This is a par-5 hole with a gentle left dogleg uphill in which there is no direct sight of the green from the teeing ground. To take aim on the right side of the fairway is safer than center. If you are attempting to avoid the bunkers left and right side of the green, it is safer to send the second shot towards the sea on the right side of the fairway. Using iron, rather than wood, to target the right-side bunker will allow for a safe landing with more space. Because green is steep with high undulation, special attention to putting is required.
Standing on the teeing ground right on the Golden Rock Cliff shows the clear Weihai ocean to the right side of the fairway, which is quite a sight. Although this par-4 hole is not very long, the direction is very important, as the cliff on the right has to be avoided. Aiming teeshot has to be sent to on the left side of the fairway let the ball land on the center. It is wise to send the second shot short of the pin depending on whether the pin is above of below the green. The green is longitudinal with much undulation; slight left is more advantageous since there is a large bunker to the right.
This hole is one of the high points of the Weihai Point. The view from the teeing ground is breathtaking with amazing scenery and shape of the hole. This hole is par-4 with a steep downhill; the tee shot must be made over the sea pine tree forest under the hill, but the fairway is half concealed with the cliff to the right and the forest to the left, creating a great sense of pressure for the tee shot. The tee shot between the two, left and right, bunkers will lead the ball to the left side of the fairway, which is the optimal point for a second shot. The Second shot should consider the bunker to the left of the green. Slight right is safer than the center, and since the green is a gentle uphill, the player can watch the pin himself or herself. This is the beautiful hole with a wonderful view the Weihai Point terrain with the ocean in the backdrop.
This is a downhill par-3 hole with the teeing ground on the cliff. The cliff continues on the right until the green, and the players will be able to do nothing but watch if the tee shot banks to the right. The tee shot is better shorter than the pin, considering the steep uphill and the bunker in the right; this will make the approach easier even if the tee shot does not fall on the green. It is adequate to use a club shorter than the actual range.
This par -3 hole is directly connected to the 4th hole. After the snack bar, there is a series of stone steps called ‘Gold Path to Paradise’ which can give the feeling of walking for heaven. At the edge of the Golden Rock which is at the end of the peninsula, the teeing ground has a view of the green. Rocks flow golden with the sunlight on the left, and the sharp cliff is on the right. Except for the fairway 15 yards from the green and high grass around the green, all of the course is surrounded by cliff on the left, and ocean on the right, necessitating a very precise tee shot. With a strong headwind, players should consider using driver or wood even on the white tee (135 yards). A challenging golfer may have a good experience by teeing on the blue tee (170 yards).
This par-5 hole has the nearest teeing ground to the sea, and the cliff extends to the entirety of the hole to the right until the green. The refreshing winds lift the mood, but new players are often confused because only the fairway entrance is visible from the teeing ground. Only after teeing towards the pine tree forest with the help of a caddy and then walking towards the spot, the players will be able to see where the ball went. It is easy to send the second shot to the forest on the left or the sea on the right because of the pressure of having to shot toward the narrow fairway. A lay-up shot targeting the left face of the slope is required; this may end up being the most difficult for amateurs with a high handicap.
Although this is a relatively easy par-4 hole, players can proceed easily only if they send the tee shot to the left side of the fairway. It is not easy to escape the deep bunker on the right side of the green, or if the putting goes over the green, the ball falls straight down the cliff and the player has no choice but to give up this hole. The second shot, which breaks to the right, will be easy to put on the green only if the shot should be aimed towards the left bunker. Because of the downhill slope, it is better to estimate 5 to 10 yards less than actual yardage when making a shot, but estimate normally when there is a headwind. The green is uphill with multiple levels except for the front of the green. Although it seems easy, it is not easy for par.
This hole feels like it has the widest fairway in the Weihai Point, allowing the players to feel liberated from the narrow previous holes. Because of this comforting feeling, most players tend to apply too much strength in their tee shot, causing the ball to break to the right. It is not easy to find the ball if the ball goes into the high grass hazard area over the card roadway. Players will be able to see the green on their second shot only if the tee shot is aimed towards left of the fairway where four bunkers are. The second shot should be sent over the bunker on the right, which puts the ball right across the green. The green is shaped into reversed triangle; it will not be difficult to put the ball on green with a long shot. Like the 7th hole, the 8th hole also has a difficult green.
This short par-4 hole allows the players to see the green from the teeing ground, but the distance seems longer than the actual yardage due to the uphill. It is ideal to send the tee shot toward the first bunker on the left of the green. The elevated green is reminiscent of an island green surrounded by bunkers. Players can make easy par using a longer iron if the shot doesn’t go over the center of the green with a high trajectory.
This is a par-5 hole with left dogleg downhill. The total yardage is 475 from the white tee, 510 from the blue tee. The fairway looks like very narrow from the teeing ground, preventing players from a confident swing. If you have a long distance, the ball may go on green in 2 shots, but it is not easy because of many bunkers in front of the green. It is more wise to play lay-up shots until the bunkers. Targeting the lower green with approach shots with a high trajectory will allow for uphill putts. This is an interesting hole that may allow you a birdie if you have a stable strategy and a humble approach.
