Golfplan is not very difference from that of other course designers, in that it strives for clear and unique design while tremendously enjoying challenges associated with change. However, it can be totally different if we are demolishing the current golf course to start over from scratch, because it is not a contrite project anymore, and offers new opportunities for a frank and unique outcomes.

Although we are given the freedom to design to our heart’s content, this kind of course redesigning work can be a difficult project in both artistic and practical aspects. We will take our changes, however, if both the location and the customers are attractive.

In this terms, we did not have to consider twice to take on the Weihai Point project.

Let us start from the terrain. 2,500 meters of peninsula stretches out into the Yellow Sea, with a width equivalent of exactly stwice of that of the golf course. What separates this flat piece of land from the sea is a rock cliff, ranging from 30 feet to 100 in height. The climate in of mid-eastern China, where Weihai is located, is very temperate and relatively dry, creating a perfect condition to grow golf course grass.

Golfplan was given the opportunity to design a golf course in this amazing environment thanks to the trusted company of Kumho Asiana, for whom we designed the Asiana CC and Jinju CC in 1989 and 1996, respectively. Who can say no to such an amazing client with whom two successful projects were completed?

Looking back, Golfplan must have been fated to work at Weihai Point. We are confident in stating that we are the foreign company with the most development projects in China, with projects including Orient GC in Xiamen constructed for a Taiwanese company, Grand Shanghai GC made for a Singaporean firm, Grand Dynasty Holein Golf Club in Beijing that opened this year, Qiandaohu Country Club near Hangzhou that opened in spring of 2008.

Golfplan’s striking projects can be seen in Korea as well. Club at Nine Bridges blessed with beautiful natural environment, Pine Beach Golf Links that will make your breath stop, and Bear Rier Resort with 36 holes that host a new KPGA tournament are examples. To reiterate, we could not say no to an opportunity like this.

As such, Golfplan-Fream-Dale & Ramsey said goodbye to Pan China Golf Club which is designed by him previously in March 2007, and began working for Weihai Point Hotel & Golf Resort in September 2008.

The result is very special, as can be seen in the photos. Various amazing elements came together to make the Weihai Point project unique. Some of these elements may not be directly related to golf itself except for the fact that they contributed to the final design, but I will continue to write about these unexpected luck, and there are many things to talk about in this respect.

But I do not want to complicate this story. For those in love with golf, Weihai Point Hotel & Golf Resort is very attractive without a doubt.

You will receive a refreshing shock on seeing the photos of our resort or enter the gates of the golf course. The wide window across from the clubhouse gate gives the guests a panorama view of water, the peninsula, the golf course, the sea and the sky, which will take up three-fourths of our view.

We managed to bring this grandeur scene to life from the first hole. The putting area in the first hole has an amazing background, sitting on the horizon. The golfers make their second tee shot at the edge of a cliff that stands over the breaking waves. 2nd to 7th holes follow the edge of this steep cliff until the tip of the peninsula to return in the following holes. You may be starting to wonder how inferior Pan China Gold Club was even with this amazing natural environment.

To answer that question as far as we know, the developer who initially designed the Pan China course was never able to make a profit, and the course was owned by a construction company in China, not a golf-related company. This company designed and built Pan China course by themselves, and seems to have had operated the course under the premise that any hole could not approach too close to the edge of the cliff.

Speaking objectively, the initial problem was that general engineers, not golf course designers, created the course. But even putting that aside, these engineers used a very abstract design strategy that was not suited to utilize the characteristics of a facility near the ocean. Simply put, they had created an unrealistic golf course.

In contrast, we moved to holes to the edge of the ocean, to extend to the end of the peninsula to come back to the starting point, creating a traditional golf course. We began to remove most of the rocks attached to the valley of the peninsula, which allowed us to generate a safe amount of area required by a golf course by the sea and made the course worthy of dramatic risk. I will not bore the readers with details about all of the holes in the course, but I will take fascinating examples that will be interesting.

On the 16th hole, par-5 with the length of 500 yards, golfers must swing a driver shot that ranges about 220 yards across the swirling sea to land the ball on the fairway surrounded by the cliff. The second landing area to the left is about 50 feet lower than the first landing area. But a competent players will be able to put the ball on the green just in two shots. The putting green is located by the cliff, and is enveloped by a formation of 8 pot bunkers.

