HONG KONG’S SCARIEST HOLES
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14th Hole, East Course The Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau 366 yards, Par-4
Six years on since the Nelson & Haworth-designed East Course opened and the signature 14th still strikes fear into all that play it. But it shouldn’t be that way. The cliff-top fairway certainly should be wide enough to accommodate a less-than-perfect drive but as is so often the case, it’s the effect on the mind that makes this short but stunning par4 so intimidating. Miss left and you have no chance; spray it right and you may as well delve into your bag for another ball. Caramba.
Wreckers
Fear Factor: 7
For a place that isn’t exactly overrun with courses, Hong Kong doesn’t lack when it comes to intimidating tee shots and dangerous approaches. Alex Jenkins selects the scariest holes in the city. Photography by Alex Jenkins
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HK GOLFER・OCT 2014
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HK GOLFER・OCT 2014
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3rd Hole, Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club 402 yards, Par-4
Hong Kong’s answer to Pebble Beach, Clearwater Bay is home to any number of breathtaking holes, but it’s the third, a meaty par-4 of over 400 yards that plays out onto a peninsula jutting out into the South China Sea, that earns the plaudits in terms of both beauty and fear. A perfect drive is one that flies over rocks, crashing surf and bunkers to the left side of the fairway, which gives the optimal line to the well-protected green. Fours are to be cherished but just seeing your ball finish up on dry land is something to be savoured in itself. Fear Factor: 9
3rd Hole, SkyCity Nine Eagles Golf Course 100 yards, Par-3
For a hole that only measures 100 yards, the appropriately-named "Sahara" is deceptively tricky. Surrounded on three sides by an ocean of sand, the difficulty lies in the narrowness of the raised green. Miss the target left or right and you're faced with a delicate splash that needs to stop quickly. The sight of players repeatedly hitting from one side of the hazard to the other is commonplace. Fear Factor: 6
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9th Hole, Ruby Course, Discovery Bay Golf Club 536 yards, Par-5
Picture the scene: you’re having the round of your life as you reach the tee at the ninth on the Ruby Course, which traditionally plays as the final hole in competition play. Needing a par to break your personal best you steady yourself in preparation for a drive that has to contend with out-of-bounds on both sides of the fairway. Find the cut grass and the rest should be simple enough. But try as you might you can’t get those OB stakes out of your mind – indeed they’re there for all to see. Miss the fairway on the right and your ball will descend several hundred feet off the cliff’s edge. Pull it left and you’re contending with the road down to the ferry pier. What will you do? Fear Factor: 7
18th, Eden Course, Hong Kong Golf Club 410 yards, Par-4
The Hong Kong Open's famous closer, "Ultimate" has witnessed more championship drama than arguably any other hole on the European Tour, with a heady mixture of agony and ecstasy characterizing the scene on the final green. Even if the drive has avoided both trees and bunkers the approach needs to be struck cleanly to carry the pond that fronts the contoured green. A fantastic test, the 18th really does separate the men from the boys.
Courtesy of The Hong Kong Golf Club / Richard Castka
Fear Factor: 8
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14th, North Course, The Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau 205-yards, Par-3
Surely a contender for the most thrilling one-shotter in Greater China, the tee shot on this Gary Playerdesigned hole must be hit perfectly to carry ocean, mangrove and a golf ball-gobbling bank that fronts the extremely tilted green. Even though the very back tee is seldom used these days – even in tournament play it normally plays at around the 180-yard mark, this is one of the most exposed corners of the course, meaning wind is almost always a factor. Fear Factor: 10
1st Hole, Diamond Course, Discovery Bay Golf Club 369 yards, Par-4
Opening tee shots don't get much more daunting than on this mid-length par-4, particularly from the back tee when a solid hit is required to carry the ravine that snakes its way in front and to the right of the narrow fairway. The tendency is to overcompensate by aiming too far left, which brings the cart path – and the potential for a horrendous bounce into thick foliage – into play. Find the landing area and the approach is pretty straightforward. It's all about the drive. Fear Factor: 8
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HK GOLFER・OCT 2014
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