Whistling Rock Country Club - Cocoon nine - 2nd
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Whistling Rock Country Club - Cocoon nine - 2nd
Follow the fairway left on the par-5 second hole of the Cocoon nine on Whistling Rock Country Club, otherwise face all of these obstacles. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Whistling Rock Country Club - Temple nine - 9th
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Whistling Rock Country Club - Temple nine - 9th
It's a dramatic approach shot to the ninth green of the Temple nine at Whistling Rock Country Club in South Korea. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Whistling Rock Country Club - Temple nine - 6th
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Whistling Rock Country Club - Temple nine - 6th
Beware the pond on the par-3 sixth hole of the Temple golf course at Whistling Rock Country Club in South Korea. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Whistling Rock Country Club - Temple nine - 3rd
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Whistling Rock Country Club - Temple nine - 3rd
The par-4 third hole on the Temple nine at Whistling Rock Country Club plummets from tee to green. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Whistling Rock Country Club - Cocoon nine - 4th
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Whistling Rock Country Club - Cocoon nine - 4th
The par-4 fourth hole on the Cocoon nine at Whistling Rock Country Club plays much shorter than the yardage if players attempt to drive the green. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Whistling Rock Country Club - Cocoon nine - 8th
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Whistling Rock Country Club - Cocoon nine - 8th
Mountains loom in the background of the par-3 eighth hole on the Cocoon nine at Whistling Rock in South Korea. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Whistling Rock Country Club - Cloud nine - 2nd
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Whistling Rock Country Club - Cloud nine - 2nd
Golfers who go for the par-5 second green on the Cloud nine at Whistling Rock Country Club risk a watery plunge. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Whistling Rock Country Club - Cloud nine - 4th
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Whistling Rock Country Club - Cloud nine - 4th
A "tea house" -- where players can stop for a drink or snacks -- overlooks the fourth hole on the Cloud nine at Whistling Rock Country Clubin South Korea. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Whistling Rock Country Club - Cloud nine - 9th
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Whistling Rock Country Club - Cloud nine - 9th
The ninth tee box on the Cloud nine at Whistling Rock Country Club overlooks the final fairway (on the right). Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Whistling Rock Country Club - female caddies
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Whistling Rock Country Club - female caddies
Female caddies are part of the experience at Whistling Rock Country Club in South Korea. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Whistling Rock Country Club - colored balls
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Whistling Rock Country Club - colored balls
Colored balls are placed throughout the property at Whistling Rock Country Club to reflect the beauty of nature. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Whistling Rock Country Club - Cocoon 'tea house'
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Whistling Rock Country Club - Cocoon 'tea house'
The Cocoon nine on Whistling Rock Country Club is named after this "tea house," where players can buy drinks and snacks. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
12 Images

Whistling Rock Country Club: A visual stunner outside Seoul, South Korea

CHUNCHEON, South Korea -- Which nine at Whistling Rock Country Club is best?

It's one of those questions that has no answers, only opinions. Each of the three nines -- Cloud, Cocoon and Temple -- at this prestigious private club has its own mesmerizing merits.

The 27-hole Ted Robinson, Jr. design was blasted from rocky, mountainous terrain outside Seoul, opening in 2011.

A recent renovation by Erik Iverson of Tom Doak's Renaissance Golf Design further tamed a course built on such an extreme site. Bunkers were taken out or renovated. Iverson and his crew shaved down several elevated greens to create more pin placements and allow better access to running shots. What remains is a visual wonder that's thrilling and entertaining like a Hollywood blockbuster.

Each nine is named after a teahouse players encounter halfway through its holes. Teahouses are Korea's version of a "snack shack," although 10 times better. The Cloud teahouse floats high above the par-3 fourth hole, offering up panoramic views. The Cocoon teahouse sits in a lovely setting adjacent to a pond. The Temple teahouse provides some relief after an uphill climb on the tough par-4 fourth hole.

Whistling Rock's Temple nine provides the property's most scenic tee shot on no. 3, a stout 445-yard par 4. The ball, when launched off of a ridge, hangs in the air for what feels like a minute before landing. The first and ninth holes cross streams that are part of an elaborate system of interconnected waterfalls and water hazards flowing throughout the layout.

The risk-reward sixth hole highlights the Cocoon nine, which has a great variety of holes. The fairway doglegs right to a green tucked behind a pond and a pair of bunkers. A well struck drive can hold the green from the white (288 yards) or blue (326 yards) tees.

Whistling Rock's "Cloud" nine goes rogue with five holes on the other side of the mountain, only reachable by driving through a massive tunnel anchored by a pair of giant doors. The 11th hole is particularly memorable as a dramatic par 5 over water.

Female caddies accompany this epic journey. They control four-person carts with a remote control, allowing their players to walk or ride. The carts stay on the paths, keeping the course in pristine shape. It's touches like these that make Whistling Rock so uniquely memorable.

Between the golf course, the caddies and a cavernous clubhouse, Whistling Rock delivers an experience like no other.

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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Whistling Rock Country Club: A visual stunner outside Seoul, South Korea