Haesley Nine Bridges golf course - hole 10
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Haesley Nine Bridges golf course - hole 10
An island green and waterfall make the 10th hole a signature moment on the Haesley Nine Bridges golf course in South Korea. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Haesley Nine Bridges G.C. - hole 1
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Haesley Nine Bridges G.C. - hole 1
The first hole is the easiest handicap hole on the Haesley Nine Bridges golf course in South Korea. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Haesley Nine Bridges golf course - hole 3
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Haesley Nine Bridges golf course - hole 3
Bunkers ring the third green at Haesley Nine Bridges in South Korea. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Haesley Nine Bridges G.C. - hole 8
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Haesley Nine Bridges G.C. - hole 8
Fall colors start to pop on the eighth hole on the Haesley Nine Bridges golf course. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Haesley Nine Bridges golf course - hole 14
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Haesley Nine Bridges golf course - hole 14
After a visit to a "tea house" for drinks and snacks, golfers are confronted by the par-3 14th hole on Haesley Nine Bridges. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Haesley Nine Bridges G.C. - hole 4
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Haesley Nine Bridges G.C. - hole 4
A waterfall is a scenic but challenging hazard on the fourth hole on the Haesley Nine Bridges golf course in South Korea. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Haesley Nine Bridges golf course - hole 7
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Haesley Nine Bridges golf course - hole 7
The seventh hole at Haesley Nine Bridges is one of several that features a dramatic water hazard. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Haesley Nine Bridges G.C. - hole 11
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Haesley Nine Bridges G.C. - hole 11
The par-5 11th hole on the Haesley Nine Bridges golf course climbs skyward to an elevated green with an extra-long flagstick. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Haesley Nine Bridges golf course - hole 15
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Haesley Nine Bridges golf course - hole 15
Haesley Nine Bridges' 15th hole plays like a short par 4 from the member's tees. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Haesley Nine Bridges golf course - hole 16
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Haesley Nine Bridges golf course - hole 16
The approach shot over water to Haesley Nine Bridges' par-5 16th green is daunting. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
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Haesley Nine Bridges isn't 'that' Nine Bridges, it's a premier private golf club in South Korea

SOUTH KOREA - It's easy for a foreigner to get confused into thinking they are playing a World-Top-100 golf course at Haesley Nine Bridges outside of Seoul.

The original Nine Bridges, the one that has earned those top-100 distinctions, is located far away on Jeju Island. They are both owned by the CJ Corporation, the title sponsor of a new PGA Tour event, THE CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges, scheduled for Oct. 16-22, 2017 on Jeju Island.

Haesley, a 7,256-yard design by David Dale and Kevin Ramsey, is a premier attraction that doesn't deserve to be overshadowed by anybody. It's ranked among the top five courses in golf-mad South Korea, just a shade behind its famous older sister that will host the tournament. It has similar characteristics -- man-made waterfalls, a sub-air system under all 18 greens, pristine conditions, wonderful food and service.

A 16,000-square-foot clubhouse, built in 2009 as three separate buildings, delivers the most awe-inspiring first impression. Golfers walk into the upper level of an atrium peering out at the golf course through glass windows three stories high. Timber pillars stretch from floor to ceiling before meshing into hexagonal patterns.

The layout is equally excellent and interesting. Bunkers are aplenty but not overwhelming, looking very much like a Tom Fazio-designed golf course.

The waterfalls and man-made rock features at holes such as no. 4, no. 10 and no. 16 would look wonderful on TV. Haesley Nine Bridges's signature hole is the brutishly long, par-4 ninth, where only a heroic carry over water reaches dry land on the other side.

Video: Get to know the golf culture of South Korea

Jason Scott Deegan has reviewed and photographed more than 1,100 courses and written about golf destinations in 25 countries for some of the industry's biggest publications. His work has been honored by the Golf Writer's Association of America and the Michigan Press Association. Follow him on Instagram at @jasondeegangolfpass and Twitter at @WorldGolfer.
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Haesley Nine Bridges isn't 'that' Nine Bridges, it's a premier private golf club in South Korea