Word of the quality of Shanghai Silport and its sister course Tiger Beach Golf Links received a strong boost recently when club chairman Beta Soong was profiled in Discovery, Cathay Pacific Airway’s in-flight magazine.
In the article “The first generation of Chinese golf course designers,” Soong was one of four designers profiled with particular emphasis placed on his Tiger Beach design in Shandong Province, a layout that took him three years to create.
“The value of a course does not depend on the money, equipment and materials you have provided, but instead the care that you have put into it,” Soong was quoted.
The article detailed how despite having limited course design experience, Soong used only a simple blue print and directed the workers himself to build his dream course. Sometimes, the result came out not as he envisioned, and he would often spend a long time rethinking his building strategy. When Tiger Beach’s construction was completed, he felt that nine holes did not follow the style of the other nine and a decision was made to start over and rebuild.
Soong spoke of the great pride he took when Tiger Beach opened and how the media placed its emphasis on the course as being designed by a Chinese. The Taiwanese industrialist also said he felt honored when representatives of Carnoustie Golf Links “discovered” his course and how soon after, the famed British Open host venue became its sister course. “Life comes from caring and it is care that moves others,” he told the magazine. |
