Spring City Golf & Lake Resort

The Mountain Course at Spring City Golf & Lake Resort sits in the highlands near Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province in southwestern China. Designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in the mid-1990s, it was among the first international-caliber golf developments in mainland China during the country's early golf boom. The course occupies elevated terrain with significant changes in topography, taking advantage of the region's natural contours and the temperate climate that has earned Kunming its reputation as the "City of Eternal Spring." The routing moves across hillsides and valleys, with fairways that often play uphill or downhill and greens positioned to emphasize the dramatic elevation shifts. Nicklaus incorporated his characteristic strategic bunkering and generous landing areas, though the terrain itself provides much of the challenge through uneven lies and approach shots that must account for vertical distance. Views extend across the surrounding mountains and toward Yangzong Lake, which gives the resort its name. Spring City gained recognition in Asian golf circles during the late 1990s and early 2000s, hosting professional events on the regional tour and drawing international visitors to what was then a relatively undeveloped golf market. The resort includes a second course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., and together they established Spring City as one of China's early destination golf properties. The Mountain Course remains the more dramatic of the two layouts, defined by its bold use of the natural landscape.