5 Days Kunming Golf Package: Spring City Golf & Lake Resort & Sunshine Golf Club

Welcome to Kunming, the Capital City of Yunnan Province! Kunming is known as the "Spring City春城" due to its mild year-round climate, making it a popular destination for people from other cities to escape harsh winters or scorching summers. The pleasant climate also results in flowers blooming throughout the year, earning Kunming the nickname "Flower City花都". Kunming is the hometown of Zheng He (郑和1371-1433), the famous Ming Dynasty navigator who led seven voyages from 1405 to 1433, visiting numerous countries in Asia and Africa. Whether you're looking for a relaxing escape, cultural immersion, or a chance to explore breathtaking natural wonders and indulge in delicious Yunnan cuisine, Kunming has something to offer everyone.

On this day, upon arrival in Kunming, your guide and driver will meet you at the airport or train station and escort you to Spring City Golf & Lake Resort. This golf resort is located by Fuxian Lake, about 62 km (50–60 minute drive) from downtown Kunming.

Spring City Golf & Lake Resort features five-star resort hotel, modern clubhouse, spa, and restaurants. The resort offers lake-view rooms, mountain-view villas, and various other accommodation options. Enjoy the beautiful natural landscape of the resort and have a restful night.

Spring City Golf & Lake Resort is considered one of the best golf resorts in China. It is often ranked among “Asia’s Best Golf Courses” and “China’s Top 10 Golf Courses” by Golf Digest and Asian Golf Monthly. The resort has hosted major tournaments such as the China Open, National Amateur Championships, and international invitational events. Set amidst mountains and beside a beautiful lake, it offers fresh air and an abundance of natural negative ions.

The resort features two international-standard 18-hole golf courses: the Lake Course and the Mountain Course. Since opening in 1998, it has been a favorite destination for golf lovers from China and around the world. It’s known as a “highland challenge sanctuary” for golfers seeking both beauty and excitement.

Today, you will enjoy an 18-hole round at the Mountain Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. This course makes full use of Yunnan’s rolling plateau landscape. Fairways wind through valleys, hills, and woodlands, with some holes featuring dramatic elevation changes. Playing here requires accurate shots, smart strategy, and careful attention to the wind.

Pay special attention to the following three holes:

Hole 8: This is the signature hole of the Mountain Course, featuring a peninsula-shaped green surrounded by a pond and sand traps. The tee shot is quite challenging, especially considering the wind conditions and flagstick position.

Hole 17: A classic par-4 and one of the last two challenging holes. The tee box is located at a high point, and a sand trap in the middle of the fairway increases the difficulty of the tee shot.

Hole 18: The final hole has been selected as one of the top 500 holes worldwide. It is also the longest and most difficult par-4 on the Mountain Course.

After your golf experience, relax and unwind at your hotel in Spring City Golf & Lake Resort.

On this day, you will continue your golf trip at Spring City Golf & Lake Resort and play 18 holes on the Lake Course. In 2021, the Lake Course at Spring City Golf & Lake Resort was recognized by Golf Travel magazine as the fifth-best course in Asia, and by the renowned Golf Digest as one of the "World’s Top 100 Golf Courses" (ranked #77 in 2022). Nestled in the Asia-Pacific region, the Lake Course at Spring City Golf & Lake Resort blends seamlessly with its natural surroundings. It takes full advantage of the captivating landscape, rolling terrain, and expansive views to create a delightful and unforgettable golfing experience.

When you reach Hole 3, you’ll find that natural beauty comes with a windy challenge. Taking a swing in strong wind conditions is tough, and extra caution is needed when aiming for the green - a ball drifting to the right will truly test your skills. At Hole 8, you’ll find yourself at a poetic riverside. This may be the most challenging hole on the course when it comes to club selection. The green is set downhill from the tee, with a lake lurking behind and to the right.

During this 4-hour round of golf, you will enjoy a relaxing and enjoyable experience while surrounded by the natural beauty of the highlands.

