One of the European Tour’s leading photographers and myself had the opportunity to play one of the 10 Mission Hills course at Hainan Island ahead of the Match at Mission Hills.

Having played the Stone Quarry course during the course of the 2011 World Cup of Golf I asked if I could again play this course – No. 7 of the 10 courses at this spectacular new golfing destination off the Chinese mainland.

All 10 courses at Mission Hills Hainan Island were designed by the American-born team of Brian Curley and Lee Schmidt who previously worked under the renowned Pete Dye of TPC Sawgrass fame.

Their Blackstone course that played host to the Match at Mission Hills was last year voted  the top golf course in Asia by Asian Golf Monthly.

It’s only the opening tee at Stone Quarry where you get the first hint of nature of the course with foot long sections of railway tracks used as the various tee markers.

Then as you make your way about the layout who come across many quarry-like or wild ride features including coal wagons, railway tracks, mines dug into the slopes of hills and various other features you would expect to find in a working quarry.

But then there’s also statement on the front cover of the scorecard that reads:  “A challenging course that demands precise shot-making over brute strength”.

While the Stone Quarry fairways are quite generous the onus is still to keep the ball in play because anything left or right will find steel wool like rough or volcanic lava beds.

There is four different tees – red (4486 metres), white (5043 metres), blue (5552 metres) and gold (6029 metres).  That’s not long but then what the course lacks in length it makes up for in sheer enjoyment.

It’s a golf course that will present you with many pars and many birdie opportunities so that it will clearly pamper your ego and any course that does that has to be at least half-decent.

You are also reminded of the course designers after playing your tee shot at the par three, eighth hole as you drive through an old freight container that bears the name – Curley & Smidth Line.

Stone Quarry is not the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass nor is it one of the more difficult resort courses like Celtic Manor or Turnberry.

However Stone Quarry is a course that clearly puts some fun in playing the ancient club and ball game.

FOOTNOTE –

It’s for my comment above that I once again I find myself disagreeing with Planet Golf’s Darris Oliver and his negative observation:  ” ….the use of railway sleepers within the design and across the periphery areas is so overdone as to become a little tiresome.”

The use of railway sleepers and coal wagons in my view, and the view of those who I have played the Stone Quarry course now on two occasions, adds greatly to the enjoyment of playing the  course.   We found ourselves often, and like so many other people, taking photographs of the quarry-like features.

Mr. Oliver clearly must have been playing poorly or he was deprived in his youth of a ride on a big dipper!

Stone Quarry (Course #7)
Mission Hills Resort, Haikou, China
No.1 Mission Hills Boulevard
Haikou, Hainan, China 571155
T: +86 (898) 6868 3888
E: info@missionhillschina.com
W: www.missionhillschina.com

NB – Click on photographs to enlarge.