Updated on November 10, 2026
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What is the best golf course in China? Shanqin Bay, on Hainan Island, is ranked No. 1 by Golf Digest and Top100GolfCourses; it is a private, invitation-only club. Next are the Lake Course in Spring City, near Kunming, and The Dunes at Shenzhou Peninsula in Hainan. Many of China’s top courses are members-only: for each one, we indicate access requirements and whether its 2025 opening has been confirmed by a dated source.
Top photo: Mission Hills Haikou, in Hainan. Anna Frodesiak, CC0 1.0 (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons.
The 15 Best Golf Courses in China: The Rankings
15 courses shown.
| Rank | Course | Location | Golf Digest | Top100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shanqin Bay Golf Club | Southeastern coast of Hainan, near Bo'ao (Golf Digest lists the club as being in Wanning) | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Spring City Golf & Lake Resort — Lake Course | Yiliang, near Kunming, Yunnan (Yangzong Lake) | 4 | 3 |
| 3 | The Dunes at Shenzhou Peninsula — East | Wanning, Hainan | 3 | 4 |
| 4 | Sheshan International Golf Club | Songjiang, Shanghai | 2 | 5 |
| 5 | PGA Golf Club An Ying — Yangtze Dunes (formerly Lanhai International) | Chongming Island, Shanghai | 7 | 2 |
| 6 | Mission Hills Haikou — Blackstone | Haikou, Hainan | 5 | 6 |
| 7 | Topwin Golf & Country Club | Huairou, Beijing (near the Great Wall) | 10 | 7 |
| 8 | Shanghai Links Golf & Country Club | Pudong, Shanghai | 9 | 9 |
| 9 | Dongzhuang Beach Golf Club — Linksland | Pudong, Shanghai (next to Pudong Airport) | 14 | 8 |
| 10 | OCT East Wind Valley — Member Course | Shenzhen (OCT East, Longgang District), Guangdong | 12 | 11 |
| 11 | Shadow Creek Golf Club | Shunyi, Beijing (near the airport) | 13 | 12 |
| 12 | Hidden Grace Golf Club — A Course (formerly Genzon) | Longgang, Shenzhen, Guangdong | 6 | 20 |
| 13 | Nicklaus Club Beijing | Beijing (Chaoyang / Shunyi) | 18 | 10 |
| 14 | Spring City Golf & Lake Resort — Mountain Course | Yiliang, near Kunming, Yunnan | 21 | 13 |
| 15 | Nanjing Zhongshan International Golf Club | Nanjing (at the foot of Purple Mountain), Jiangsu | 11 | 23 |
Consensus ranking = average of the Golf Digest (December 2024) and Top100GolfCourses (January 2026) rankings. “—”: Course not included in the ranking. Click a column header to sort.
Where are the golf courses in China?
Click on a number to view the golf course, then click on its name to read its profile. Base map © OpenStreetMap.
How We Ranked China's Golf Courses
We ran into the Golf Digest's Ranking of China (Top 30, December 2024) and that of Top100GolfCourses (Top 30, January 2026). The consensus ranking is the average of the two; a course not included in a ranking is assigned rank 40. In the event of a tie, the Top 100 ranking is used to break the tie. For each course, we searched for documented evidence of an opening in 2025 or 2026 (tournament, press release, article): if we did not find any, the listing indicates this. None of the courses in this selection publish green fees in text form on their websites. This ranking is reviewed annually.
The Rankings in Detail
Architects and years of opening: official websites of the courses and the ranking lists cited, accessed on November 10, 2026; no information is provided when the source does not specify it. Photos under a free license via Wikimedia Commons.
1. Shanqin Bay Golf Club 🇨🇳
Rankings: Golf Digest 1 · Top100 1
Ranked No. 1 in China by Golf Digest and Top100GolfCourses; No. 35 worldwide on the Top 100 list (2026) and 62nd outside the United States on Golf Digest’s World’s 100 Greatest. In 2017, authorities had thousands of trees planted on the 17th fairway, which was replaced by a temporary par 3. Two drivable par 4s among the final three holes. Access: private. Scheduled to open in 2025, as confirmed only by recent player reviews.
2. Spring City Golf & Lake Resort — Lake Course 🇨🇳
Rankings: Golf Digest 4 · Top100 3
A 150-foot elevation change between the clubhouse and the 8th green, located on the lakefront. Holes 8 (a par-3 that slopes down toward a peninsula-style green), 9, and 10 are all located along the water’s edge. The resort was developed by a joint venture led by Keppel. Access: resort (public, according to Golf Digest).
3. The Dunes at Shenzhou Peninsula — East 🇨🇳
Rankings: Golf Digest 3 · Top100 4
The 16th, a par-5 hole set on terraces overlooking the South China Sea, is the signature hole. Thirteen holes on the East Course are part of the composite course used for competition. A 60-minute high-speed train ride from Haikou. Access: resort (public, according to Golf Digest). Scheduled to open in 2025, as confirmed only by recent player reviews.
4. Sheshan International Golf Club 🇨🇳
Rankings: Golf Digest 2 · Top100 5
Hosted 14 of the 15 editions of the WGC-HSBC Champions between 2005 and 2019. Holes 16 (a drivable par 4) and 17 (a long par 3) are played over a former quarry. Ranked No. 97 on Golf Digest’s “World’s 100 Greatest” list. Access: private (according to Golf Digest). Scheduled to open in 2025, as confirmed only by recent player reviews.
