- Peach Garden Fontaine Golf Club
- Reviewed by:
Review Summary:
All round excellent club. Course is an enjoyable test (and in great shape) and the new clubhouse is a huge improvement on the sauna shack that visitors had to use before. Distance from HK a bit of a problem but it's worth staying the night at the nearby Fountainbleau Hotel (www.ftbl-hotel.com.cn) and getting in a couple of rounds.
| Address | Nanguo Peach Garden, Nanhai, Guangzhou. |
|---|---|
| 007 booking hotline | +852 2187 3146 or book-on-line |
| No. of Holes | 18 at present. 27 by mid 2007. |
| Par/Length | 72 / 7,236 (Championship Tee) |
| Designer/Architect | JMP – Mark Hollinger |
| Night Golf | Lighting on 9 holes |
Scorecard1, 2 / Midway House / Reception
Introduction
Located in Naguo Peach Garden, close to the CCTV film studios outside of Guangzhou, Nanhai Peach opened for test play in the middle of 2005. May 2006 saw the Grand Opening of the club, which included the unveiling of an impressive brand new clubhouse.
Built on the site of a former brick factory, the 18 hole course, designed by Mark Hollinger of JMP, who is also responsible for the layouts at Long Island and Agile (South), is undoubtedly one of GZ’s most enjoyable tracks and looks set for a promising future thanks to sound management and excellent maintenance, two aspects that you can’t always associate with golf in China. A further 9 holes are slated to open in mid 2007.
Club Facilities & Service
Brand new so facilities are in pristine condition.
Western/Chinese Cafe / Bar / Pro Shop / Changing Rooms
Club and shoe hire available.
Fairway & Green maintenance
Salem Paspalum fairways are in beautiful shape and the Bermunda TifEagle greens are certainly more than acceptable – little slow when we played, but running smoothly.
Overall conditioning is very impressive and it’s interesting to note that the Paspalum/TifEagle combination is becoming the grass combination of choice for a number of new courses.
Caddy Service & knowledge
Perhaps they knew I was coming, but my caddy’s English was very good. In fact they all seemed to be able to communicate well. Could read putts which was obviously a big bonus. This being Guangzhou they all understand Cantonese too. Understand they’ve all been put through a pretty extensive caddie program and it really does show.
Course Design
Undulating course featuring plenty of water (semi-island greens) and expansive bunkering. Fairways are generous however, and it’s at the greens where the real excitement begins: Multi-tiers, run-offs and collection areas require deft short game.
Fairly long on the scorecard but plays a bit shorter. Risk reward opportunities present themselves on the par fives.
No real rough to contend with and it’s ok to spray it off the tee a bit. Longer hitters will have the advantage but good scoring is only made possible if you’re able to manufacture a variety of shots around the greens. Shades of Agile South with split fairways giving players plenty of options. Not over-taxing, but no walk in the park either. Very enjoyable.
Photos
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Tasty par five. Unless you really smash one going for it in two is not a good idea. Water in play all the way down the left and in front of the green. Sloping green makes par a decent score.
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Take it straight over the left fairway bunker for the best route to the well-bunkered green. Slicers beware: jungle to the right of the fairway. Nice hole.
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Little par 3. If the hole is cut on towards the front of the green the pot bunker is in play – whatever you do don’t go in it.
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Short par 4 that goes straight uphill. Fairway has the tendency to kick balls to the right so aim just right of the pylon for the best route in. Unless you really flush it you won’t be able to see the bottom of the pin on the second.
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Give it a rip on this downhill par 4. But don’t hit it left – there’s OB down there.
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Another nice par 4 that doglegs to the right. Take it straight over the bunker to leave a mid-short iron in. One of the flatter greens on the course.
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Downhill par 3 over water. Tricky when the wind’s up.
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Nice wide fairway on this par 5. Pond short and right of the putting surface. Bunker short makes the green look closer than it really is.
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Drive has to skirt the bunkers on the left to leave the shortest route to the green. Big bunkers short of the putting surface mean that few will go for it in two – smart play required.
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Fairway wood off the tee is the play here. Fairway is wide but bunkers on the right are definitely in play. Green features two tiers so distance control with the second is key.
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Longish par 3 that allows for a run-up approach. Bunker on the left shouldn’t be in play.
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Ideal line off the tee is left of the large bunker and over the water. Carry of around 230 is required. From there it’s only a sand wedge in.
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Split fairway. If you can carry it 240-250 yards then fire it down the left side to leave a much better angle. Drives down the right side will leave a blind second.
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Strong par 3. Water will gobble up any under-cooked tee shots. Green slopes from back to front.
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The perfect drive is something down the right side of the fairway to leave a shorter second to an extremely well-bunkered green. Water definitely a factor here. Another devilishly sloping green.
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Good par five this. Plenty of room to give it a rip off the tee but the second needs attention. Rocky outcrop and OB left, bunkers right, mean laser like accuracy required. Par is a very respectable score.
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Downhill right par four. Plenty of room off the tee but it’s the green complex where things get really interesting. A phalanx of bunkers short and left, and a collection area over the back mean that a well-struck iron is required to stay on the putting surface.
007’s Rating
All round excellent club. Course is an enjoyable test (and in great shape) and the new clubhouse is a huge improvement on the sauna shack that visitors had to use before. Distance from HK a bit of a problem but it’s worth staying the night at the nearby Fountainbleau Hotel (www.ftbl-hotel.com.cn) and getting in a couple of rounds.
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