The 2012 BMW Championship kicks off as Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods go head to head for the second week in a row while Indiana native Jeff Overton looks to work his way to the top 30 in the FedExCup standings in front of a home crowd.
The race to the TOUR Championship kicks into gear at Indianapolis Motor Speedway while Vijay Singh, the oldest player in the BMW Championship, works his way to the top of the leaderboard heading into the weekend. But wait, there’s more
Dustin Johnson, Graeme McDowell, Steve Stricker and Vijay Singh hit amazing shots last week at the BMW Championship. Watch and choose your favorite for the Performers of the Week, then vote for it at http://www.pgatour.com/performance.
Watch Tiger Woods’ win in 2006, Mickelson and Woods duel in 2007, Vijay Singh’s masterful putting in 2008, Steve Stricker’s win in 2009, Charley Hoffman’s in 2010 and Webb Simpson in 2011.
Watch Bob Gilder’s double-eagle in 1982, and memorable wins from Seve Ballesteros, Padraig Harrington, Steve Stricker, Vijay Singh, Health Slocum and Matt Kuchar.
Learn about PGA TOUR player Vijay Singh’s favorite meal, first job and first car. For more, visit PGATOUR.COM.
The golf course at the Legends Golf & Safari Resort in South Africa is an amazing stretch of 18 holes designed by 18 different top-flight golfers, including Padraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie, K.J. Choi, Retief Goosen, Justin Rose, Trevor Immelman and Vijay Singh. The golf course is designed as an 18 hole championship golf course. It is at once the longest golf course in South Africa, providing all golfers, irrespective of their handicap, the experience of a true African challenge. The course plays at 6,534 metres for daily play but is capable of being extended to 7,748 metres for tournaments, making it one of the longest in the world.
Set on the legendary 22 000 hectare Entabeni Safari Conservancy, the course has flowing fairways which wind through the open grasslands and dense bush. The design and layout of the course are in complete harmony with the natural resources. The pristine bushveld environment has been preserved and the course remains one of the most environmentally sensitive in Africa.
The sheer scale of the golf course, with gently undulating greens and strategic bunkering ensures a unique golfing experience with breathtaking views of the Waterberg Mountains as a backdrop. On any given hole, a range of 5 tees allows the golf course to be set up for both professional and amateur players and creates the flexibility that one needs for an enjoyable golfing experience. 
4th July 2009 – Augusta National Golf Course during Masters practice round on hole 16. A different viewpoint, shot from behind 16th tee. Vijay skips ball across water. Watch crowd stand up when it appears the skip balls going in. Golfer Ken Duke was lined up to skip the ball after Vijay, but had a great reaction to the Ace. Then he walked off without hitting a skip ball himself, refusing to follow that show! Camera gets jostled when crowd starts cheering. Vijay gets high-five from caddy. Crowd went wild.
Mission Hills Golf Club has announced its recent recognition as the “World’s Largest Golf Club” by the Guinness World Records for the fifth straight year. Following the yesterday’s post we give a brief description of the remaining Mission Hills Golf Club courses.
Olazabal Course – The venue of the 2007 and 2008 Omega Mission Hills World Cup, the 7,400-yard Olazabal Course is the longest at Mission Hills. Jose Maria Olazabal’s course at Mission Hills is his first in China. The design philosophy behind this course is to create a beautiful, unique, harmonious and playable course for all golfers. Olazabal’s reputation as one of the game’s best sand savers is reflected on his course at Mission Hills.
Numerous majestic vistas of untouched jungle and natural flowing streams create outstanding backdrops throughout the golf course.
The signature square tees, along with undulating concave paspalum fairways, are two distinguishing features of this true championship course. Sand bunkers contain numerous contoured fingers, thick grassy vertical lips and deep ‘bowled’ bottoms, which are sure to attract the attention of golfers as each shot is played. Golfers will often be faced with an option on how to play each hole – take the safe and conservative route, or the risk/reward route that may result in anything from an eagle to a double bogey.
