For the second installment in my series about Jeju Island, Korea’s premier golf destination, I played Pinx Golf Club with my Korean friends Mr. Han, Mr. Kim and Mr. Koo. The course was designed by celebrated architect Ted Robinson, who created more than 160 courses during his career, including Robinson Ranch near Los Angeles and Tustin Ranch in Orange County, California. Robinson, often called the “King of Waterscapes,” opened Pinx in 1999 and passed away in 2008.
Pinx comprises three nine-hole courses: East, West and North, with the North added after the initial opening. Robinson’s routing sits between Marado Island to the south and Hallasan (Han-la Mountain) to the north, creating a scenic yet demanding layout that showcases Jeju’s varied terrain.
Management at Pinx prefers to control published coverage and, technically, I was discouraged from taking photos while playing. Despite several warnings relayed by the caddie, I made a few discreet images so I could accurately describe the course and share my impressions.
WEST COURSE
Hole 1 | 543 yards, par 5
It’s surprising this hole is listed as the No. 18 handicap, because it is very long and tougher than it looks. Out-of-bounds fences guard the left while thick foliage crowds the right. I remember Mr. Kim climbing the hillside to retrieve a drive. The hole requires three solid shots: a tee shot aimed to the center of the fairway, a second that lands within reach while navigating fairway bunkers on both sides, and a precise approach to a green protected by bunkers on the right, left and back-left.
Hole 5 | 217 yards, par 3
This long par 3 demands a carry over a bramble-filled valley. Few players hit the green in regulation the day we played; I was relieved to take a bogey. Two bunkers, positioned catty-corner, defend the hole while the green slopes from back to front. With the pin at the rear, the hole played even longer than the yardage suggested.
Hole 7 | 563 yards, par 5
Bright flowers border the left side of the tee, but don’t be lulled into carelessness. The ideal tee shot favors the left-center of the fairway because the landing area slopes noticeably from left to right, making the second shot tricky and prone to feeding right toward the pond. I found myself flirting with that water and had to play a high lob wedge onto the green. Mr. Han landed in the forward right bunker and lost a stroke.
West Course Hole 9 © Francis X. Gallagher
Hole 9 | 490 yards, par 4
This is a strategic and enjoyable finishing hole for the West Course. The smart play is a tee shot to the left-center, setting up an approach to a green tucked on the right and protected by a stream that crosses the front and feeds a small right-side pond. I chose a bolder route and landed right of the water, facing an interesting pitch to the green. Mr. Kim and Mr. Han managed pars, while Mr. Koo and I carded a bogey and a double bogey.
NORTH COURSE
Hole 1 | 493 yards, par 5
Robinson often begins a routing with a par 5, and this one nearly broke me on the first day. Eager to test a new stance and swing, I misdirected my drive into a rocky, weed-choked area and ultimately lost the ball. The fairway tilts slightly left with a gradual rise that limits roll. The green is guarded by a front-right bunker and another bunker about 50 yards out on the same side, making recovery demanding if the tee shot goes awry.
Hole 4 | 203 yards, par 3
This hole offers sweeping views of Jeju’s green hills and Hallasan beyond the green. The elevated tee overlooks a green protected by two traps on the left—a popular miss the day we played—and an additional bunker on the upper right. No one in our group managed a par, underscoring the hole’s challenge.
Hole 5 | 409 yards, par 4
Rated the toughest hole on the North Course, the fifth proved exacting for our group as well. Mr. Kim impressed by placing his drive snug against one of the Jeju pines lining the right. I also favored the right side, playing under a branch but with enough room to hit a solid 3-wood and set up a respectable third shot to the green.
Hole 9 | 354 yards, par 4
A classic Ted Robinson finishing hole, the ninth features a berm of shrubs crossing the fairway roughly where a tee shot might finish. Long hitters might choose a 3-wood to avoid trouble and leave a mid-iron approach. I managed a par after several earlier mishaps, hitting a clean approach that cleared the berm and held the green. Any approach that is short and right risks dropping into the pond protecting that side. Overall, it was a fine day on Jeju with friends and favorable weather.
Pinx Golf Club
San 62-3, Sangcheon-ri
Andeok-myeon
Seogwipo-si
Jeju Island
South Korea
tel 82 64 792 5200
www.thepinx.co.kr /golfclub