Although Asia and Australasia may be a long way from Golf’s spiritual and ancestral home in St Andrews, Scotland, the game is developing quickly in the eastern hemisphere, and many of its purpose-built courses are gaining popularity and acclaim.  With vast unspoiled areas of natural beauty and a booming international presence, many Asian and Australasian courses will only get more popular as time goes on, so now is the perfect time to investigate some of the best that the eastern hemisphere has to offer.
 
Tara-iti Golf Club, New Zealand
 
A new golf club development a short trip from the city of Auckland on New Zealand’s North Island, Tara-iti’s 18 hole link golf course has been designed by renowned course architect Tom Doak.  The secluded resort will be situated on a narrow strip of land facing pristine white beaches and the rolling Pacific Ocean.  Doak’s decision to build Tara-iti in this undeveloped area of countryside means the finished course will enjoy a private atmosphere and benefit from the unspoiled natural beauty of New Zealand’s North Island.  Upon Tara-iti Golf Course’s completion, the exclusive oceanfront club will not be open to the general public, but guests at the nearby resort accommodation will be invited to play on the picturesque coastal course.
 
Barnbougle Dunes, Australia
 
One of Tom Doak’s highly rated championship golf courses, Barnbougle Dunes has the unspoiled Australian island state of Tasmania as its setting.  Located on the island’s north-east coast just a short plane ride from mainland Australia, the course has become very popular with Tasmanians, mainland Australians and international golfers alike.  A seaside course where rolling dunes and choppy breezes keep things interesting, Doak’s classic minimalist approach of letting the natural flow of the land dictate the shape of the course is here in full force.  Although Barnbougle Dunes is a public course, the golf club maintains an exclusive luxury atmosphere that complements the site’s more rugged natural appeal.
 
Blue Canyon Country Club, Thailand
 
Rated as one of the most prestigious golf clubs in Asia, Thailand’s Blue Canyon Country Club is situated in the idyllic setting of the southern island of Phuket.  Built on the site of a decommissioned tin mine, the course includes many reminders of the area’s industrious past as hazards and ornamental features.  But aside from these few industrial remnants, the Blue Canyon is a lush, leafy valley with gorgeous greens and well-tended gardens that make for one of the most beautiful courses in Asia.  Members have access to two legendary championship courses, the infamous Canyon Course, often better known as the ‘Blue Monster’ due to its challenging hazards, and The Lakes, a strategic course that makes full use of Blue Canyon’s watery setting.
 
Mission Hills Golf Club, China
 
At 80,000 square miles in size, China’s Mission Hills Golf Club is the largest in the world, with 11 championship courses and an 18-hole par three course adding up to a total of 216 holes.  Located in Shenzhen on China’s southern coast, this spacious club and its exclusive resort has been host to a range of championship tournaments and is a regular haunt of world leaders, celebrities and superstar golfers.  Each of its 12 courses has been designed by a different golf personality, with such huge names as Jack Nicklaus, Annika Sörenstam and China’s very own Zhang Lianwei.  The club’s Greg Norman course is reputed to be one of the most challenging golfing feats in all of Asia.
 
Nine Bridges, South Korea
 
Located on South Korea’s Jeju Island, the Nine Bridges Golf Course is one of the Asian nation’s premier golfing resorts.  Completed in 2001 and designed by American company Golfplan, the vision for the course was to capture the dramatic natural features of a Scottish Highlands golf course.  The mountainous geography of the volcanic Jeju Island is perfect for fulfilling this aspiration, with the course being situated near the base of the epic Mount Halla, highest mountain in South Korea.  This extreme terrain, along with the island’s windy climate results in Nine Bridges being a challenging but picturesque course to experience.  The club’s name refers to the eight bridges found on the course itself, along with a metaphorical ‘ninth bridge’ that represents the connection between the club and its members.

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