Category won by Asian course for first time
(HAIKOU, China) — Mission Hills Group — one of the world’s leading golf brands and the driving force behind the sport’s rapid growth in China — announces the Lava Fields Course at Mission Hills Hainan has been named “Best New International Course of the Year” by GOLF Magazine.
This is the first time an Asian course has won the top prize. In 2010, Mission Hills Hainan’s Blackstone Course, host of the recent 56th World Cup of Golf, was named runner-up in the International category.
Says GOLF Magazine of Lava Fields: “Gigantic bunkers with irregular edges and black volcanic rock frame the driving zones, placing a premium on strategy and accuracy. Risk / reward decisions are required on nearly every tee shot at this Brian Curley design, and while there are plenty of dramatic forced carries over sand and rock-strewn canyons, the effect is mitigated by mostly friendly green surrounds. If you’re a shotmaker, you’ll love Lava Fields from start to finish.”
“This high praise from GOLF Magazine, one of the sport’s most respected publications, further evidences Mission Hills Hainan’s standing as a premier golf destination,” says Dr. Ken Chu, Chairman and CEO of Mission Hills Group. “Lava Fields, Blackstone and our eight other courses are sure to please globetrotting golfers of all skill levels.”
Chu continues: “Each offers a distinct playing experience. For example, there’s no place else in the world where one can play a modern tournament course like Lava Fields or Blackstone in the morning, then tackle a layout inspired by America’s ‘Golden Age’ of architecture in the afternoon and top it off with an after-dinner round under the lights on a course celebrating the famed Australian Sandbelt.”
Only 15 minutes from Haikou International Airport, Mission Hills Hainan was recently named “Golf Resort of the Year – Rest of the World Category” by the International Association of Golf Tourism Operators (IAGTO).
Other amenities include a 518-room five-star hotel; premium clubhouse; outdoor aquatic theme park; 12 delectable world-class restaurants; state-of-the-art fitness and recreation center; flexible function and meeting rooms; shopping arcade carrying the world’s finest brands; spa facilities with 61 treatment suites; volcanic mineral springs featuring 168 hot and cool springs with ancient bathing rituals from five continents; opulent spa villas; resort-themed residential towers and more.
No stranger to accolades, Lava Fields was ranked one of the world’s “Top 100” courses by Golf World magazine earlier this year.
About Mission Hills Group
Mission Hills Group (www.missionhillschina.com), owner and operator of Mission Hills Shenzhen and Mission Hills Hainan, is the pioneer in China’s fledgling hospitality, sports and leisure industry.
Mission Hills, recognized as the leading golf brand in the world and synonymous with high-end, luxurious residences of rare and exquisite design, has created two world-class leisure and wellness resorts. It has held more than 100 international tournaments, including the 1995 World Cup of Golf and the Tiger Woods China Challenge in 2001. In 2007, Mission Hills began its role as host of an unprecedented 12 editions of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup.
Mission Hills Shenzhen
Stretching across the lush, rolling hills of southern China, Mission Hills Shenzhen is the country’s premier golf club, and also the “World’s Largest Golf Club” as accredited by the Guinness World Records. The property is home to 12 signature courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye, Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Annika Sorenstam, Ernie Els, Jose Maria Olazabal, Vijay Singh, David Leadbetter, David Duval, Jumbo Ozaki and Zhang Lian Wei.
Mission Hills Shenzhen is a full-service, luxury resort, featuring four clubhouses, three award-winning spas, two five-star hotel, three golf academies (including one from world-renowned instructor Cindy Reid), Asia’s largest tennis facility with 51 tennis courts and professional tennis academy, and numerous fine restaurants serving cuisine from around the world.
Mission Hills Hainan
Mission Hills Hainan lies in the volcanic region of exotic Hainan Island, China. The resort sets a new standard in leisure, recreation and wellness experiences. Nestled amid lush, green gardens, it caters to golf enthusiasts and comprises 10 specially-designed golf courses, each designed by American Brian Curley and incorporating native lava rock formations. Other state-of-the-art features include 518 elegantly designed guest rooms and suites, a three-story clubhouse, China’s first Hank Haney Golf Academy, meeting facilities, 12 world-class restaurants, a fully-equipped sports and recreation center, Hainan’s only aquatic theme park, therapeutic volcanic mineral springs, a spa oasis, and shopping arcade.
Mission Hills Hainan’s Blackstone Course hosted the inaugural Mission Hills Star Trophy in October 2010, a ground-breaking celebrity pro-am golf tournament for Asia, and the 56th World Cup of Golf in November 2011. A magnificent addition to Hainan’s tropical island paradise, Mission Hills Hainan is poised to become the island’s premier sanctuary, attracting visitors from around the globe.
Getting There: Mission Hills Shenzhen is a 45-minute drive from Hong Kong International Airport (HKG). Mission Hills Hainan is 15 minutes from Haikou Meilan International Airport (HAK). Flights from major cities throughout Asia — including Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore — to Haikou are available.
Contact:
Stephen Reynolds
Buffalo Communications
703.891.3509
sreynolds@buffalocommunications.com
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