LOCATED by the Yangzong Lake in Yunnan Province, China, a 50-minute drive from the city centre of Kunming and about a one-hour drive from Kunming Changshui International Airport, is the Spring City Golf & Lake Resort.
With spring-like weather year round and a gentle, pleasant climate, the mountain and lake views at Spring City complement each other perfectly, unfolding like a landscape painting shaped by nature itself. For 30 years, the resort has been a pilgrimage destination for golf lovers the world over, and today it has grown into a vibrant, all-round retreat where everyone can find their own ‘Spring City’.
At Spring City, the home of US Golf Digest’s World Top 100 Lake Course (T-77) and a perennial Asia Top 100 / China Top 20, the Mountain Course, is where every wonderful experience begins. Home to the two 18-hole championship courses, is a distinction no other resort in China can claim.
The Mountain Course, designed by golfing legend Jack Nicklaus, perches on the high slopes above Yangzonghai Lake, drawing both the quiet serenity of the highlands and the free-spirited charm of the lake views across its rolling terrain. Its dramatic 18th hole is ranked among the World’s Top 500 Holes.
The Lake Course, created by renowned architect Robert Trent Jones Jr., winds gracefully along the lakeshore and is famous for its narrow fairways, rugged gullies, strong lake breezes and terraced greens — a layout regarded worldwide as one of the game’s most demanding tests.
To enjoy two US Golf Digest courses in a single destination is a rare privilege anywhere on the planet.
Spring City Golf & Lake Resort in China, home to two highly rated courses.
While golf is their foundation, Spring City is far more than just a championship venue and far more than golf. In 2024, China’s first Nordisk Village opened here, bringing the Danish outdoor brand’s philosophy of ‘Nature is Luxury’ to the shores of Yangzonghai. From traditional family camping, to minimalist solo camping and sought-after glamping, the village blends the Danish ‘Hygge’ lifestyle, that being a sense of peace, comfort and togetherness, with the region’s natural surroundings. It offers guests a genuine escape into the wild without giving up comfort.
Across 504 hectares of mountains, lakes and forest, the resort invites guests to slow down and reconnect with nature. Stroll along the lakeside trails and breathe the freshest air or wander through woodlands where birdlife and squirrels thrive.
For younger visitors and the young at heart, the sustainable farm brings the farm-to-table idea to life with organically tended vegetables, bilingual nature lessons and the chance to feed the animals. Meanwhile, pickleball courts, the wellness centre with its high-tech therapy cabins, the Tough Mudder challenge, nature craft workshops and lakeside wedding photography open up endless possibilities. Whether swinging a club or not, there is ease and joy at Spring City for everyone.
The resort offers 73 guest rooms and suites, along with nearly a hundred villas in varied styles, all quietly overlooking Yangzonghai Lake. Every room opens to a balcony with a lake view, while the one-, two- and three-bedroom villas bring an even more private, home-like stay.
Dining is a journey in itself, featuring the Yunnan-inspired fusion cuisine at Eagle’s Nest Restaurant, the Southeast Asian classics such as laksa, bak kut teh and Hainanese chicken rice at the Par Café, and the Yunnan truffle pizzas at Birdie Pizza House, it will leave taste buds captivated, while the retro-themed 19th Hole music venue keeps the evening alive with live performances, craft beer and cocktails.
As a model of China–Singapore cooperation, developed by Singapore’s Keppel Group and now in operation for 30 years, Spring City Golf & Lake Resort draws on its irreplaceable natural and cultural resources to redefine a high-quality lakeside lifestyle.
Gather by the lakeside at Spring City and be renewed between mountains and water.
The post Spring City – Home to US Golf Digest’s World Top 100 Lake Course – and Asia Top 100 the Mountain Course first appeared on Inside Golf. Australia's Most-Read Golf Magazine as named by Australian Golfers - FREE.