TRAVERSE CITY, MI — Tom Doak’s Renaissance Golf Design is making its mark in China on the resort island of Hainan. The course, which has a temporary working title of “The Island Club,” is the firm’s first design in all of Asia. Construction is scheduled to start late this fall, with the opening of the course projected for the end of 2010.
The course will be a unique addition to Hainan’s current golf courses, as the property will be set within the Nandu River on a low-lying, 300-acre open island, located just 200 yards across from Hainan’s largest city of Haikou.
“This is a setting unlike any course I’ve built,” said Doak. “It’s located practically within the city of Haikou and features a lot of waterfront property. As a New York native, I would compare the site to building a course on Roosevelt Island.”
The routing of the course wraps around the eastern side of the island, with holes wrapping around to the west at both ends of the island, too, for a total of eight riverfront holes in all. The shaping of the holes will be a cross between the TPC at Sawgrass [with its long, sandy hazards] and the wrinkly contours of a Scottish links.
While Doak was initially skeptical that the Chinese market was ready for a golf-focused, minimalist design, he has waited for a client who appreciated the subtleties of golf, and believes he has found a kindred spirit in Hainan Island native Han Xiding.
“Mr. Han really appreciates the kind of golf courses our firm builds,” said Doak. “He was an art student at college before getting into the advertising business, so he appreciates the importance we place on the detailing of the course; and he’s an avid golfer who understands the short-game shots that make our designs fun. He’s aware not all of his potential customers will initially think of golf the way we do, but believes that the Chinese golfer is becoming more sophisticated, and is ready to embrace a different type of course.”
A frequent patron to the sport’s four major tournaments and owner of the Golf Channel of China, Mr. Han became intrigued by Doak’s philosophy of design that is able to get the most out of a piece of property. The exclusive resort course will be built with the intention being playable for all handicaps, but also with the possibly of hosting a professional golf event in the future.
Commonly nicknamed the “Hawaii of China,” the island of Hainan is located 20 miles from mainland China in the South China Sea and bordered to the west by Viet Nam, and is close to the size of Belgium. It is quickly becoming one of China’s top emerging golf destinations.
For more information visit www.renaissancegolf.com.
Contact:
Resort & Golf Marketing
Dave Richards, (248) 642-6420, dave@resortandgolf.com
