The Best Golf Courses in Kunming, Yunnan’s Spring City
Kunming sits high on a plateau in Yunnan province, and its weather is mild enough for golf in every season. Spring City Golf & Lake Resort has two courses beside Yang Zong Lake, and Kunming Lakeview Golf Club has a Nick Faldo layout on Dianchi Lake. For the rest of the province, see our guide to golf in Yunnan. Read on to discover the best golf courses in Kunming alongside the best months to plan your trip.
Why Kunming Suits a Golf Trip
Kunming is known as the “Spring City” because of its climate. Downtown Kunming lies at about 1,890 metres above sea level, and the average temperature across the year is about 15°C. Winter brings no severe cold, plenty of sunshine and little rain, and summer brings no intense heat, so temperature does not rule out either half of the year. What changes is the rain, most of which falls in summer, and the wind in spring.
Spring City Golf & Lake Resort: Two Courses Beside Yang Zong Lake
Spring City Golf & Lake Resort is in Tangchi Town, Yiliang County, in the Kunming area. Its two 18-hole courses, the Lakeview Course and the Mountainview Course, are also called the Lake Course and the Mountain Course, and both have been open since the late 1990s. Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed the Lake Course and Jack Nicklaus the Mountain Course. Spring City’s Lake Course is a different course from Kunming Lakeview Golf Club, which is covered further down.
The Lake Course
Spring City Golf & Lake Resort – Lakeview course
The Lake Course runs along the shore of Yang Zong Lake, also written Yangzonghai, and measures about 7,200 yards. Its fairways are narrow and crossed by ditches, the winds off the lake can be strong, and the greens are terraced. The holes switch back down a sloping hillside, and the first seven descend toward the water. The 8th is a par 3 of about 200 yards to a green that juts out into the lake, roughly 110 feet below the tee. After the par-5 9th, which follows the shoreline, the course climbs back up toward the clubhouse.
Jones describes a layout where a bolder line over the edge of a hazard risks a ravine or a sidehill lie, and where the greens are open at the front so a bump-and-run shot can be played in along the ground. Tees, fairways and greens are bentgrass, with bluegrass in the rough.
The Mountain Course
Spring City Golf & Lake Resort – Mountainview Course
The Mountain Course sits on naturally hilly ground above the lake. Nicklaus gave it wide fairways and greens guarded by sand and tall grass, and it is also a bentgrass course.
With both courses at one resort, you can play two different rounds without changing your base. The resort has 71 lake-facing rooms and suites and nearly a hundred villas with one to three bedrooms, along with a practice range and rental clubs. It offers golf-and-stay packages and single 18-hole rounds, takes tee-time bookings directly by phone or email, and can arrange transport on request. Confirm the current packages and arrangements with the resort when you book.
Kunming Lakeview Golf Club: Nick Faldo’s Course on Dianchi Lake
Kunming Lakeview Golf Club
Kunming Lakeview Golf Club is within the city of Kunming, at 1505 Dianchi Road in the Dianchi National Tourism Resort. Sir Nick Faldo designed the 18-hole, par 72 course, which was completed in 2005 and plays to just over 7,200 yards. It follows the shore of Dianchi Lake, with Xishan, the Western Hills, on the skyline. Faldo describes gently rolling fairways, with bunkers lining them and guarding the greens. The club has a driving range and a golf academy, and visitors book rounds through the club directly.
When to Go: Dry Months, Rainy Months and Spring Winds
The dry season runs from November to April and the rainy season from May to October, which brings roughly 85% of the year’s rain. If you want to play as many rounds as possible on dry ground, aim for November to April. If you can only travel in the rainy months, leave a spare day in the schedule so that a wet day does not cost you a round.
Spring, toward the end of the dry season, is warm, dry and windy, with a large difference between daytime and night-time temperatures. On the Lake Course, where the lake winds can already be strong, a windy spring day may call for different club choices, and an early or late tee time calls for an extra layer.
Planning Your Golf Trip to Kunming
A golf trip to Kunming can be a few days at Spring City, playing the Lake Course and the Mountain Course from one base, or Spring City combined with a round at Kunming Lakeview. Our list of the best golf courses in China includes Spring City alongside courses elsewhere in the country. If you would like a trip built around your own dates, group and courses, you are welcome to create your holiday with GolfLux.
FAQs
When is the best time to play golf in Kunming?
November to April is generally the best time to play golf in Kunming because these months fall within the dry season. Golfers can usually expect less rainfall, although spring can be windy and temperatures may drop in the evening. May to October is the rainy season, so travelers should allow flexibility in their golf schedules.
How many days do I need for a golf trip to Kunming?
Three to four days is a practical starting point for a golf trip to Kunming. This allows time to play both the Lake Course and Mountain Course at Spring City Golf & Lake Rest, with an additional round at Kunming Lakeview if the scheduled permits. Golfers who want more time for sightseeing or a relaxed resort stay can extend the trip.
What should I pack for a trip to Kunming?
Bring layered clothing, comfortable golf shoes, sun protection and a lightweight waterproof jacket, especially when travelling during the rainy season. Temperatures can change between daytime and evening, and spring winds may affect lakeside rounds. A rain cover for golf bags is also useful from May to October.
How difficult are the golf courses in Kunming?
Golf course difficulty varies by layout and playing conditions. Spring City’s Lake Course can be demanding because of its narrow fairways, elevation changes, lake winds and terraced greens. The Mountain Course has wider fairways but still requires accurate approach shots around its bunkers and tall grass. Wind and tee selection can also affect the challenge.
