The Dunes at Shenzhou Peninsula: Hainan Island's Best Golf Course and How to Play It

The Dunes at Shenzhou Peninsula is widely regarded as one of the finest golf courses in Asia — and one of the most underrated on any international golfer's bucket list. Designed by celebrated architect Tom Weiskopf and set directly on the South China Sea on Hainan Island, China, The Dunes delivers a genuine links-style experience in a tropical setting unlike anything else in the region. For Australian golfers, Hainan Island sits within easy flying distance, yet it remains far less visited than its quality deserves. This guide covers what to expect at The Dunes, why it belongs on your golfing radar, and how CGE Golf, one of Australia's most experienced Hainan Island golf specialists, makes the journey from tee time to touchdown effortless. 

Tom Weiskopf’s Vision: Links Golf on the South China Sea

Golfers typically travel to Scotland, Ireland or England for authentic links golf. The Dunes at Shenzhou Peninsula offers something remarkable: links-style golf in a tropical coastal setting, designed by one of the game's most respected architects.

Tom Weiskopf — whose portfolio includes Loch Lomond Golf Club in Scotland and Troon North in Arizona — designed The Dunes to work with the natural coastal environment rather than against it. Towering dunes, native coastal grasses, and the ever-present South China Sea breeze shape every hole. Fairways move naturally through the dune landscape, greens are fast and undulating, and no two rounds play the same way.

The result is a course that rewards strategic thinking as much as distance. Golfers who can manage trajectory, work the ball in the wind and choose the right shot shape will score well. Those who simply overpower it will find the dunes and native rough unforgiving — exactly as a links course should be.

This is not a manufactured "links-style" design in the way that term is sometimes loosely applied. The Dunes has the terrain, the wind and the architectural DNA to justify the comparison.

What to Expect on the Course: Holes, Views and Conditions

Ocean Views Throughout

Several holes at The Dunes run directly alongside the South China Sea, offering panoramic views of turquoise water, white sand beaches and rugged coastal headlands. Elevated tee boxes overlook the coastline on multiple holes, and the walk between greens and tees consistently delivers the kind of scenery that makes golfers stop and take it in.

It is the kind of course where the surroundings demand as much attention as the scorecard — and that is meant as the highest compliment.

Year-Round Playability

Hainan Island's tropical climate means The Dunes is in excellent playing condition throughout the year. Fairways are firm and fast, greens run true, and the course presentation is consistently high. This is a meaningful advantage over many of the world's best-known golf destinations, where seasonal closures, frost delays and wet conditions limit the experience.

For golfers travelling from Australia, Hainan's warmth and reliability is a compelling alternative to Europe or North America — world-class golf without the climate risk.

The Right Course for Every Golfer

The Dunes challenges low handicappers with its strategic demands and wind variability, while its natural rhythm and spectacular setting make it deeply enjoyable for recreational players. You don't need to be a scratch golfer to appreciate what Weiskopf has built here. You just need to enjoy great golf in a remarkable place.

Shenzhou Peninsula: More Than a Golf Destination

The Dunes is the headline, but Shenzhou Peninsula offers a complete resort experience for golfers and their travelling companions.

Luxury accommodation options sit within easy reach of the course. Pristine beaches, fine dining, water sports and a relaxed tropical atmosphere make the peninsula an equally attractive destination for non-golfing partners. The region's modern facilities — international-standard resorts, reliable transport links and year-round accessibility — removes the travel hassle that sometimes deters golfers from exploring China's golf destinations.

For couples, golf groups and corporate incentive travellers alike, Shenzhou Peninsula delivers the combination of championship golf and genuine resort relaxation that the best golf destinations do so well.

Planning a Hainan Island golf trip? CGE Golf handles everything — flights, accommodation, tee times and transfers. 

→ Enquire with CGE Golf 

Why Australian Golfers Travel to Hainan Island with CGE Golf

Booking a tee time at The Dunes is straightforward. Building a golf trip to Hainan Island that runs seamlessly from departure to return — that requires a different level of expertise.

CGE Golf has operated golf tours to Hainan Island for years, building direct relationships with the courses, resorts, airlines and ground operators that make the difference between a smooth trip and a stressful one. That experience shows in ways that matter to travelling golfers.

Access That Independent Booking Doesn't Provide

Through longstanding partnerships with Hainan Island's premier golf venues and resorts, CGE Golf regularly secures preferred tee times, priority access and accommodation options that are not available through standard online booking channels. When a course's best morning slots are in high demand, having an established local relationship matters.

Planning Managed End to End

Travelling to China involves considerations that don't apply to a golf trip within Australia or to a European destination. Visa requirements, flight connections, inter-resort transfers and local planning all require advance coordination. CGE Golf's team manages every element, from the paperwork before departure to the transfers between course and resort on the ground.

For group travel, Pro-Am tournaments or corporate golf events, this end-to-end management becomes particularly valuable. The success of a group golf trip often comes down to whether the small details have been handled — and with CGE Golf, they have been.

Genuine First-Hand Knowledge

CGE Golf's team has played the courses, stayed in the resorts and worked with the local operators. When they recommend The Dunes, it is because they know it — not because it appears in a supplier brochure. That distinction matters when you are planning a trip of this quality.

Frequently Asked Questions: Hainan Island Golf with CGE Golf

Is Hainan Island easy to reach from Australia?
Yes. Hainan Island is served by regular international connections, with flying times from major Australian cities generally competitive with or shorter than European golf destinations. CGE Golf can advise on the best routing options for your departure city.

Do I need a visa to visit Hainan Island?
Visa requirements depend on your nationality and travel arrangements. CGE Golf provides current visa guidance as part of the booking process, ensuring all documentation is in order before departure.

Is The Dunes suitable for high-handicap golfers?
Yes. While The Dunes presents a genuine challenge, its coastal setting and strategic rather than punishing design make it enjoyable for golfers of all abilities. The course rewards good course management, but it is not exclusionary.

Can non-golfing partners join the tour?
Absolutely. Shenzhou Peninsula's resort facilities, beaches and dining options make it a genuinely attractive destination for partners who don't play golf. CGE Golf can tailor the broader itinerary to include non-golfing activities.

What else can I play on a Hainan Island golf tour?
Hainan Island is home to a number of high-quality courses beyond The Dunes. CGE Golf regularly combines multiple venues into a single tour, allowing guests to experience the full range of what the island offers. Contact CGE Golf for current multi-course itinerary options.

Book Your Hainan Island Golf Experience with CGE Golf

The Dunes at Shenzhou Peninsula is one of those golf courses that stays with you — the wind off the South China Sea, the natural dune landscape, the views from elevated tees, the quality that most golfers never expect to find in China. Paired with CGE Golf's experience on Hainan Island, it becomes an effortless as well as unforgettable experience.

Places on CGE Golf's Hainan Island tours are limited. 

→ Enquire early to secure your preferred dates.

→ Contact us and Plan Your Hainan Island Golf Trip with CGE Golf 

Also exploring Asia? Ask CGE Golf about other golf destinations across the region.