Taifeng Golf Course ☆ Follow

Located in the central hilly terrain of Changhua County, Taiwan, the Taifeng Golf Course is an 18-hole championship layout designed by Japanese architect Hiroshi Watanabe. Opened in 1977, the course is set within a forested landscape that takes advantage of the region's warm, mild climate. The terrain is characterized by significant elevation changes, with undulating fairways and strategically placed hazards that demand precise shot selection and strategic course management. The course presents a total yardage ranging from 5,842 yards from the forward tees to 7,031 yards from the back tees, all playing to a par of 72. The difficulty is highlighted by a demanding layout that features narrow fairways, sloping greens, and numerous water and sand obstacles. The 6th hole, a 493-yard downhill par 4, is ranked as the most difficult hole on the course with a handicap of 1. It features out-of-bounds running along the entire right side of the fairway and green, requiring exceptional accuracy to avoid penalty strokes. Strategic design elements define the challenge throughout the round. The 5th hole is a 625-yard downhill par 5 that plays shorter than its distance suggests, but the fairway is confined to the right side, forcing players to navigate carefully to avoid out-of-bounds areas. The 9th hole requires a carry over a valley, while the 10th hole mirrors the 1st with a downhill, right-turning design that features a small, sloping green prone to three-putts. The course also features the 3rd hole, a 526-yard par 5 that plays uphill and right, where the optimal strategy is to avoid the apparent shortcut on the right side in favor of a more conservative approach to the two-tiered green. Taifeng Golf Course is the host venue for the Taifong Open, a professional tournament that has been held annually since 2020. The event, often sponsored as the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open, attracts professional players to test their skills on the challenging layout. The course also maintains records for the lowest scores achieved during play, further cementing its reputation as a rigorous test of golf. The facility is complemented by a clubhouse designed by Pritzker Prize winner Álvaro Siza, which sits adjacent to the 18th hole and features a curved water feature.