Only an hour outside of the bund, but Shanghai Silport Golf Club exudes all the calm and laid-back demeanor of the countryside, But don’t be fooled, the course’s three nines etched out of farmland, are formidable challenges to amateurs and pros alike.

There is little that is quiet about Shanghai these days. International tournaments like the Shanghai Masters Tennis, and the HSBC Champion see the world’s best descending upon this modern gateway to China, underscoring the city’s desire to be the spring pearl of Asia, but the back draft of this driven objective is a city that is growing at breakneck speed. Highways crisscross in and out of the narrow built-up areas, one merging to another without any obvious border. Urban sprawl is alive and well, and redefining old Shanghai on a daily basis.

That is one reason why a nice leisurely drive outside of the city can be such a liberating exercise, and if the goal is to play on one of Shanghai premier golf courses, then it is an endeavour that is worth the time.

Shanghai Silport is not without reputation, this year; it will host the 2007 Volvo China Open, making it seven times the club has been the venue of choice in attracting the best golfers from the European Tour and the Asian Tour to the US$500,000 tournament.

But the mark of a championship course is not only its ability to test a professional’s gamut of skills, but also to entertain its club’s members on a week in week out basis, this is where Silport excels.

The three nine-hole layouts-East, Center and North (West course added newly)- is built over reclaimed farmland, certainly, one can see vestiges of its past while playing many of the wholes, since the view of farmers working the area around the course is a charming distraction from the golfing tasks at hand, but paying too much attention to the going on outside the holes will certainly detract you from playing to your best.

Bob J Martin, a member of the Nicklaus Group, is the man responsible for the varied and enjoyable holes at Silport. His use of subtle nuances to pose challenge on otherwise straightforward-looking holes makes Silport the kind of course that members will be happy to play on a regular basis. Fairways that undulate offer different lies on any given day, and the presence of long extended stretches of sand is a nice alternative to having too much water to thwart your shots.

But if water is what you think makes for a nice looking course, then you won’t be disappointed with Silport. The course makes its way around Dianshan-Lake, a large body of water that is as much noted for its beauty as it is as a venue for fish, the lake comes into play on many of the holes, some posing as aesthetic feature, others standing as protector to par, either way, the ripping waters come to define the layout, and in no small part the club as well.

There is every indication that owner Beta Soong has an eye for elegance. Thirty-six Ming and Qing Dynasty inspired sculpture stand vigil throughout the course, pointing the way for golfers along each hole, the Spanish style clubhouse is the epitome of casual style, luxurious and tasteful at the same time, and as “the home of the Volvo China Open”, Shanghai Silport has won its share of accolades, it was voted Best Venue On The Asian Tour by players in 2002, Best Service By China Golf Magazine in 1999 and 2000,and ranked as one of the top 10 courses in China by US Golf Digest in 2001 and 2003, a short visit here is all it takes to lead you to believe that this reputation will continue through the future.