Mission Hills’ Olazabal Course (China), Amata Spring (Thailand) Among Asia’s Best Courses in Biennial “Planet Golf” Rankings
(SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.) – Schmidt-Curley Design – the full-service golf-course architecture, master-planning and construction-management solution – announces its Olazabal Course at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China and Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi, Thailand have been named two of Asia’s best courses in Golf Digest’s biennial “Planet Golf” rankings.
Mission Hills’ Olazabal Course, two-time host of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup, was named the No. 4 layout in China (out of 430). Amata Spring, three-time site of the Royal Trophy, rated as the No. 4 course in Thailand (out of 250).
“We’re honored to have two of our designs ranked among the best on the continent,” says Brian Curley. “Asia continues to be the hottest spot for golf course development in the world, and our firm is positioned to produce additional highly-acclaimed projects in the very near future.”
The par-72, 7,251-yard Olazabal Course opened in 2003 and was designed by its namesake, the 1994 and 1999 Masters Champion, in collaboration with Schmidt-Curley. Sprinkled with nearly 160 bunkers, the layout features significant elevation changes as it weaves through lush, primordial jungle and offers several breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside.
Approximately 45 minutes outside Bangkok, par-72, 7,470-yard Amata Spring is distinguished by several lakeside holes, over 100 bunkers and Asia’s only floating green, the 145-yard par-3 17th. It has hosted three editions of the Royal Trophy, a “Ryder Cup-style” event pitting eight-man teams from Europe and Asiaagainst each other.
The Golf Digest rankings were determined by panelists who played and rated courses on seven criteria: Shot Values, Resistance to Scoring, Design Variety, Memorability, Aesthetics, Conditioning and Ambience. After panelists filed their evaluations, the magazine averaged the scores of the categories, with Shot Values counting double, and totaled the averages to determine the overall standings.
For more information about completed and current projects, visit www.schmidt-curley.com or call 480.483.1994.
About Schmidt-Curley Design
Founded by partners Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley with offices in Scottsdale, Arizona; Haikou, Hainan Island, China and Kunming, China, Schmidt-Curley is a full-service, international golf course architecture and master-planning firm with more than 100 layouts in 24 countries, including the U.S., Thailand, China, Vietnam, Mexico, Egypt, Sweden and Korea. The tandem is responsible for crafting 10 of the 12 courses at storied Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China – the largest golf complex in the world.
Schmidt-Curley teamed with long-time partner Nick Faldo, as well as Pete Dye, Jose Maria Olazabal, Ernie Els, David Duval, Annika Sorenstam, Vijay Singh, David Leadbetter and Jumbo Ozaki to create a golf experience unlike any other globally. High profile, award-winning projects from Schmidt-Curley include Bali Hai and Siena Golf Clubs (Las Vegas), Amata Spring Golf Club (Chonburi, Thailand, three-time host of the PGA European Tour’s Royal Trophy), Terra Lago Golf Club (Indio, California, site of the Skins Game from 1999 – 2002), Twin Creeks Golf Club (Cedar Park, Texas) and Crosby National Golf Club (Rancho Santa Fe, California).
Schmidt-Curley has also worked extensively with golf’s biggest names – including Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye, Fred Couples and Faldo on numerous high-profile projects – and boasts four ASGCA members (Lee Schmidt, Brian Curley, Grant Haserot and Andy Raugust).
Producing demanding yet beautiful and enjoyable courses, Schmidt-Curley strives to create golf experiences that stir the senses and elevate golfers’ appreciations for the land and the game. By balancing classic golf course architecture with ever-changing contemporary technology, Schmidt-Curley places an emphasis on site-adaptive courses, memorable and enjoyable for all levels of play and always designed for cost-efficient maintenance and operations.
Contact:
Shane Sharp
Buffalo Communications
704.519.8381 (cell)
ssharp@billycaspergolf.com
Stephen Reynolds
Buffalo Communications
703.761.1444
sreynolds@billycaspergolf.com
