北京国际高尔夫俱乐部

Few golf clubs carry the weight of history that Beijing International Golf Club does. Opened in 1986, it holds the distinction of being the first golf course built in mainland China after the Communist Revolution — a landmark moment that signaled the country's reopening to the outside world and the beginning of what would become one of the fastest-growing golf markets on the planet. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the course was built at the Ming Tombs scenic area in Changping District, unfurling across terrain that sits in the shadow of the ancient imperial burial grounds of the Ming Dynasty emperors. That setting alone gives the place a gravity that no modern resort development can manufacture.

The course itself reflects Nicklaus's strategic design instincts — generous enough to welcome foreign business visitors and diplomats, but demanding under pressure. Water features and bunkering reward careful shot-making over brute force.

Beijing's dry, continental climate means firm, fast conditions for much of the year, with the best golf found in the mild spring and golden autumn months before the northern winter arrives.