Sheshan Golf Club () is a private golf club in Shanghai, China. Designed by Robin Nelson and Neil Haworth (Nelson & Haworth), the 18-hole golf course has a par of 72 and spans almost 7,200 yards (6,583 meters).
The club hosted 14 of the 15 annual WGC-HSBC Champions from 2005 to 2019. Sheshan was named the second and third best golf course in China by Golf Digest in 2024 and 2022, respectively. It was also recognized as the 2020–2021 Platinum Club of Asia-Pacific and gained five-star private club status. The course is known for its challenging layout, featuring water hazards, tree-lined fairways, and elevation changes.
Overview Sheshan Golf Club, which opened in 2004, is a golf facility spanning approximately 360 acres. The course is about 45 minutes from downtown Shanghai. The course landscape is characterized by over 60,000 trees, including Yulan Magnolia, ornamental Osmanthus, and a 1,000-year-old Ginkgo. The architects modeled the course after the Donald Ross design at Oak Hill, incorporating "downhill tee shots and approach shots to elevated greens."The club is known for its exclusivity; as of July 2010, the initiation fee was reported to be $240,000.
Sheshan served as the host site for the HSBC Champions from 2005 through 2019, with the exception of 2012, when the event was held at Mission Hills Golf Club in Guangdong. The tournament gained World Golf Championship (WGC) status in 2009. In 2013, the WGC-HSBC Champions became an official European Tour and PGA Tour event with a purse of US$8.5 million, the highest in East Asia at the time. Notable participants have included Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, and Lee Westwood.
The course is recognized globally for its high level of difficulty. In October 2019, Golf Week listed three of Sheshan's holes among the 15 most difficult on the 2018-19 PGA Tour. According to tour data, the par-4 ninth hole was the most difficult on the schedule, and the course also featured the most difficult par 3 and par 5 on the Tour.
In January 2021, Golf Magazine ranked Sheshan eighth on its list of the world's most difficult courses, noting that it "has some brutally difficult golf holes," including a demanding par-5 that requires three shots to reach the green for most professional golfers.
WGC-HSBC Champions The WGC-HSBC Champions is a professional golf tournament held annually in China. It is sanctioned by the International Federation of PGA Tours (Asian Tour, European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA Tour, PGA Tour of Australasia, and Sunshine Tour) and the China Golf Association. Inaugurated in 2005, the tournament features a purse of US$8.5 million, the largest in the Asia-Pacific region.
Initially established as the HSBC Champions, the event was designated as a World Golf Championships tournament in 2009. In 2013, it became an official PGA Tour event and was integrated into the FedEx Cup schedule.
Traditionally played in November, it served as the fourth and final tournament on the WGC calendar, alongside the WGC Mexico Championship, WGC Match Play, and the WGC St. Jude Invitational. The field is composed of top-ranked players from the six major international tours and the China Golf Association. Qualification is extended to leading money winners from the sanctioning tours, and winners of major championships and the other World Golf Championships tournaments.
The WGC-HSBC Champions was cancelled for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the tournament remained under contract with the PGA Tour as of 2023, it has not been contested since its initial cancellation in 2020.
