Brian Curley is the golf course architect for all of the golf courses at Mission Hills Golf Club in Guangdong, China and is the principal designer for Schmidt-Curley Golf Design. The Olazabal Course at Mission Hills Golf Club was a challenge to build because it is located on very rough terrain. It is difficult to see this when you are watching on TV but everything you see from the trees to the lakes are man-made. Curley said that his company had to clear over 3 miles worth of land in order to build. Creating good rough was a challenge as well because he wanted to find a good balance between being too hard and too easy.
Like many courses around the world, there are multiple teeing areas on the Olazabal Course in order to accommodate recreational golfers and it is a good thing that the course is so versatile because it is the most popular course among the 12 courses at Mission Hills. Along with being the most popular among the members, it is also the most challenging with lots of elevation changes.
One of the biggest factors in determining a Champion during any event on the Olazabal Course is the fact that it has five reachable par 5 holes which definitely favors the longer hitters. The 18th hole is a spectacular finishing hole with a large lake as well as some large hotel and condominium towers.
