china Doctor Without Borders

The grand opening of Rees Jones’ first golf course in China has been delayed, but the Open Doctor is already thinking about his next patient in the People’s Republic.

Jones let the cat out of the bag earlier this year, when he said that he has a project “in Beijing, starting next year,” during an interview with Met Golfer.

“He shouldn’t have said that,” says Greg Muirhead, an associate in Jones’ Montclair, New Jersey-based firm.

Muirhead won’t provide any details, but he says that the work in Beijing involves a complete redesign of an existing course. The reconstruction begins this year, and the already-closed track is expected to reopen in the fall of 2012 or spring of 2013.

As for the course Jones is willing to talk about, it has a new name -– Yunling Golf & Spa Resort -– and it’s taking shape outside Kunming, in Yunnan Province.

It also has a new opening date: Spring 2012.

Muirhead says the course will be the centerpiece of a private community with single-family houses and villas, a boutique hotel, a spa, and a retail/commercial area, all of which have yet to be built.

The track will stretch to 7,400 yards, but Muirhead, its co-designer, believes its length shouldn't concern golfers. “Because of the altitude and elevation,” he believes, “it’ll play shorter.”

Yunling’s developers, a group called Golf Travel & Recreation, plan to add a third nine if demand warrants it.