The Designer – Jose Maria Olazabal’s professional career is full of color. After winning the U.S. Masters in 1994, he had to stay in a wheelchair because of surgeries. In these two years, he spent a lot of time and energy on researching course design. His strong will and perseverance finally brought him back and he won the Celebrity Tournament the second time. He is considered one of the best sand players in the history of golf. But wait, there’s more
Mission Hills Golf Club has announced its recent recognition as the “World’s Largest Golf Club” by the Guinness World Records for the fifth straight year. Following the previous post we continue with a brief description of the courses at the Mission Hills Golf Club.
Duval Course – Duval Course (David Duval), a complex topographical layout that provide holes embracing a full range of golfing challenges The David Duval Golf Course at Mission Hills features numerous water hazards, deep groundcover and a mixture of long, short and multi-angled dogleg holes, providing a unique challenge for any golfer.
The course is designed in such a way that half of the course is situated on an uphill and the other half on a downhill slope. The first half of this course works its way up to a secluded natural valley in the northeastern part of the site, and the finishing holes work back down to the spacious, clubhouse setting. A stream meanders throughout many of the golf holes, forcing players to accurately place their golf shots to avoid this natural water hazard. Deep green groundcovers and large leafy trees mirror the natural setting of a tropical lush environment, resulting in a memorable golfing experience for players of all levels.
The Designer – David Duval is an American player full of character. He won the British Opens in 2001 and is the first player who has beaten Tiger Woods to become the World’s No.1 player, even before Vijay Singh.
Els Course – Els Course (Ernie Els), with a core layout as opposed to corridors. As the 5th signature course of Mission Hills, the theme of the Els Course is to create a lush look of dense trees, wide swaths of manicured turf to evoke a unique flavour of his South Africa homeland. Measuring over 7,000 yards, it follows a unique core layout, as opposed to corridors. Invigorating is the 4th tee, sitting atop the highest point of the course, with commanding panoramic views of Mission Hills and the outlying properties.
The Designer – Coming from South Africa, Ernie Els is a professional golf player full of energy and passion for winning. His intrinsic drive to excel earns him the nickname, “the Model Student”. He impressed the world by winning the U.S. Opens in 1994, while in 2001, his team beat many top players to win the World Cup championship. But wait, there’s more
Mission Hills Golf Club landed on the international golf map in 1994, when Jack Nicklaus designed the club’s signature World Cup Course; set in Southern China’s spectacular Pearl River Delta, this luxury Golf and Spa Resort is just 30 kilometers from the cosmopolitan city of lights Hong Kong. In May 2004 it officially surpassed eight-course Pinehurst for title of “World’s Largest” when its 10th layout opened. In the summer of 2007, an additional two courses – the Pete Dye and Zhang Lian Wei – were completed to bring the club’s grand total to 12.
The game of golf in China is gaining popularity in leaps and bounds, and like anything else, when the Chinese take a liking to something they quickly make it their own, so don’t be surprised to find Chinese professional golfers ranking among the best in World Cup of Golf events in years to come. And don’t be surprised if soon China has as many golfers and golf courses as any country in the world, because Mission Hills Golf Club is just the beginning.
The 12 golf courses at Mission Hills – designed to honor China’s 12-year horoscope – will challenge any golfer. The 216 holes at the Mission Hills Golf Club were rated by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest golf club. By itself, that claim to fame doesn’t mean very much, but a look at the list of designers of various 18 hole sections of the course will tell you that this is an exceptional club by anyone’s standards: Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Annika Sorenstam, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Nick Faldo, Jose Maria Olazabal, David Duval, Jumbo Ozaki, and David Leadbetter, Pete Dye and Zhang Lian Wei.
Mission Hills is not only about golf, however, as its rapidly developed into Asia’s premier sports and lifestyle destination resort. The club’s other outstanding amenities include three world-class spas featuring an array of treatment options; a 317-room, five-star hotel; a wide variety of restaurants offering succulent cuisine from around the globe; golf academies from renowned instructors David Leadbetter and Cindy Reid; 51 tennis courts and a professional tennis academy at Asia’s largest tennis center, pro shops with a comprehensive selection of golf gear and apparel at the world’s largest clubhouse, and more. Playing golf at Mission Hills isn’t cheap – expect to pay at least $250 for a round – but you’ll get your money’s worth. But wait, there’s more
