Mission Hills, China: The World’s Largest Golf Resort
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Today
When one talks about golf in China, almost invariably the name Mission Hills springs to the fore. This is not a mere golf club, but a sprawling, multifaceted leisure and sporting empire whose footprint and ambition reflect not just China’s passion for “big projects,” but a deeper desire to place China on the world stage of luxury sports and travel.
From Vision to Reality: The Birth of Mission Hills
The story begins in the early 1990s, when Dr. David Chu, a Hong Kong–born entrepreneur, resolved to create a golf destination unlike anything China had seen. He acquired land straddling Shenzhen and Dongguan in Guangdong Province — at the time, farmland and forest — and set about converting it into a massive golf resort complex.
In 1992, Mission Hills formally opened. The first 18 holes were commissioned, and soon Dr. Chu enlisted the talents of Jack Nicklaus to design one of the flagship courses. Over time, more designers were added: Greg Norman, Ernie Els, Nick Faldo, José María Olazábal, Vijay Singh, David Leadbetter, Ian Poulter / Justin Rose, and others.
By 2004, the resort had expanded to include 10 courses and 180 holes, capturing a Guinness World Record for “World’s Largest Golf Club.”Over the years, it has grown even further. Today, the Mission Hills Group’s main complexes in the Guangdong / Greater Bay Area plus its resort in Hainan account for a combined total of nearly 22 courses and 396 holes, according to some sources.
But Mission Hills is more than just volume. Its ambition was always to merge sport, luxury, entertainment, and tourism, and in that it has largely succeeded.
Mission Hills in Guangdong: Shenzhen / Dongguan
The original and flagship complex is located in the town of Guanlan (观澜), in the Shenzhen–Dongguan corridor in Guangdong Province. Strategically, it lies in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macau Greater Bay Area, which aligns with China’s broader plans to integrate those economically dynamic cities.
The Shenzhen / Dongguan complex (often referred to just as “Mission Hills Shenzhen”) currently features 12 courses: 11 full-length championship courses plus one par-3 course. Each of the championship courses was designed by a different golfing icon. Some highlights among those courses:
The World Cup Course, designed by Nicklaus, was the first in China to receive accreditation from the U.S. PGA Tour for major competitions.
The Faldo Stadium Course, opened in 1999, is widely acclaimed and serves as a focal point for youth development and regional events.
The Norman Course, credited to Greg Norman, is one of the more challenging layouts, with long holes and demanding roughs.
The Els Course, designed by Ernie Els, weaves through diverse terrain and offers a balanced challenge of strategy and shotmaking.
Beyond golf, the complex houses a luxury clubhouse, spa facilities, tennis centers, driving ranges, and residential development. The China-centric ambitions also include large-scale mixed-use developments: “Mission Hills Centreville,” a comprehensive HOPSCA (Hotel, Offices, Parks, Shopping, Convention, Apartments) complex adjacent to the golf courses, is intended to anchor the resort’s lifestyle appeal. Mission Hills also maintains reciprocal relationships with elite golf clubs worldwide, making membership more than just local access. It’s worth noting that while visitor reviews are generally positive about scale and ambition, some raise practical complaints — distance between courses, air quality, and service consistency, among them.
Mission Hills in Hainan: The Tropical Anchor
A critical piece of the Mission Hills network is its Hainan presence, known as Mission Hills Haikou (on Hainan Island). Since in many parts of China golf courses became restricted by regulatory limits after the early 2000s, Hainan (officially a free-trade port and special zone) offered breathing room for new developments. Located about 10–15 kilometers south of Haikou city and conveniently close to Haikou International Airport, the resort spans roughly 20 km² and features 10 championship courses.
What makes Haikou especially intriguing is its volcanic terrain, tropical landscape and wetland ecosystems. Courses wind around lava rock formations, mature lychee groves, jungle interstices, and sweeping wetland corridors.
One notable layout is the Blackstone Course, designed by Brian Curley. Its routing emphasises natural integration: fairways and bunkers blend into lava-rock waste areas; elevation changes are dramatic. Another is the Lava Fields Course, which can stretch to a massive 7,475 yards from championship tees and is characterised by large waste bunkers and open vistas.
The resort is not only for golfers: it offers a full suite of amenities, such as a 5-star resort hotel, spa, mineral springs (among the largest in Asia), shopping and dining in its Centreville district, and a water park. From an event perspective, Haikou has hosted prominent tournaments. For example, the 2011 Omega Mission Hills World Cup took place here, with the U.S. team winning. More recently, the 2025 Hainan Classic, a stop on the DP World Tour’s Asian Swing, is set to be held on the Blackstone Course, with significant prize money and ranking points at stake.
Experiencing Mission Hills: A Golfer’s Impressions
To visit Mission Hills is to confront both grandeur and challenge. The distances between courses can be significant, so logistical planning is essential. The quality of greens, service, and landscaping is often praised, though the massive scale sometimes dilutes intimacy and localised attention.
In Hainan, especially, the tropical light, island breezes, dramatic elevation shifts, and vivid courses make for memorable rounds. The integration of spa, mineral springs, shopping, and non-golf amenities adds to the holiday feel. Visitors often recall the mineral springs, spa treatments, and themed hot-spring baths as highlights beyond the golf itself.
Tournaments at the resort allow golfers and fans to see top-level play in a scenic, relaxed setting. For example, the upcoming 2025 Hainan Classic will shine a global spotlight back on the Blackstone Course, highlighting its challenges and beauty.
In Summary
Mission Hills in China is more than a golf destination — it is an audacious marriage of sport, business, tourism, and placemaking. From its bold beginnings in Guangdong through its tropical outpost in Hainan, it embodies China’s desire to anchor global luxury and experience brands on its soil. For golfers, it offers an unparalleled palette of courses, terrains, and design philosophies. For observers, it poses fascinating questions about scale, sustainability, and how leisure can shape region and identity.
