Schmidt-Curley Design has opened its second golf course on China's Hainan Island.

The Dragon Valley course, which stretches to 7,173 yards is located in Sanya, regarded by many as the resort capital of China, and is carved out of volcanic hillsides and dotted with numerous natural lakes and streams. Its greens are grassed with Seadwarf paspalum and its tees, fairways and roughs with Salam paspalum. It also has no residential properties located within its boundaries.

The 439-yard, par four eighteenth hole is particularly testing as a large boulder, discovered while clearing the property, and banyan tree guard the inside of the dogleg right. The back nine opened in November, while the front nine will be ready in February. The seventeenth hole is 163-yard par three and features a small peninsula green jutting out into a lake.

"Dragon Valley has been well received by members and visitors alike," said Lee Schmidt, principal of Schmidt-Curley Design. "Although challenging for the better player, it's also enjoyable for higher handicappers as we've incorporated generous landing areas and many flat-bottomed bunkers."

"Hainan Island is a region of great priority for our firm," continues Schmidt. "Our office in Haikou is extremely busy and we'll have many additional exciting projects to announce in 2010."