Eliche Country Club ☆ Follow

Located in Hwasun, South Jeolla Province, Eliche Country Club is an 18-hole, par-72 facility designed by Kim Myeong-gil. The course is divided into two distinct nine-hole loops, the West Course and the East Course, which offer varying yardages and strategic challenges. The West Course measures 3,080 meters from the back tees, while the East Course extends to 3,096 meters from the same markers. Situated in a region accessible via major highways including the Seohaean and Gwangyang-Mokpo expressways, the club sits on a 320,000-pyeong site that opened in 1991. The layout is characterized by significant elevation changes and penal hazards that demand precise shot-making. The West Course features a demanding par-4 fourth hole, a dogleg-right measuring up to 473 meters from the back tees. This hole is noted for its narrow fairway and a cart road that runs along the right side, bordering a cliff that makes a two-shot approach risky. The fifth hole presents another stern test, a downhill par-4 where the green is small and backed by a drop-off, requiring players to avoid both the right-side out-of-bounds and the rear hazards. The third hole, a short par-3, adds to the difficulty with a sloping green that encourages players to aim for the center to avoid running shots off the front. The East Course offers a different set of strategic dilemmas, highlighted by its long par-4 seventh hole, which reaches 478 meters from the back tees. This hole requires a careful drive to avoid out-of-bounds on the left, setting up a long approach shot. The ninth hole on the East Course is a short par-3 measuring up to 191 meters, often used as a scoring opportunity but demanding accuracy to avoid the surrounding rough and bunkers. The course strategy guides emphasize that the fairways can appear wider than they are, particularly on the ninth hole of the West Course, where a narrow landing zone punishes errant drives. Difficulty on the course is heightened by the frequent presence of side winds and the psychological pressure of the hazards. The second hole on the West Course, a relatively short par-4, is often played into headwinds, requiring careful club selection. The East Course’s second hole, a par-4 measuring up to 346 meters, features a fairway that slopes toward out-of-bounds, making the drive critical for a manageable second shot. The design by Kim Myeong-gil ensures that while low-handicap players can find scoring opportunities, particularly on the reachable par-5s, the course remains a rigorous test for all levels due to the lack of margin for error on key holes.