Mission Hills Golf Club - Shenzhen

The World Cup Course at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen represents Jack Nicklaus's contribution to what became one of the world's largest golf facility complexes. Designed in the 1990s during China's initial golf development boom, the course takes its name from hosting the 1995 World Cup of Golf, a significant early international tournament in mainland China that helped establish the country's presence in competitive golf. The event brought together national teams in a format that combined individual and team play, marking a notable moment in Asian golf history. The layout occupies rolling terrain in Guangdong Province, north of Hong Kong, where Nicklaus shaped a course that balances his characteristic strategic design principles with the site's natural topography. The routing incorporates elevation changes and water features typical of the region's landscape, with several holes playing along or across lakes and streams. Nicklaus's design emphasizes multiple tee positions and generous landing areas off the tee, while greens feature the contouring and bunkering that define his approach to scoring zones. Mission Hills Shenzhen expanded significantly after the World Cup Course opened, eventually encompassing multiple courses by different architects across an extensive property. The World Cup Course remains the flagship layout within this larger complex, maintaining its identity as the site where international tournament golf first came to this part of southern China. The facility caters to both local members and visiting golfers exploring the Pearl River Delta region's golf offerings.