Hwasan

Designed by Lim Sang Ha of Lim Golf Design in the mid-1990s, the fairways of the Hwasan Country Club course are set out on rather hilly terrain to the south east of the South Korean capital. The layout is strong on strategy, with much of the challenge focused on several short par four holes.

Water only ever comes into play at the 1st and 18th, but, in between these opening and closing holes, there are plenty of other obstacles in the way to posting a score here: some intimidating ridges and ravines require heroic carries, numerous bunkers need to be avoided and several heavily contoured greens demand close attention.

Two of the more memorable holes on the front nine are the 583-yard opener, a double doglegged par five and the 376-yard downhill 6th, which kinks left to the green off the tee.

On the inward half, the 212-yard 11th is regarded as the signature hole at Hwasan Country Club. It’s played to a bunker-free, two-tiered green that tilts from back to front, with a number of grassy mounds – shaped like miniature volcanoes – surrounding the green.