Ronald Fream's course at The Orient Golf & Country Club is an intermediate test of golf. The layout is friendly in that most of the holes afford a good look at the green...
Ronald Fream's course at The Orient Golf & Country Club is an intermediate test of golf. The layout is friendly in that most of the holes afford a good look at the green...
Ronald Fream's course at The Orient Golf & Country Club, 25 kilometres outside of Taipei, is an intermediate test of golf. The layout is friendly in that most of the holes afford a good look at the green which is helpful in terms of lining up the approach shot. The greens are heavily contoured and on a close cutting could be very tricky. The greens are a little smaller than many modern greens so a good round will involve some deft chipping. You are more than likely to be playing from grass as sand if you miss the greens as the bunkering is intelligent without being unduly punitive or intrusive.
The back nine has a little more feature and character than the front and is the stiffer test – featuring two par fours that measure 460 yards from the back tees. The 14th is roomy from the tee but then the approach is played into a green that is only 23 yards across and canted at a diagonal angle to the centre of the fairway. The 17th requires a drive that is kept left of a water hazard and then a second that must fly into a green which is tapered at the front to a narrow neck. The last hole is a stirring finale with bunkers arranged around all the landing areas for the first, second and third shots. If there is a weakness here in this otherwise well sorted layout it would be that the par threes lack a little drama.
The clubhouse facilities are an essential part of the golfer's experience and it is certainly worth mentioning the excellent design of the clubhouse at The Orient, which has won awards. It manages to be perfectly functional, very modern and yet sympathetic to its environment. It has been dug into the land so that the parking is underground and the second level of the clubhouse is at the same level as the back nine. This makes it possible to start the back-nine from the top of the clubhouse which itself is grassed so better to meld in with the environment.
Re-produced with kind permission from The Finest Golf Courses of Asia & Australasia by James Spence.
The latest ranking of the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World serves as the ultimate global golf bucket list. Most members of our World Top 100 Panel are seasoned golfers, each playing 20-30 of these courses annually while travelling extensively over decades to form their opinions on others. We recognise that opinions vary—even among our panel members. Rankings are subjective, and there are undoubtedly 50 or more courses in the UK and USA alone that could easily fit onto this list. Links Golf Pilgrimages The rankings
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The Greater China golf landscape represents one of Asia's most diverse and rapidly evolving golf markets, combining world-class championship venues with exclusive private clubs and innovative modern designs. The 2026 rankings recognise 50 courses across the region through three separate national rankings: China's Top 30, Hong Kong's Top 5, and Taiwan's Top 15. These rankings reflect the assessments of dedicated regional panellists with extensive playing experience across each market. The region's golf scene continues to evolve despite distinct challenges in each territory. China's golf industry navigates ongoing government regulations while maintaining world-class facilities. Hong Kong's limited space creates intense competition for ranking positions among its handful of courses, and Taiwan's vibrant private club culture showcases some of Asia's most exclusive golf experiences. Together, these three markets demonstrate the breadth of golf course excellence across the Greater China region. 2026 Rankings: A Diverse Regional Landscape The combined rankings recognise three courses reaching Asia's Top 100, led by Shanqin Bay Golf Club, maintaining its position as China's premier championship venue at World #35. The rankings span from internationally recognised championship courses to exclusive private clubs that define each market's character. Additional courses across all three territories demonstrate championship-calibre quality while remaining outside the current ranking thresholds, suggesting depth throughout the region's golf infrastructure. Explore the complete China Rankings Explore the complete Hong Kong Rankings Explore the complete Taiwan Rankings China Top 30 At A Glance The Elite Pair 1. Shanqin Bay Golf Club - World #35 2. PGA Golf Club An Ying - Yangtze Dunes - World #99 The Rising Forces Topwin - Beijing - Up 35 positions to #7 (from #42) Wind Valley (Member) - Up 24 positions to #11 (from #35) Nicklaus Club Beijing - Up 20 positions to #10 (from #30) Shadow Creek - Beijing - Up 9 positions to #12 (from #21) Dongzhuang Beach (Linksland) - Up 4 positions to #8 (from #12) Notable Movements Mission Hills (Blackstone) - Down to #6 (from #3) Spring City (Mountain) - Down to #13 (from #7) Dunes at Shenzhou Peninsula (West) - Down to #14 (from #8) National Golf Country Club (Taiwan) - Down to #10 (from #5) Hong Kong Top 5 At A Glance Complete Stability 1. Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau (North) 2. Clearwater Bay 3. Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau (East) 4. Hong Kong (New) 5. Hong Kong (Eden) Hong Kong's ranking demonstrates remarkable consistency, with all five courses maintaining their positions from the previous ranking. This stability reflects the territory's limited golf infrastructure and the established quality of its existing venues. Taiwan Top 15 At A Glance The Unchanged Elite 1. Ta Shee (Kingfisher & Egret) 2. Taiwan Golf & Country Club The Rising Clubs North Bay - Up 4 positions to #9 (from #13) Tong Hwa - Up 3 positions to #8 (from #11) Chia Nan - Up 3 positions to #11 (from #14) Hsin Chu (East & West) - Up 3 positions to #12 (from #15) Sunrise - Up 2 positions to #7 (from #9) The New Entry 15. Miramar (South & East) - Debut in Top 15 Notable Movement National Golf Country Club - Down to #10 (from #5) Oriental Sunstar - Down to #14 (from #10) Explore the complete China Rankings Explore the complete Hong Kong Rankings Explore the complete Taiwan Rankings What the Rankings Tell Us Shanqin Bay's Continued Supremacy Shanqin Bay Golf Club maintains its position as China's premier golf destination and the highest-ranked course in the Greater China region. The Coore & Crenshaw design on Hainan Island has established itself among the world's elite courses since opening, combining natural coastal terrain with sophisticated strategic routing. Its ranking at World #35 represents the pinnacle of what China's golf industry can achieve when design excellence meets exceptional natural terrain. Beijing's Architectural Renaissance The capital region's dramatic rise in the rankings tells the story of China's golf evolution. Topwin - Beijing's 35-position leap to #7, Nicklaus Club Beijing's 20-position climb to #10, and Wind Valley's 24-position surge to #11 demonstrate how Beijing has emerged as China's most important golf destination beyond coastal resort markets. Shadow Creek - Beijing's 9-position rise to #12 further reinforces the capital's concentration of championship-quality courses. Hong Kong's Established Order Hong Kong's complete ranking stability reflects the territory's unique golf landscape, where limited supply creates minimal opportunity for change. The Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau complex holds two of the five ranked positions, demonstrating the importance of this public facility in providing Hong Kong with accessible championship golf. Clearwater Bay and the Hong Kong Golf Club courses maintain their historical positions, preserving the hierarchy that has defined Hong Kong golf for generations. Taiwan's Private Club Excellence Taiwan's ranking movements showcase the vitality of the island's private club scene. North Bay's 4-position climb to #9, combined with strong rises from Tong Hwa, Chia Nan, and Hsin Chu. Looking Ahead The Greater China golf landscape continues to evolve despite each territory's distinct challenges. China's government policies toward golf remain restrictive, limiting new course development while existing facilities navigate complex regulatory environments. Several courses have faced closures or ownership changes in recent years, making the sustained quality of ranked courses particularly impressive. The market appears to be stabilising around a core group of established championship venues rather than pursuing continued expansion. Taiwan's geographic constraints limit new development, but ongoing course renovations and refinements could drive future ranking movements. Hong Kong's golf infrastructure remains essentially static, with no realistic prospects for new course development given land scarcity and regulatory hurdles. The territory's golf future likely centres on maintaining and upgrading existing facilities rather than expansion. Explore the complete China Rankings Explore the complete Hong Kong Rankings Explore the complete Taiwan Rankings
