by John Rendace

Created on: October 27, 2010   Last Updated: November 01, 2010

Sheshan International Golf Club is not only the site of the HSBC Championship. It's probably the Shanghai's most exclusive golf club, and was the city's first private one. Interestingly enough, the Sheshan Estate is rather European in it's design, and is located far from the actual central Shanghai area. For vacationers this fact, combined with the stylish clubhouse, makes the Shesan Club a desirable location. The club has also several other accommodations that are worth boasting about. Sheshan offers several different restaurants to dine at, and also features a sports club for its guests. However, that's not to say that the course is soft. There's no question that this club takes its golf seriously. Having only opened in 2004, the fact that the original HSBC championship was held there four times speaks volumes about the actual caliber of the course. The course is currently home to the newer WGC-HSBC Championship, and was designed by the firm of Nelson & Haworth. Playing to 7,143 yards, Sheshan has some of the world's finest greens. In a true enterprising spirit, the course has had a history of tweaking its difficulty level. General Manager Roger Foo has long been dedicated to providing the best golf possible, and became embarrassed after his course modifications didn't prevent David Howell from finishing the inaugural HSBC Championship at 20 under. Feeling that the course was too easy, Foo had the course modified, and Phil Mickelson finished the 2007 tournament at 10 under. Around this point, club members actually began to feel that the course was becoming too difficult. Nevertheless, the course has some interesting features in its own right. There is a large rock quarry that spans over the length of Holes 16 and 17. They also overlook the Our Lady of Sheshan Basilica. A 1000-year-old ginko tree stands around Hole 4. Golfers will also certainly enjoy the view of the clubhouse on Hole 18's green. The other aspect that makes Sheshan a championship caliber course is the way that it's maintained. There have been times that large fans have been brought out to protect the greens from strong waves of heat, and the club's employees never stop reworking portions of the course. In the years to come, Sheshan will be ranked up there with the best the world has to offer. After all, such an honor is befitting the HSBC host.

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