If not great, then certainly fun.  This is the 428-yard, stroke-one fourth hole, Eden Course, Hong Kong Golf Club (Fanling), designed by Michael Wolveridge.

The drive is dramatic, carrying a deep ravine to a fairway carved out of a mountainside.  The tee panorama takes in mountains and valleys.



Not apparent, but the general slope of the mountain creates a deception.  In fact, most lies in the fairway present a ball beneath the right-hand golfer’s feet!


The ideal line is to carry that small knob protruding in from the right, for over there lies the prospect of the “proper” sidehill lie; i.e., a “draw” lie.  But this too often proves the fool's route, for gaining that knob is nearly impossible -- the knob and the ground before it conspire to push balls left.  And too far right puts the tee shot into the rough and a difficult sidehill stance.

Lastly, the knob makes the hole appear more of a sharp dogleg to the right than it is, further encouraging the golfer to drive out to the left so as to open a vista to the green.

Approach -- up close, the "backwards" slope is somewhat apparent, but more likely the golfer's eyes remain unconvinced by his feet!


Like the 13th at Augusta National, the approach likely is off the “wrong” lie given the orientation of the green, but, unlike ANGC, here the ball (from center and left fairway) will lie below the right-hand golfer’s feet.  The green falls to the right, meaning the ideal shot for the right hander is a draw – especially given the opening in the tree line right of the green, an opening that hints of dark consequences for the wayward shot.

Green. Note left-to-right slope of land, a sharp contrast to the view from the tee.



As the golfer nears the hole, a wonderful vista opens up – wonderful if not for the effect of the Chinese economic miracle!

Note "pagoda" water cooler -- manifesting the sacred


Mark

Scott, it  certainly does look to me that the fairway bunkers are "saving hazards" for a hook off the tee that would otherwise hit the cart path hidden behind them and off into the trees.

TE
I think you raised the point you're making above on several other threads in the past, but I could never 'picture' what you meant or exactly why it was important. Now I can. It's a very interesting observation.

Peter

I'll look again but I think the bunkers look fine.  In fact without them, the view to me would be "more spoiled" by the cartpath.  I don't think the bunkers would save you all that much but they do hide the cart path nicely.

Without them it would be as if the left side of the hole were "outlined" in a black cartpath line.

Pretty neat looking hole.

It's a shame about paths--it encroaches pretty close on the second shot near the bunker as well.

Jeez, fellas, a lot of high handicappers play this course -- no need to incent them to buy cheap "Colloway" and "Titleeast" balls! (It's about 6,100 yards from the backs.)

Okay, then how bout the hole before that one (370-yard par 4) -- take your best shot!

Tee shot -- lemme guess...now it's the mounding!


Approach -- plenty of death all along the left on this hole, mounds do less "saving" than the rough


Green site -- bunkers left "save" balls hit off rock face right



Mark

Scott, the best part about that barber pole is, what, you've got to chunk your tee shot juuust right to use it properly!

Before we go off beating up the designer for bunkers and mounds, it first would be interesting to know if they were there originally, for it is not hard to see that if they were not original, play on these holes might lead to a chorus of requests for "saving" features.

Re: the cart paths, it sure looked like they blew up a mountain or two already...guess you can take the view either of, "what's a few more $HK" or of, "we've already spent too much $HK to put paths off in the woods!"

Better would be just to take a caddie: three levels of expertise, with the lowest very affordable, particularly for a membership that has shelled out a huge sum, plus probably waited 15 years just to get it!

BTW, not every hole is like these two!

Mark