This is a par-4 hole with a slight uphill and left dogleg, and the green is very difficult. The tee shot to the left side of the fairway will lead the ball to the central IP point. Even if the tee shot lands in the center of the fairway, the slope will cause the ball to break to the right. Because there are bunkers and hazards on the right, the second shot should be sent towards the trees behind the green to land the balls on the green. However, because the green is a steep uphill slanted to the right, it is better to aim for the left wide of both the green and the fairway. Not aiming beyond the pin is the shortcut to finishing the hole in 2 putts.
Another groan will come out when you stand on the teeing ground. This hole crosses the ocean, and the fairway with a long width is divided into two by the pine tree forest. The left fairway is 180 yards away from the teeing ground across the ocean; but because the second shot has to go over the high forest on the left-side hill, it is difficult to guide the par through this route. If the player has a long distance of over 220 yards, he or she may shot over the pine tree forest or target the right fairway. If the player succeeds, he or she will be able to target the uphill green with a short iron. Because the green is very wide, the player may have to do a long putt of over 50 yards even after putting the ball on green. The hole 12 green looks like it is floating in the sky from the fairway. David Dale, the course designer, said that “Jack Nicklaus said that the approach to the Pebble Beach hole 8 as the world’s best second shot; if there is a category for the best first shot, I would ask him to consider the drive shot from the hole 12 of Weihai Point. This drive shot over the ocean valley is even more grandeur than the approach at the hole 8 of Pebble Beach.” As he said, people who have experienced this hole will never be able to forget it.
This is a downhill par-3 hole overlooking the clubhouse. This hole looks longer than its actual distance. When the tee shot goes over the center of the green, the ball mostly slides to the left. The bunker to the left side of the green is twice as deep as human height, and if a player does a par out of this bunker, he or she can be more proud than achieving a birdie otherwise. Teeing to the bunker to the right wide of the green will allow for a good location for an approach shot.
This is a downhill par-3 hole overlooking the clubhouse. This hole looks longer than its actual distance. When the tee shot goes over the center of the green, the ball mostly slides to the left. The bunker to the left side of the green is twice as deep as human height, and if a player does a par out of this bunker, he or she can be more proud than achieving a birdie otherwise. Teeing to the bunker to the right wide of the green will allow for a good location for an approach shot.
This is a short par-4 hole with a right-bending dog leg. With a view of the entire ocean, this hole has a steep downhill. A tee shot toward the second bunker on the left side of the fairway will allow the ball to land in the center. Players with a longer distance may target the tee shot toward the lightening rod on the hill to the right wide of the fairway, but it would be a high risk, high return strategy. If the tee shot is short or goes to a wrong direction to fall into the tall grass, it will be very difficult to defend a par. The green lies perpendicularly to the second shot point, with a deep bunker in front, so caution is to be exercised. Because the green has more width than length, sending the second shot to the center may cause the ball to go over. Make the shot with a high trajectory, or send it over the left bunker to secure a wide are on the green.
This hole crosses over the ocean, like the twelfth one. It overlooks the beach and is bent to the left with five pars. Players must make their tee shot over a deep valley. The green looks far and intimidating, but just about 180 yards will allow the ball to cross the ocean, and tee shot towards the center of the fairway will make good results. After making a second shot along the beach under the cliff on the left side, the third shot must go down about 20 meters along the ocean to come back again to the green. Eight bunkers surround the green, and the designer David M. Dale named it the “Tiger’s Footprint,” for its shape like a foot print of a giant tiger. Players with a long distance vie to put the ball on green with their second shot, but in most cases it is not easy because the second shot is on a downhill, not to speak of the eight bunkers guarding the green.
This is a downhill par-3 hole with a very short distance. Like an island green, there are various bunkers and hazards lurking about. The width of the green is long, but not much space in front and behind of the green. Long shots over the bunker will easily over the green as well. Teeing toward the pine tree behind the green is the ideal. The designer David Dale compared this hole to the hole 7 at Pebble Beach, with a lone pine tree behind the green blending into the horizon behind the green, creating a fantastic scene. Compared to hole 5, where players had to make tee shot on the edge of the cliff, this hole forces the players to tee towards the edge of the cliff. Dusk especially paints a beautiful picture at this hole, with the sun falling into the horizons; this is truly a signature hole at Weihai Point.
This is a par-4 hole bending 90 degrees to the right. It is uphill and very long as well, so tee shot and second shot both require precise directions. The tee shot should be targeted towards the bunker to the left side of the fairway, which invites a big swing. The second shot will not be easy because the green is vertical and uphill. Because the bunker to the right of the green is very deep, players must choose whether they will directly target the left wide of the green with a longer distance, or send the ball to the front of the green and the make the approach shot. Although this is a relatively easy hole, it is not easy to read the slope on the green.
This hole crosses over the ocean, like the twelfth one. It overlooks the beach and is bent to the left with five pars. Players must make their tee shot over a deep valley. The green looks far and intimidating, but just about 180 yards will allow the ball to cross the ocean, and tee shot towards the center of the fairway will make good results. After making a second shot along the beach under the cliff on the left side, the third shot must go down about 20 meters along the ocean to come back again to the green. Eight bunkers surround the green, and the designer David M. Dale named it the “Tiger’s Footprint,” for its shape like a foot print of a giant tiger. Players with a long distance vie to put the ball on green with their second shot, but in most cases it is not easy because the second shot is on a downhill, not to speak of the eight bunkers guarding the green.
