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Al Campbell

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club

Lijiang, Yunnan

Hole 1, 635 yards, par 5

The opening hole of this spectacular mountain course, a double dog-leg, provides a good introduction for the long holes ahead. From tee to green the elevation changes some 30 metres while heavy rough and brush on each side of the fairway add to the peril.

At 3,100 metres above sea level, this

8,548-yard course is one of the longest in the world - the trick being a ball can fly 20 per cent further in the thin mountain air. China No 1

Zhang Lian-wei acted as a consultant on this

Neil Haworth-designed course.

Tiger Beach Links Golf Club

Qingdao, Shandong

Hole 11, 567 yards,  par 5

This long, dog-leg right at Tiger Beach bears all the hallmarks of the great Scottish links layouts. Gently rolling land with often tricky swales, tall fescue  grass and the ever-present pot bunkers can all be found here. The approach to this tiny elevated green bordering the Yellow Sea screams Scotland albeit without the biting cold. On a 2001 visit, a delegation from Carnoustie,  Scotland, was so impressed that it offered to sign a sister-link agreement between the two clubs, the first time the British Open rota venue had signed with anyone in its more than 300-year history.

Guilin Merryland Golf Club

Xing An, Guangxi

Hole 16, 407 yards, par 4

This hidden gem of a course features an optical illusion on its 16th hole that fits in perfectly with the many strange rock formations found around Guilin. From an elevated tee, a player must blast over a lake that requires a 215 yard carry over the water.

From the tee box, the distance looks longer and can be intimidating for many. If successful, the approach shot requires navigating a smaller lake to reach a green fortified by a Scottish-style pot bunker.

Mission Hills Golf Club

Shenzhen, Guangdong

Hole 16 Faldo Course, 163 yards, par 3

Nick Faldo, the former world No1, has created his own version of Royal Troon's famed Postage Stamp hole in an island-hole form at this Shenzhen golf mecca.

With the tee sitting about 20 metres higher than the green, this hole can be intimidating and has been known to derail many a good round.

Other holes of great elevation changes can also be found on the Jumbo Ozaki and Ernie Els courses.

Shanghai Silport Golf Club

Kunshan, Jiangsu

Hole 6 East Course, 205 yards, par 3

At this club, which has hosted the Volvo China Open for the past six years, the challenging par 3 is not part of the club's championship layout. But it remains its most difficult hole. Water is the main challenge as it rings the entire hole. Without a solid blast to the sloping green, any errant shot will probably make a splash. It is one of the few par 3s in the country where players have been known

to lay-up.

Macau Golf & Country Club

Hole 17, 239 yards, par  3

This par 3 bordering the South China Sea ranks up there with the best holes anywhere in Asia for its spectacular setting. With the tee carved into the rock on one of the higher points of Coloane Island, the trick to success on this hole is an accurate shot to navigate the green about

40 metres below. Anything left is rock while anything right is likely to be wet. China's

No 1 Zhang Lian-wei  won his first Macau Open

title here in 2001 with a clutch chip in from off

the green for a birdie.

Chung Shan Hot Spring Golf Club

Zhong Shan City, Guangdong

Hole 3 Palmer Course, 405 yards, par 4

Created in in 1984, this course has set a fine example for the now more than 200 courses that have followed on the mainland. A strong drive on the dog-leg left third hole of the original Arnold Palmer course is a must to set up a clear approach shot which requires navigating a canal. Small mounds around the gently undulating green makes this a tricky hole and an excellent course for shot-making.

Yalong Bay Golf Club

Sanya, Hainan Island

Hole 2, 452 yards, par  4

To see the second green at this Robert Trent Jones-designed layout, a 270-yard blast is required off the tee to clear a rise.  The dog-leg right then slopes down to a two-tiered green protected by water. The TCL Classic, which the club recently hosted, featured a record low cut of six under but this was one of the few holes that proved difficult.

Dalian Jinshi Golf Club (Golden Pebble Golf Club)

Dalian, Liaoning

Hole 7, 139 yards, par  3

This spectacular par 3 with its setting on the Yellow Sea rivals the great seaside par  3s found at Hong Kong's Kau Sai Chau club. With only the crashing waves of the sea separating the tee from the green, an accurate shot  is paramount for  navigating this  hole.

Spring City Golf Resort

Kunming, Yunnan

Hole 18 Mountain Course, 472 yards, par 4

The fact that this 36-hole golf resort was ranked the best in China by Golf Digest speaks volumes for this year-round destination. The 18th hole on the Jack Nicklaus-designed Mountain Course provides a memorable yet challenging finish with its elevated tee, sidehill lies,  native pine trees and rock outcrops. This is just one of several memorable holes at this Singapore-invested facility, which also includes the Robert Trent Jones Lake Course.



Al Campbell picks 10 mainland challenges to add a zing to your swing