All 27 holes of dramatic South Korea Country Club’s course now ready for play
Chuncheon, South Korea – May 15, 2012 – Whistling Rock Country Club, located 50 minutes east of Seoul, announced today that all 27 holes of its highly acclaimed golf course are now available as The Cloud nine-hole loop makes its official debut.
The Cloud joins the Cocoon and Temple nines – all designed by renowned international golf architect Ted Robinson, Jr. – to form Whistling Rock’s impressive collection of 27 golf holes, each possessing its own distinctive traits and playing to a par 36. The Cloud nine revolves around a five-hole stretch called “The Glen,” a segment that represents much of what makes Whistling Rock special: steep rock faces, elevated tees, cascading waterfalls, lakeside greens and dense forest throughout.
Measuring at 3,646 yards, the Cloud nine at Whistling Rock brings players to the easternmost point of the golf course – the most rugged portion of the property. Here, the golf holes fully partake of the mountainous terrain.
Highlights of The Cloud nine include:
• Hole #3 (par 4, 409 yards): Arguably the most memorable hole on the Cloud nine, the third climbs 30 meters through a narrow defile in the forest to a green benched into a wooded hillside. High above the green, a waterfall cascades down to a stream that flows along the right side of the putting surface and eventually crosses the fairway, creating a strategic hazard on the approach shot.
• Hole #8 (par 3, 248 yards): Tucked into a hillside above the valley floor, the long par 3 hole’s green is guarded to the right by a trio of bunkers and clings to the edge of a hillside that drops off quickly to the valley below. The bail-out area, short and left of the skewed green, is both wide and forgiving for those seeking a safe refuge on this demanding hole, which Robinson singles out as his favorite par 3 on the course.
• Hole #9 (par 4, 509 yards): In every respect, the ninth is a grand finale that weaves together all the aesthetic and strategic themes explored on the course. From the multiple sets of elevated tees, players survey a broad, undulating fairway that leads in the direction of the clubhouse. Closer at hand, streams that flowed through the valley now weave in and out of the tees, eventually dropping down the mountainside into a series of cascading waterfalls. The audible and visual experience on the tee boxes is unmatched. The green, meanwhile, is set directly below the clubhouse and leads the player’s eye to the tall pines and ornamental plantings behind it. Assuredly, the Cloud’s ninth hole, already acclaimed as one of Asia’s finest par 4’s, delivers in full measure.
Another unique feature of the course is to be witnessed by players as they depart the fourth green en route to the fifth tee, where they will discover a small building high atop a knoll. This is the Cloud Tea House, one of three that grace the entire course and for which the respective loops are named. The tea houses, which offer players a unique moment of relaxation during the round, take their cue from the natural surroundings and carry the theme of each nine.
An upscale, private country club, Whistling Rock has been developed by Donglim Leisure Development Co., LTD., part of a leading South Korean conglomerate with holdings in textiles, chemical, industry, cable television and financial services (insurance).
A spectacular clubhouse, designed by Francine Houben of Macanoo Architects (Delft, The Netherlands) is the anchor of club and has been inspired by beautiful mountain scenery. The building sits at the junction between the existing mountain ridge and the cultivated landscape of the golf course.
The mountainous resort area of Chuncheon sits in a basin flanked by lakes and rivers. The town and its environs, a popular vacation and festival destination, is surrounded by Lake Uiam to the west, Chuncheon Lake to the north and, further east, massive Soyang Lake.
Membership to Whistling Rock Country Club is by invitation only.
For additional information, visit the property’s web site at www.whistlingrockcc.com.
Contact:
Karen Moraghan
Hunter Public Relations
KMoraghan@hunter-pr.com
908/876-5100
