Beijing Golden King International Golf Club

About the club

The Jinmen, part of the Yaoshang Country club outside Beijing 25 miles to the south, is built on the expanses of sand that run along each side of the Yongding River. The course was named for the remarkable, centuries-old irrigation and flood control works in the area that medieval Chinese craftsmen created in order to harness the river for local agriculture. Despite the levelness of the location, designer and former top player Bob Shearer from Australia has managed to carve out lovely contours through the use of mounds, well over a hundred conspicuous bunkers with deep facing and raised greens fitted with areas for run off. The Jinmen may not be in the same league as the Melbourne Sandbelt courses, but it still delivers some classic golf; and if it has not achieved a great deal of recognition since its opening in 2005, its time will surely come.