Shanghai Silport Golf Club

About the club

The thirty-six holes of the Shanghai Silport complex are quite famous in China, especially since the European Tour has begun staging its Volva China Open there regularly. Silport is owned by the wealthy businessman Beta Soong of Taiwan, who also owns the Tiger Beach course, and he has made this course a veritable art museum: three dozen sculptures from the Ming and Qing Dynasties are set, or perhaps better hidden, among the holes. The somewhat obscure American architect Bobby J. Martin, who got his start with Nicklaus Design, created the Center + East championship combination course on the shores of Dian Shan Lake. The fairly level terrain has been enhanced with cleverly positioned water hazards and thick vegetation along the fairways. Large sand traps defend a number of the nicely contoured greens. The friendly clubhouse, done up in the style of a hacienda, awaits golfers at the end of play.