Some golf courses are memorable because of the views. 

Some because of the challenge. 

Shek O Country Club is memorable because it’s unlike almost any golf course we’ve ever played. 

Tucked into the hills on the southeastern edge of Hong Kong Island, this private club packs 18 holes into just 4,665 yards—and somehow makes it work. 

We were lucky enough to play it twice, and both rounds left us wondering the same thing: how did they fit all of this into such a small space?

Shek O Country Club at a Glance 

Location	Shek O, Hong Kong Island
Holes	18
Par	65
Length	4,665 yards
Access	Private – members and their guests
Caddies	Available
Golf Carts	Not available – walking course
Phone	+852 2809 4458
Address	5 Shek O Rd, Shek O, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong
Official Website	Not found

Playing Shek O Country Club

We checked in with the shop, hit a few balls, met our caddie and made our way to the first tee. From the very first hole, it was obvious that Shek O was going to be unlike any course we had played before.

An Unusual Start to the Round

The opening hole is a 210-yard par 3 that plays a little shorter because it’s downhill. After the first hole, you walk back towards the ocean to the second tee, a short 235-yard uphill par 4 that takes you directly back underneath the first tee.

From there, you walk up some stairs towards the clubhouse and tee off on the third, hitting your drive basically over the second green.

It was here that we first noticed what would become the common theme of Shek O: many of the holes share the same playing areas. In fact, the first eight holes somehow share what you might call one giant fairway. They either cross it diagonally, play straight down it, or, well, straight back!

And the views are pretty spectacular. The first eight holes all offer glimpses of the South China Sea, with the sixth and seventh being two of our favorites.

The 6th and 7th: Two Incredible Par 3s

The 198-yard sixth is one of the greatest par 3s we’ve ever seen. From the fifth green, you walk downhill to a tee box sitting directly at the ocean. You then have to hit back uphill to a small green, all while carrying the ocean.

I missed the green both times—once long right and once long left—but saved par each time!

You better catch your breath quickly, because the seventh is a 225-yard monster of a par 3. The first time, I hit a hybrid into the bunker behind the green and got up and down to save par.

Those could have been two of the best back-to-back pars of my life!

After the seventh, it’s time to turn back towards the clubhouse. The eighth is an uphill 390-yard par 4 that plays much longer than its yardage. The first time, I hit driver and had about 110 yards in. Thinking it was an easy wedge, I left it well short.

The second time, determined not to make the same mistake, I hit from almost the same spot and again left it 10 yards short.

Both times we played Shek O, I made par on the difficult sixth and seventh—and both times I made bogey on the shorter eighth.

Will I ever learn?!

The Back Nine at Shek O Country Club

The back nine continues the unusual routing, but our favorite—and perhaps the most unique—stretch of holes comes at 15 and 16.

Again, it isn’t the distance that captures your attention, but the layout.

The 15th and 16th: Shek O’s Most Unusual Holes

The 250-yard par 4 15th, Nordahl’s Reach, is a straightaway hole that narrows quickly from tee to green. In fact, once you reach the green, you are surrounded on both sides by jungle.

The choice here is pretty simple: either hit the green or leave it short, because anything left or right most likely won’t be found.

After putting out, you take a few steps uphill to the tee box of the 305-yard par 4 16th, appropriately named The Trees.

After reaching the top, you turn around 180 degrees and hit directly over the 15th green.

Literally, directly over the green!

This has to be one of the most unusual tee shots we’ve ever played! You’ve just finished the 15th hole, walked uphill, turned around, and now you’re hitting your tee shot right over the green you just putted on.

It sounds crazy—and it probably wouldn’t work on most golf courses. But at Shek O, with so few golfers on the course, somehow it works.

Finishing the Round at Shek O

By now, we’d stopped trying to figure out how the routing worked and simply enjoyed the ride.

The 17th and 18th bring you back towards the clubhouse. The 18th, a 299-yard par 4 called Home, shares the same fairway as the third and plays straight uphill towards the clubhouse. With incredible sea and clubhouse views, it was Menekşe’s favorite hole—and she made par.

And that’s really the magic of Shek O. Somehow, all of these holes, fairways and greens fit together on what initially seems like far too little land for 18 holes.

What Makes Shek O So Unique?