5. PGA Golf Club An Ying — Yangtze Dunes (formerly Lanhai International) 🇨🇳
Rankings: Golf Digest 7 · Top100 2
Former Lanhai International Links course, completely redesigned in 2018: greens, waste areas, and a shortened layout between holes. Ranked No. 2 in China and No. 99 worldwide by Top100GolfCourses (2026). Access: private (according to Golf Digest).
6. Mission Hills Haikou — Blackstone 🇨🇳
Rankings: Golf Digest 5 · Top100 6
Hosted the 2011 World Cup of Golf (won by the U.S. team of Kuchar and Woodland). The 13th is a 681-yard par 5. Host of the DP World Tour’s Hainan Classic in April 2025 (won by Marco Penge). Access: resort (open to the public, according to Golf Digest).
7. Topwin Golf & Country Club 🇨🇳
Rankings: Golf Digest 10 · Top100 7
The 2nd hole, a 250-yard par 3, is played entirely over water. Biggest jump in the 2026 Top 100 rankings: +35 spots, from 42nd to 7th. Access: private (according to Golf Digest). Opening in 2025–2026 has not been confirmed by a dated source: check with the club before planning a trip.
8. Shanghai Links Golf & Country Club 🇨🇳
Rankings: Golf Digest 9 · Top100 9
Commissioned from Jack Nicklaus in 1999, the course winds around a 410-acre estate where the Yangtze River meets the sea. Access: private (according to Golf Digest). Opening in 2025–2026 has not been confirmed by a dated source: check with the club before planning a trip.
9. Dongzhuang Beach Golf Club — Linksland 🇨🇳
Rankings: Golf Digest 14 · Top100 8
Two contrasting 18-hole courses, Parkland and Linksland, located next to Pudong International Airport. Up 4 spots in the 2026 Top 100 ranking (12th → 8th). Access: members-only club (Top 100: “presents its members”); exact status unconfirmed. Opening in 2025–2026 has not been confirmed by a dated source: check with the club before planning a trip.
10. OCT East Wind Valley — Member Course 🇨🇳
Rankings: Golf Digest 12 · Top100 11
Extreme mountain course, “loved and hated in equal measure”—up 24 spots in the 2026 Top 100 rankings (35th → 11th). Access: members only (“Member” course; the neighboring “Public” course is ranked separately, 30th by Golf Digest). Opening in 2025–2026 has not been confirmed by a dated source: check with the club before planning a trip.
11. Shadow Creek Golf Club 🇨🇳
Rankings: Golf Digest 13 · Top100 12
The only Chinese course credited to Steve Nicklaus; the sports component of a residential project by New World China Land. Access: private, according to secondary directories; not confirmed by Golf Digest or Top100. Opening in 2025–2026 not confirmed by a dated source: check with the club before planning a trip.
12. Hidden Grace Golf Club — A Course (formerly Genzon) 🇨🇳
Rankings: Golf Digest 6 · Top100 20
Founded in 1995 (CITIC Green Golf Club), expanded into two 18-hole courses, A and B, by Neil Haworth. Has hosted six Volvo China Opens, including in 2014, 2019, and 2024. The five-star Shenzhen Castle Hotel is located on the grounds. Access: private (according to Golf Digest).
13. Nicklaus Club Beijing 🇨🇳
Rankings: Golf Digest 18 · Top100 10
The original course was completely rebuilt by Nicklaus Design over two years and reopened in 2014. It moved up 20 spots in the 2026 Top 100 rankings (from 30th to 10th). Access: unconfirmed. Opening in 2025–2026 has not been confirmed by a dated source: check with the club before planning a trip.
14. Spring City Golf & Lake Resort — Mountain Course 🇨🇳
Rankings: Golf Digest 21 · Top100 13
Easier than the Lake Course: wide landing areas, but the challenge lies on the greens. Built at the top of the hill, above the Lake Course. Access: resort.
15. Nanjing Zhongshan International Golf Club 🇨🇳
Rankings: Golf Digest 11 · Top100 23
Hosted the 2005 Chinese National Games and the 2014 Youth Olympic Games golf tournament. Access: Open to the public according to the club’s Golf Digest listing (“Suning Zhongshan International Golf Club”); not verified firsthand. Opening in 2025–2026 has not been confirmed by a dated source: check with the club before planning a visit.
See also
The Countries with the Most Golf Courses
The 15 Best Golf Courses in Japan
The 20 Best Golf Hotels in the World
Top 100 Golf Courses in the WorldFrequently Asked Questions About Golf Courses in China
What is the best golf course in China?
Shanqin Bay, on the southeastern coast of Hainan, is ranked No. 1 by Golf Digest (2024) and Top100GolfCourses (2026). It is a private, invitation-only club.
Can you play at the best golf courses in China without being a member?
Yes, for resort courses: the Lake Course and the Mountain Course at Spring City (Kunming), The Dunes at Shenzhou Peninsula, and Mission Hills Haikou (Blackstone, host of the 2025 DP World Tour Hainan Classic). The other major courses on the list are private clubs.
Where can you play golf in China?
The two major golf regions in our selection are Hainan Island in the south and the Shanghai area; Beijing, Shenzhen, Nanjing, and Kunming round out the list.