Awards and recognition
Since 2005, the Sheshan Golf Club has received industry awards, including recognition from Golf Digest, Asia Golf Monthly, and others. YearAwarding PartyAward2025World Golf Awards China's Best Golf Course 2025 (nominee)2024World Golf AwardsChina's Best Golf Course 2024 (nominee)Golf DigestThe Best Golf Courses in China – 2ndGolf DigestWorld's 100 Greatest Golf Courses – 97thGolf Inspired Best Courses of 2024 – 2nd2023World Golf AwardsChina's Best Golf Course 2023 (nominee)2022World Golf Awards China's Best Golf Course 2022 (nominee)Golf DigestThe Best Golf Courses in China – 3rd2021World Golf AwardsChina's Best Golf Course 2021 (nominee)2020–2021China Daily2020-2021 Platinum Club of Asia-Pacific2020World Golf AwardsChina's Best Golf Course 2020 (nominee)2019World Golf AwardsChina's Best Golf Course 2019 (nominee)China Daily China's No. 1 Golf CourseGolf DigestWorld's 100 Greatest Golf Courses – 85th2018World Golf AwardsChina's Best Golf Course 2018 (nominee)South China Morning Post5 Top-Hole Golf Courses in China for Elites – 1stGolf DigestComplete 200 Greatest International Golf Courses2017World Golf Awards China's Best Golf Course 2017 (nominee)2016Golf DigestWorld's 100 Greatest Golf Courses – 86thImperial ToursTop 5 Golf Clubs Around China’s Scenic SpotsWorld Golf AwardsChina's Best Golf Course 2016 (nominee)2015Golf MagazineTop Club in ChinaHurun Research InstituteBest Golf Club in ShanghaiAmericangolf.comAsia's WOW CourseAligolf.comAsia Top 10 Golf CoursesWorld Golf AwardsChina's Best Golf Course 2015 (nominee)2014Golf PunkTop 10 Championship Golf CoursesGolf MagazineTop 10 Golf Courses in ChinaGolf Digest (US)World's 100 Greatest 100 Golf Courses – 82ndWorld Golf AwardsChina's Best Golf Course 2014 (nominee)2013Golf Vacation & Lifestyle MagazineTop 10 Golf Club Restaurants in ChinaGolf Vacation & Lifestyle MagazineTop 10 Golf Clubhouses in ChinaGolf Vacation & Lifestyle MagazineTop 30 Must-Play Golf Courses in ChinaGolf PunkBest Golf CourseGolf PunkBest Golf ClubGolf PunkBest Golf CommunityGolf Digest (China)Top 100 Golf Courses in China – 1stGolf Digest (China)Top 10 Golf Clubs in China – 2ndGolf Digest (China)Top Golf Community in ChinaInternational Property Media Ltd.Best Golf Development (Asia Pacific)International Property Media Ltd.Best Golf Course (Asia Pacific)International Property Media Ltd.Best Golf Development (China)International Property Media Ltd.Best Golf Course (China)International Property Media Ltd.Highly Commented Architecture Single Residence (China)2012Travel & Leisure MagazineTop 10 Golf Courses2011–2012Golf WeeklyTop Golf Club in ShanghaiGolf Digest (US)89th Best Course in the World (Outside of the US)2011GOLF MagazineTop 10 Golf Courses in China2010–2011Golf Digest (China)Top 100 Golf Courses in China – 1stGolf Digest (China)Top Golf Community in China – 1stGolf Digest (China)Top 10 Golf Clubs in China – 2nd2011Asian Golf MonthlyBest Course in China – 2nd Runner UpGolf Vacation & Lifestyle MagazineTop 30 Must-Play Golf Courses in China2010Travel & Leisure MagazineTop 10 Golf Courses of the YearGOLF MagazineTop 10 Golf Courses in ChinaGolf WeeklyTop Club in ShanghaiAsian Golf MonthlyBest Championship Course in Asia-PacificAsian Golf MonthlyRunner-Up Best Course in ChinaAsian Golf Monthly6th Best Maintained Course in Asia2009–2010Golf Digest (US)Top 100 Best Golf Course outside the United States – 68th2009Golf WeeklyTop Golf Club at ShanghaiGolf Digest (China)Top Golf Course in China – 2nd Runner UpAsian Golf MonthlyBest Championship Course in Asia-PacificAsian Golf MonthlyRunner-Up Best Golf Course in ChinaAsian Golf Monthly2nd Runner-Up Best Maintained Course in Asia-Pacific Golfers' Choice, Golf Vacations Magazine10 Most Outstanding Golf CoursesGolf PunkCourse of the YearGolf Onlife.comCourse of the YearFocus MediaCourse of the Year2008Golf DigestTop 10 Courses in China – 3rd2008–2009Golf Digest (China)China's Top 10 Golf Clubs – 1st2008Asian Golf MonthlyBest Club House in Asia – 2nd Runner UpAsian Golf MonthlyBest Maintained Course in Asia – 1st Runner UpAsian Golf MonthlyBest Championship Course in Asia – 2nd Runner UpGOLF MagazineTop 10 Golf Courses in China2007球场点评10 Best Golf Clubs in ChinaGolf Outdoor Golf WeeklyTop Golf Club in CityAsian Golf MonthlyBest Championship Course in Asia – 2nd Runner UpAsian Golf MonthlyBest Course in China – 2nd Runner UpGolf Digest ChinaTop 10 Golf Courses in China2006GOLF MagazineTop 10 Golf Courses in China2005Golf Digest-HK Magazine Senasia PublicationBest New Golf ClubChina GolfBest Golf PropertyChina GolfTop 10 Par 4 – Hole 16
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