides the best young golfers in Asia with grass roots level access to the game through a series of goodwill competitions.
Getting There: Mission Hills Golf Club is a short drive north of Hong Kong International Airport, www.hongkongairport.com. Flights on most major airlines from most major cities are available into Hong Kong. From the airport, Mission Hills transports golfers in luxury shuttles across the border to the resort hotel.
For more information about Mission Hills Golf Club, visit www.missionhillsgroup.com, email info@missionhillsgroup.com, or call (852) 2122 1616 (Hong Kong) — (86 755) 2802 0888 (Shenzhen) — (86-769) 8728 8888 (Dongguan).
Contact:
Shane Sharp
Buffalo Communications
704.519.8381 (cell)
ssharp@billycaspergolf.com
www.buffalocommunications.com
Stephen Reynolds
Buffalo Communications
703.761.1444
sreynolds@billycaspergolf.com
