The Mission Hills Group together with Shmidt-Curley Designs have announced the opening of four new golf courses at the exclusive club in China’s tropical island province, Hainan.

The new additions to the island include the Stone Quarry, Shadow Dunes, Double Pin and Stepping Stone, bringing the total number of courses on the island to 10.

‘At Mission Hills Hainan, golfers can select from a global menu of golf design genres,’ says Brian Curley of Shmidt-Curley Design. ‘Each layout has a distinct 'personality' - levels of difficulty, bunker styles, green sizes and undulations, landscaping, par and yardage were intentionally varied to distinguish the resort from competitors and celebrate its status as an international golf destination."

The Hainan club opened in March 2010, with six initial courses built on top of a volcano. The Hainan Government has suggested that at its completion, Mission Hills Hainan may consist of up to 30 courses.

"I am very optimistic Mission Hills Hainan will help show Asian golfers and developers it is more about offering a great experience," said Curley.

"Some of the courses, like Blackstone and Lava Fields, will play long and test the best players. However, we also designed courses that are still challenging and thought-provoking but tailored to be more forgiving to mid- and high-handicappers," he said.

The Mission Hills Group is the owner of the world’s largest golf club, a 12-course club based in Shenzhen in southern China. In the past, Mission Hills has catered mostly to foreign golfers who have made up 80% of its customers.

In recent years, however, the company has switched its focus from foreigners to Chinese golfers, targeting a market of new wealth that emerged after an economic boom that increased annual urban wages by 64% in 2009.

‘We have confidence in the rise in Chinese consumption and them having a holiday mentality,’ said Ken Chu, Vice Chairman of Mission Hills. ‘We see the growth of the game and we see the growth of this business sector.’

The group has invested 25 billion Yuan (about US$3.7 billion) to add golfing, retail and community facilities at its club in Haikou, Hainan’s capital city.

Mission Hills Hainan is only 15 minutes from Haikou Meilan International Airport, and includes a 518-room hotel, spa, 12 restaurants, a sport and recreation centre, MICE facilities, villas, residential towers and the island’s largest mineral springs.