Aerial view of China Fleet Country Club course
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Originally founded as a Royal Naval canteen on the mud flats of Hong Kong harbour, much has happened to
the China Fleet Club over the years, including being re-located half way around the world.
The China Fleet Country Club opened in 1991 and is situated beside the River Tamar just over the Cornish border in Saltash. Its 180-acre site is close to an esteemed neighbour, The St Mellion Golf and County Club, and has stunning views across the rolling countryside. and is a regular stop on the EuroPro Tour.
At 6,254 yards some would argue that there isn’t sufficient length for stimulation. But with severe fairway cambers, dramatic changes of elevation on almost every hole and the tail-end of Hurricane Gordon skewing even my shortest of miss-hit irons length most certainly isn’t everything! At least the EuroPro Tour find it enough of a challenge to test their players’ skills.
Martin Hawtree, whose grandfather, Fred Hawtree designed part of the Royal Liverpool course that hosted this year’s Open Championship, follows the classic formula of ten par-4s, four par-5s and four par-3s.
The opening hole is a simple enough par-4 dog-legging to the right. The course then extends along the scenic river bank turning inland at the thirrd for the first of several blind tee shots.
4th hole beside the Tamar river
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The par-3, 157-yard fifth provides the first real test of my accuracy and from a lofty tee demands precise distance judgement, too, especially in a swirling wind. Protected by large pines to the left, anything short or right is collected by a creek and dense thicket. Leaving the green with a par was most satisfactory.
The par-4 sixth measures only 252 yards and I’d eyed it up as a potential birdie opportunity from the scorecard. However, the green is nowhere to be seen from the tee and heeding advice of my playing partner, the club’s general manager, David O'Sullivan, a well struck 6-iron up a steep knoll left no more than a wedge into a small well-guarded green.
The seventh and eighth, a straightforward par-3, and a downhill par-4 make good work of the natural contours without being too demanding. The 13th hole features an unusual double dog-leg and at 539 yards is the longest on the course.
The 14th and 16th holes across water are a real test of nerve from the tee.
Both are reachable par-4s provided with a solid, accurate tee shot, particularly at 16, where, from an elevated tee the fairway narrows to a 40-yard wide gully, with water to the left and out of bounds to the right.
Trouble on the14th and 16th holes
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Negotiate these two potential card-wreckers and the closing holes shouldn't ring too many alarm bells.