We know what you are thinking—how dangerous SOCC must be to play when tee shots are hit over greens, and approach shots are hit over fairways. Intentionally!

This layout absolutely would not work on a public course, but because there are so few members, it isn’t an issue here. In fact, both times we played, we saw only one other group. Other than the maintenance crew, there were only six other players that we saw in two days of golf.

Shek O is only 4,665 yards, but to us, it seemed to play longer. We’re not the first to say that the course probably has enough space for 12 or so great holes. But by utilizing the space for multiple holes, SOCC is able to stretch it to 18.

The area just in front of the clubhouse is used by four golf holes—1, 2, 3 and 18! Maybe more if you tend to play golf sideways as we do!

The front nine is stunningly beautiful, with ocean views on eight of the first nine holes. We probably liked the routing of the back nine a little better, though. While there are no ocean views until you get to 18, there is more space, and other than the awesome 15th and 16th holes sharing the same fairway, each hole feels like its own.

And then there are the greens. They were some of the best we have ever putted on—truly perfect speed and running true. And the cups were painted white, which we absolutely love!

Our Verdict

Shek O Country Club is one of those golf experiences that we’ll never forget. It’s quirky, beautiful, challenging and unlike almost any other course we’ve played.

And how lucky were we to play it twice!

Menekşe had one of her best rounds of golf ever the first time we played Shek O. If it weren’t for a tough start on the first three holes of our second round, her 36-hole score would have been her best ever!

For us, that made an already incredible experience even more special.

Can You Play Shek O Country Club?

This is an important one for traveling golfers: Shek O Country Club is a private club, and public visitors cannot book a tee time and play.

Golfing privileges are available to members and their guests, so you’ll need to be invited by a member to play.

Getting the opportunity to play this very private club was a privilege, and we’re so grateful that we could check Shek O off our Golf Bucket List.

Our advice: if Shek O is on your Hong Kong golf wish list, arrange access before you arrive. This is definitely not a course where you can simply turn up and ask for a tee time.

But if you do get the invitation, take it!

How to Get to Shek O Country Club

Flying to Hong Kong

If you’re flying to Hong Kong to play Shek O Country Club, you’ll arrive at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG). The airport is well connected to the city by Airport Express, bus, and taxi.

Getting to Shek O Country Club

Shek O Country Club is on the southeastern tip of Hong Kong Island, so getting there takes a little more time than reaching many of Hong Kong’s golf courses.

For golfers, we recommend taking a taxi directly to the club. It’s the simplest option, especially when you’re carrying golf clubs. Hong Kong taxis are plentiful, metered, and generally easy to find.

We, of course, did things a little differently!

On our visit, we took the MTR to Shau Kei Wan and then Bus 9 towards Shek O, followed by the walk to the club. It made for an interesting journey and gave us a chance to see another side of Hong Kong Island.

It was a fun experience, but with golf clubs in tow, we’d recommend the taxi. Save the public transportation adventure for a day when you’re exploring Shek O without your golf bag!

Where to Stay in Hong Kong

If you’re planning a golf trip to Hong Kong, where you stay can make a surprising difference, especially when you’re traveling with golf clubs. The MTR is incredibly fast and efficient, but maneuvering heavy golf bags through crowded stations isn’t always much fun—trust us!

For playing Shek O, we recommend staying on Hong Kong Island, with Wan Chai or Causeway Bay being our top choices. Both offer straightforward taxi access to Shek O while putting you in the middle of the action when you’re not playing golf.

Central & Admiralty are another good option, particularly if you prefer luxury hotels and easy access to the Airport Express.

If it’s your first visit to Hong Kong and those famous Victoria Harbour views are high on your list, Tsim Sha Tsui is also worth considering. Just remember that you’ll need to cross the harbor to reach Shek O.

Use our interactive map below to find the best hotels, luxury villas, and Airbnb rentals closest to Shek O Country Club. You can adjust the dates to check live pricing and availability:

For more ideas on golf in Hong Kong, including the other courses we played and our recommendations on where to stay, check out our full Golf in Hong Kong guide.

Ready to Explore More Golf?

Shek O Country Club was just one course on our worldwide golf journey. If you’d like to see where else we’ve played, explored, and discovered along the way, there’s plenty more to explore.

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