COURSEFOCUS
The Hong Kong Golf Club
Located at Fanling, in Sheung Shui, much of the Eden Course and part of the New Course at the Hong Kong Golf Club, together with the nearby Beas River Country Club have been combined to form the main venue for the 2008 Olympic Equestrian Games. The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Shatin facilities plays host to the 2nd equestrian venue for these games. Nowadays, a visit to the Hong Kong Golf Club, affectionately named “Fanling” by
its members, means playing on the Old Course or on a composite course, the remnant holes from the New and Eden courses.
There is an eight to ten years wait-list to join the Fanling membership, one of the oldest in golf’s history, established in 1889, and it doesn’t get any better. To purchase a corporate debenture, in order to obtain immediate playing rights, at this Club is not as straight forward as it seems. Even an offer of 10 million HKD doesn’t guarantee a successful

Playing Golf with Enjoying the Equestrianism at Hong Kong
purchase. Money doesn’t seem to matter, the final test is to get pass a membership committee that rejects what it considers to be unsuitable applicants. However, despite its private club status, the club still offers visitors the opportunity to play at Fanling for a fee, the green fee. As long as the visitors abide by the rules and regulations and reserve a tee-time booking, they can play at the club during the weekdays. The club is home to the HK Open, one of the oldest Opens in golf. But this year, between July and September, the club closes for the 2008 Olympic Equestrian Events.
The Hong Kong Golf Club has 3 courses, the Old, the New and the Eden courses. They are all British styles course that offer much charm. Many trees line the fairways and the bunkers are shallow and small, with a few ponds thrown in here and there. The Old Course had been rebuilt by renowned US golf architect, Schmidt & Curley. The 6200-yard fairways are short by modern standards, but the par-4 signature hole named “Tommy Tucker” is very challenging because it is a blind tee off over a lowish hill to find the fairway. Also the par-3 hole 16 of 200-yard is also highly appreciated by the golfers. This hole is short but birdie is not given for the golfers should be aware of the bunkers. Once on the green it’s time to navigate around a gently contoured green.
Fanling’s scenic environment, with its beautiful hills, flowing waterfalls, majestic cliffs, natural gingko woods and turf, provides a stunning landscape for this 18-hole course. The club clearly showcases the artistry in bunker sculpturing and landscaping. This golf course not only keeps to the original natural beauty of its surroundings, but also the design of the fairways delivers an astonishing, visual feast, making this course a sublime treat for all players.
The Hong Kong Golf Club is founded on pure enjoyment, the sense of belonging and the freedom of choice. This carries from the course into every element of your golf experience - from the moment you unload your bag through to ending your day in the exclusive Private Members Lounge.