Course Reviews
| Course Name |
Pei Tou Kua Hua Golf and Country Club |
| Location |
Tamsui Villiage, Taipei County, Taiwan |
| Comments from Jeff Lin, Taipei, Taiwan |
This is a course for serious golfers. If you are looking for plush club houses this is not for you. Situated among rolling hills, the site occupied by PKCC is ideal for a great golf course. The tree-lined fairways are winding and narrow, while all the greens are elevated and well guarded by deep bunkers. Most holes favor a slight fade off the tee but require a draw for the approach to the green. PKCC also boasts some of the best putting surfaces in Taiwan. The greens are true and fast with many subtle breaks. Your short game will be severely tested here. Listen to your caddie attentatively when you play at PKCC. The locker roon and showering facilities are minimalist.
November/99 |
| Comments from Jeff Lin, Taipei, Taiwan |
What prompted me to write a second commentary for PKCC was the discovery of a small piece of history. The course records at PKCC are 68 and 72, set by L. H. Lu as a professional and C. C. Chen as an amateur, respectively. Those who have followed the Majors closely may remember that Mr. Lu came 2nd in the 1972 British Open at Royal Birkdale, while Mr. Chen led the 1984 US Open after three rounds at Oakmont. Mr. Lu and C.C. Chen are probably the best known Taiwanese golfers who have proven their skills in the international arena. The point is that they were brought up and trained on the old-fashion courses similar to PKCC. Many foreign visitors as well as local golfers flock to the newer American/Japanese style courses that sprunt up around Taiwan in the late 1980s dismissing the older courses as altogether inadequate. There is nothing wrong with the new courses, but if you have not tried courses like PKCC or the Taiwan Golf and Country Club then you have missed out. The older courses in Taiwan were built on natural terrains with little modification to the original landscape. They are rough around the edges. The bounces are often unpredictable, the sand in the bunkers can be inconsistent, and the green can be patchy at times. But they are tough, demanding, and above all interesting. For a sentimental old fool like myself, this is how golf should be played, at least in Taiwan anyway. If they were good enough to produce world class golfers then they are probably worth a try.
February/00 |
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