Consider golf clubs. Like golf courses, they vary widely in their scale and style, as well as the services they offer.
Some are bare-bones operations, consisting of little more than four walls and a roof, with rustic aesthetics and few amenities beyond the locker room and bar. Others are extravagant establishments, with amenities that rival those of luxury hotels.
Take the clubhouse to Hesley Nine Bridges.
Haesley, host of Cup of Bridgesranks among the most prestigious clubs in South Korea, a country crazy about golf where the game is often played in the midst of stunning wealth. Outings tend to be all-day affairs, with sit-down meals on the turn, and sauna and steam after the round, followed by sumptuous dinners. Clubs are designed to accommodate these interests. But even by South Korean luxury standards, the club at Haesley goes above and beyond.
Designed by Shigeru Ban Architects, a pioneering firm known for bridging modernist aesthetics with traditional construction methods, the facility is a 225,000-square-foot, eco-conscious and avant-garde architectural marvel. There are three floors, laid out in a hexagonal grid, encased in a slatted wooden shell, inspired by a traditional Korean pillow called the “bamboo woman”. Natural light floods the space, filtering through the mesh roof. Inside, there are glass walls and doors and a soaring atrium supported by tall, tee-shaped wooden columns. The stone foundation was built by masons of the old school, masters of a time-worn craft.
Cuisine is central to South Korean golf culture, and the Haesley Club caters to that side of the game too, with a high-end dining room and a wine cellar worthy of a Michelin-starred restaurant. Other features add to the welcoming feel, including a VIP lounge, a party room for karaoke and other celebrations. A separate wing is devoted to private suites and overnight accommodations, so you can wake up the next day and do it all over again. For a closer look at a club unlike any other, watch the video above or below.
