The stunning Riviera-Maya Resort, Mexico, overlooking the Carribbean Sea.
Founded in 1992, Mission Hills moved ahead at a staggering pace, surpassing North Carolina’s famed Pinehurst Resort with its eight courses to easily become the game’s largest self- contained golf destination. Mission Hills is five times the size of Central Park and has 225 miles of cart paths. Its Dongguan Clubhouse (one of four at the resort) measures more than 680,000 square feet—almost certainly the world’s largest. And just for the record, there are 3,000 caddies (all female) and 7,500 other staff members. According to Chu, Mission Hills is just a warm up for what
is planned to be 22 courses covering an area larger than Manhattan. “Our plans for Hainan are just as ambitious. Our goal is to make Hainan the Hawaii of China.”
LATIN AMERICAN LUXURY The Cancun region is one of the most spectacular golf destinations in Mexico and perhaps the finest resort there happens to be the site of the PGA TOUR’s Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun, played in February. The 45-acre Fairmont Mayakoba Riviera Maya is located hard by the Caribbean and is about a 45-minute drive from Cancun International Airport. The resort is lushly forested and a series of canals run through the property. The resort has 401 upscale rooms and there are five freshwater
pools as well as boat tours, bird watching expeditions along the extensive well-marked nature trails, and a full-service kids club (they might as well be as spoiled by the place as their parents). There are also a wide variety of dining options including Las Brisas, an elegant seaside restaurant. The Willow Stream Spa has 20 treatment rooms, two mineral pools and steam rooms. A full-service health club and beauty salon are also available. The 18-hole, par-70, 6,923-yard El Camaleon is Greg Norman’s first course design in Mexico. The course winds under a forest
TOP EVENTS IN CHINA
■ China is the site of two PGA TOUR-affiliated events this fall, the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions, Sheshan International Golf Club on October 31-November 6 and the OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup, Mission Hills, November 21-27.
■ Francesco Molinari of Italy has fared quite well in these events, teaming with his brother Edoardo to win the World Cup in 2009 and capturing the HSBC last year.
canopy and through a lush tropical landscape which includes jungles, dense mangroves and ocean-front holes bisected by limestone canals. The fairways are lined with sand dunes and Norman made excellent use of cenotes (subterranean caves) and sparkling lagoons. The signature hole is the par-3 15th which plays directly towards the Caribbean—a stunning backdrop to a beautiful and challenging hole. In November 2006, El Camaleon was awarded certification
status for the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program. It was also voted “Best New International Golf Course” by Golf Magazine. On the other side of Mexico, amidst 28 acres of quiet gardens
a private beach lies the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar Golf & Spa Resort, Los Cabos. Surrounding the resort, on the tip of the Baja California peninsula, is the Ocean Course by Jack Nicklaus at Cabo del Sol, currently rated 68th in the world by Golf Magazine and the number one best courses in Mexico by Golf Digest. The Cabo del Sol Desert course is also a stunning place to
play, featuring mesmerizing ocean views from all 18 holes. The Tom Weiskopf design is a unique combination of desert and ocean with canyon-like arroyos and a variety of foliage creating a breathtaking backdrop as well as a significant challenge. ■
TPC LIFE & LEISURE
© COURTESY OF MISSION HILLS AND RIVIERA-MAYA RESORTS
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