Genzon (A) - China

Genzon Golf Club, or the Zhengzhong Golf Association, was originally established in 1995 as the CITIC Green Golf Club, with members playing on an 18-hole layout. A decade later, new owners took over and they called in Neil Haworth to expand the old course into two 18-hole tracks, named A and B.

In the book Planet Golf: Modern Masterpieces , author Darius Oliver has this to say about Genzon (A):

“The highlight of the course is the routing and the clever use of the lake within the design. With the exception of the first three holes, the opening 12 essentially loop counter-clockwise around the outside perimeter of the property, before doublibg back and playing clockwise along the northern bank.

Interestingly, the 15th, 16th and 17th occupy an island within the lake, while the 18th returns to the clubhouse along its eastern shore. There are a couple of long transition areas here, but the flow of holes is good and creates the sense of this being the natural way to manoeuver through the property.”

The 20th edition of the Volvo China Open was held at the club in 2014 then the tournament returned five years later, becoming the first event to be hosted in a new four-year deal with Genzon Golf Club, which recently became the first Chinese venue in the burgeoning portfolio of European Tour Properties.