1Day Kunming Stone Forest International Country Golf Package Tour

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Schmidt-Curley Design -- one of the world's most active and innovative golf course design firms -- announces its 54-hole Stone Forest International Country Club near Kunming, China, has opened for play.

Three courses -- Leaders Peak, Masters Resort and Yufeng Ridge -- feature the breathtaking Stone Forest as a backdrop. Considered by many a "wonder of the world," its towering, 270-million-year-old karst peaks erupt from the earth over a 135 square-mile area.

"This is one of the most unique sites ever made available for golf," says firm co-founder Brian Curley. "Great care was taken to preserve the dramatic rock formations and gently nestle the holes among the rugged outcroppings."

Spectacular vistas, rock-strewn fields and dense pine forests abound, punctuated by lakes and open streams that reflect the stony peaks.

"Typically, with a multi-course facility, one would focus on creating layouts with distinct styles," notes Curley. "This site, however, is so astonishing that we did not want to distract from the surroundings with bunkering, or any other architectural elements, that said 'look at me.' We kept all three courses very natural to fit the site; there are subtle differences in each but nothing that jumps out. We wanted the stone to be the show."

Leaders Peak occupies the most heavily-treed portion of the property and can play up to 7,565 yards -- a necessity at the mile-high location. Noteworthy holes include the par-3 12th and its "island green" surrounded by stone, rather than water. Although four-to-five times larger than the 17th at TPC Sawgrass, it is every bit as intimidating as much is hidden from view by rock that rises above the green surface.

Yufeng Ridge starts high above the property with views of all three golf courses and the Yunnan countryside. One of the most scenic holes on the property is No. 8, a jaw-dropping par 4 playing into a massive wall of stone and vegetation. On the back nine, the 18th is a beautiful par 5 highlighted by a risk-reward drive to a fairway split by outcrops.

To slightly differentiate it from its sister courses, Masters Resort has grass-faced bunkers, more colorful landscaping, and greens with greater undulation. Earmarked as the club's "tournament course," standout holes include the par-3 seventh and its green set into a natural low, the uphill par-5 10th playing toward a stone pinnacle backdrop, and the par-5 18th offering long views to the valley floor below.

Adds Curley: "With their otherworldly surrounds, dramatic elevation changes, and one of the best year-round climates to grow turf, the Stone Forest courses promise to soon be regarded among the world's best."

For more information about completed and current projects, visit www.schmidt-curley.com or call 480.483.1994.

About Schmidt-Curley Design

Founded by partners Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley with offices in Scottsdale, Arizona; Haikou, Hainan Island, China and Kunming, China, Schmidt-Curley is a full-service, international golf course architecture and master-planning firm with more than 100 layouts in 24 countries. The tandem is responsible for crafting 10 of the 12 courses at storied Mission Hills Shenzhen -- the "World's Largest Golf Club" -- and is currently designing and building all ten golf courses at new Mission Hills Haikou Resort on Hainan Island.

Other high profile, award-winning projects from Schmidt-Curley include Bali Hai and Siena Golf Clubs (Las Vegas), Amata Spring Golf Club (Chonburi, Thailand, four-time host of the PGA European Tour's Royal Trophy), Terra Lago Golf Club (Indio, California, site of the Skins Game from 1999 - 2002), Twin Creeks Golf Club (Cedar Park, Texas) and Crosby National Golf Club (Rancho Santa Fe, California).

Schmidt-Curley has also worked extensively with golf's biggest names - including Pete Dye, Nick Faldo, Jack Nicklaus and Fred Couples on numerous high-profile projects - and boasts four ASGCA members (Lee Schmidt, Brian Curley, Grant Haserot and Andy Raugust).

Producing demanding yet beautiful and enjoyable courses, Schmidt-Curley strives to create golf experiences that stir the senses and elevate golfers' appreciations for the land and the game. By balancing classic golf course architecture with ever-changing contemporary technology, Schmidt-Curley places an emphasis on site-adaptive courses, memorable and satisfying for all levels of play and always designed for cost-efficient maintenance and operations.