Now that Pebble Beach is mentioned, I said it was a jack shot. If one can pick the best tee shot, I would say that it is the drive shot from the 12th hole of Weihai Point. The drive shot across the ocean is even more amazing that the 8th hole of the Pebble Beach. It is no mere lip service; the shot is incredible. The shot also marks the beginning of a 410-yard uphill to the putting green, which is a peninsula within the peninsula. A Beijing-based construction company, not a golf company, had owned this course.


In contrast, we moved to holes to the edge of the ocean, to extend to the end of the peninsula to come back to the starting point, creating a traditional golf course. Greens on Weihai are not consistent, with most of them connecting to the hill, but never excessively. Some greens are very gentle, while some others are rough. Long and narrow greens are complemented by others that are very spacious. Some rise high, and some lay low. Some are protected by the small inland area provided by this narrow peninsula, but many others are situated at the edge of the cliff.

In contrast, we moved to holes to the edge of the ocean, to extend to the end of the peninsula to come back to the starting point, creating a traditional golf course. Greens on Weihai are not consistent, with most of them connecting to the hill, but never excessively. Some greens are very gentle, while some others are rough. Long and narrow greens are complemented by others that are very spacious. Some rise high, and some lay low. Some are protected by the small inland area provided by this narrow peninsula, but many others are situated at the edge of the cliff.

It may be contrite for the designer to passionately compliment the client by saying that the client’s refined taste, patient until the end, and investment made this project successful. However, the largest contribution to the success of the Weihai Proint Project must be attributed to Mr. Park Sam-gu, the CEO of Kumho Asiana Group. One number alone can summarizes his love and passion for golf and this project.

This number is not the amount of capital he used in this project; it is the length of Weihai Point Hotel & Golf Resort course in yards. You need not concern over the fact that this length is not sufficient for Weihai Point Hotel & Golf Resort to host a championship tournament. Weihai was designed to be a course to enjoy golf. It is an interesting golf course in which more careful players may need a driver for tee shot in some holes, but in the next hole they may have to scrummage through their bag to look for a number 3 iron.


In conclusion, the interest shown by Mr. Park was not for building another monument to himself, or another 7,600-yard golf course for a tour event. Of course, a beautiful clubhouse, a hotel, and luxury villas also make up the Weihai Point. But as we thought, Mr. Park also intuitively understood that the special conditions of the course is only for a 6,235-yard course and nothing else. We simply realized that understanding.

We cannot say that Mr. Park was not generous in his investments. In contrast, he was very active in investment. It was a challenge for us to remove rocks with the size of 300,000 cubic meters.

If we did not have the space of 10 to 15 yards created through this labor- and cost-consuming work, Weihai Point Hotel & Golf Resort would simply have been a ball-eater. Tree placements were also complicated by the local environmental protection regulations that prevented us from cutting down any trees.

In addition, all areas in the Weihai Point golf course were covered in very expensive sand from Qingdao. In addition to such conditions for good drainage, we installed V-shaped drainage facilities in all fairways, with more than 300 catch pits.

Mr. Park didn’t have the guardian spirit of golf that made him build impulsively Weihai Point Hotel & Golf Resort. Rather, he did so out of his love for golf; he also operates an airline with a regular flights between Seoul and Weihai, a burgeoning center of the Shandong Province. We believe this is the investment that has no choice but to succeed.

He also knows how to succeed, and he knows exactly what he found in Weihai. He also did not compromise his conviction to build the world’s best golf course on his ambition, arrogance, or short-term profits.

As shown, Kumho Asiana Group and Golfpland took the long way for success. We had built two golf courses in Korea for Kumho Asiana Group, and also consulted for more than 20 site inspections, even though they were never realized. In one of our numerous site inspections, Mr. Park once talked about his love of Golfplan’s works, because of its excellent harmony between the nature and the artificial.

I agreed with Mr. Park, and responded by saying that Golfplan always builds holes near natural terrain, and makes sure that the shape of the holes should harmonize with other ones. Mr. Park casually said, “it’s like Mackenzie’s golf courses,” and we kept walking.

I would like to ask you again: How can you say no to a person who compares your work to Alister Mackenzie’s achievements?