Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club - Hong Kong

Given its long history as a British Crown Colony, it is no surprise that golf in Hong Kong dates back to the founding of the Royal Hong Kong Golf Club in 1889 in Happy Valley, after which the club moved to Deep Water Bay in 1898. The club now has three 18-hole courses at Fanling, in addition to the original nine-hole course at Deep Water Bay. Despite the steep terrain and small geographic area, other courses have followed, including Shek O Country Club, Discovery Bay Golf Club on Lantau Island designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., and 36 holes of public golf designed by Gary Player at the Jockey Club at Kau Sai Chau. Of all of Hong Kong's courses, however, none is more spectacular than Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club, spread out over the serpent's tail of the Sai Kung Peninsula high above the South China Sea. Designed by the Japanese duo of T. Sawai and A. Furukawa, the course consists of the Ocean Nine, opened in 1982, and the Highland Nine, opened in 1987. The views overlooking the eastern approach to Hong Kong Harbor are stupendous, with the signature 14th hole playing across and along the seaside cliffs.

The Club At Nine Bridges - South Korea

The Club at Nine Bridges is located on Jeju Island, or Jeju-Do, the egg-shaped island 60 miles south of the mainland that ii referred to as South Korea's Hawaii. Named for the arched stone bridges on the property, the course opened to great fanfare in August 2001. The dazzling highland layout spreads through the piedmont near the volcanic Hallasan, South Korea's tallest mountain at 6,400 feet, which dominates the center of the island and is surrounded by a national forest preserve. Nine Bridges was designed by globetrotting California-based architect Ronald Fream, and developed by Jay Lee, CEO of the Cheil Jedang Group and the grandson of the founder of Samsung. Fream created broad fairways of bent grass and wide belts of sand through the existing creek beds piled with volcanic stones and lined with oaks. Lakes were created on holes five and seven, and a 50,000-ton water hazard encircles the island 18th green. One bridge that was added connects the 18th green to the clubhouse. The surrounding mountains shelter the course from Jeju Island's fierce winds.