In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the Stone Forest (about a 1-hour drive from the golf resort). It is a World Heritage Site of the South China Karst and a must-see natural wonder that was once submerged under an ancient sea.The Kunming Stone Forest (Shilin) is a national geological park famous for its unique stone forest scenery, which represents the magnificent transformations of the natural world over 270 million years (marine sedimentation → crustal uplift → volcanic lava coverage → erosion and leveling → formation of the Stone Forest). Within the Stone Forest, you can closely observe the traces left by the passage of time and gain an understanding of its distinctive karst landforms, rich geological history, and the accompanying Yi ethnic culture. A sightseeing bus will take you to explore the Big Stone Forest and Small Stone Forest. In addition to the touching legend of Ashima (阿诗玛a symbol of Yi ethnic culture), the Stone Forest also served as a filming location for "Journey to the West" (1986 TV series西游记), where Sun Wukong (Monkey King) was depicted as being trapped under Wuxing Mountain (五行山). Use your imagination to discover the magical shapes of the stone forests.

After the tour, be escorted to Kunming downtown area for accommodation.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Sunshine Golf Club, located in the north of Kunming city (about 30-minute drive). The club sits on the Kunming plateau at an altitude of around 1,900 meters. Nestled among hills, some holes run alongside lakes and streams. Players can enjoy distant views of Dianchi Lake and the Western Hills, all surrounded by the stunning beauty of the Yunnan highlands.

Designed by the renowned Robert Trent Jones Jr., this par-72 course stretches over 7,217 yards and is an international standard tournament venue. Set against a backdrop of mountains and lakes, the course incorporates natural caves, wildflowers, pine woods, fruit trees, and water hazards to create an aesthetically pleasing yet challenging layout. The front nine holes feature gentle topography, making them relatively approachable, while the back nine present undulating terrain that demands precision and strategy. Enjoy playing 18 holes here for happy and relaxing experience.

After golf, you will be transferred back to Kunming city for the best city tour. First, explore Yuantong Temple. Located in the city center, Yuantong Temple combines tranquility amidst the bustling surroundings, offering a unique water courtyard temple. The temple has a history of over 1,200 years and is the oldest Guanyin Temple in China. Particularly noteworthy is its "Downhill Temple" design, where instead of ascending steps after entering the mountain gate, one descends gradually, creating a rare architectural feature among temples in China. Yuantong Temple is the only sacred place in the country that simultaneously accommodates the Han, Southern, and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. At the rear of the temple, there is a typical Southeast Asian Buddhist architectural structure called the Bronze Buddha Hall (铜佛殿), which was built in 1985 specifically to house a bronze statue of Shakyamuni Buddha presented by the Buddhist Association of the Kingdom of Thailand. It has gained a high reputation in the Southeast Asian area and attracts many pilgrims and locals to visit every year. In March each year, Yuantong Temple becomes a popular place for locals to admire the cherry blossoms.

Then, you can hike in Green Lake Park (翠湖) which is 700m away from Yuantong Temple. Cuihu Park was once a marshy bay of Dianchi Lake, which later became a city lake during the Ming Dynasty. It earned its name from its "emerald waters on all sides, bamboo green in all seasons, willow green in spring and summer," and is renowned as the "green gem" and "jade within the city" of Kunming. Two embankments divide the lake into four parts. The north and south embankments, known as Ruandi (阮堤), were constructed during the reign of Emperor Daoguang by Governor Ruan Yuan, inspired by the Su Causeway in West Lake. The east and west embankments, called Tangdi, were built during the Republican era. Besides historical buildings and former residences of famous people, there is a sculpture of Nie Er (聂耳;1912-1935), one of the pioneers of modern Chinese music, who composed China's national anthem, "The March of the Volunteers". Today, Cuihu has become a place where locals take walks, feed fish, observe Black-headed Gulls migrating from Siberia during winter, enjoy lotus flowers, watch flower lanterns, dance, and savor life.

After the tour, be escorted to your hotel in Kunming.

After breakfast, you will have some free time in Kunming. Then, you will be escorted to the airport or train station for your flight or high-speed train to your next destination. Your 5 days Yunnan Golf tour will come to an end.

Extension Ideas:

If you wish to extend your trip and explore other highlights of Yunnan - such as the Yuanyang Rice Terraces, Jianshui, Dongchuan Red Land, Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La, Xishuangbanna, and more - we can help you with all the arrangements.

Thank you for choosing Asia Odyssey Travel for your Yunnan tour. We are always here to assist you and hope to see you again on your next trip to China or elsewhere in Asia. Safe journey!