The Fifth Greater Bay Area (GBA) Golf Team League officially kicked off Wednesday at Mission Hills Dongguan, drawing 36 amateur teams to compete across multiple courses. Nearly 300 guests attended the opening ceremony, including Han Zhishan, General Manager of Mission Hills Golf Club, representatives from golf associations throughout Guangdong Province, and team players.

Participants pose for a photo during the opening ceremony. Courtesy of Mission Hills Group

The ceremony featured a vibrant parade as all 36 teams marched in proudly carrying their flags. Established teams such as the Mission Hills Membership Elite Team, Shenzhen Original Residents Elite Team, and the Greater Bay Area Designers Alliance Shenzhen Youth Design Team made strong showings, while newcomers like the Red Grass Team and Huiyanhui Women’s Golf Team brought fresh talent to the field.

Despite their varied backgrounds and styles, all players shared a palpable excitement and eagerness for this year’s league. “This year’s finals will be held at the Norman Course, widely regarded as one of the toughest golf courses in Asia,” said Han Zhishan. “With 17 new teams joining us this season, the competition is more unpredictable than ever — it truly could be anyone’s game.”

Players march into the venue of the opening ceremony.

The league structure includes 30 teams divided into four groups for the preliminary round, while last year’s top six teams automatically advance to the playoffs as seeded contenders. The competition will run over a three-month period.

During the preliminary phase at Mission Hills Dongguan’s Leadbetter Course, teams will compete in an 18-hole team stroke play format, with scoring based on the combined results of their top 10 players. Successful teams will move on to the playoffs in August where a 36-hole team match play format will be held at the Rose-Poulter Course. The championship finals are scheduled for August at the challenging Norman Course, where the top eight teams will battle for the title.

he overall champion will be awarded 12 guest tickets to the 2026 Mission Hills Marathon along with a coveted Phase II Blackstone Card from Mission Hills Haikou as part of an impressive grand prize package.

Han highlighted the broader significance of the league, noting, “The GBA carries the historic mission of developing a world-class city cluster. Our league aims to establish itself as a leading brand showcasing the highest level of amateur golf in China. We also encourage participating teams to foster ‘soft connectivity’ that enhances sports and cultural exchanges across the region.”

He added, “This year marks the 15th National Games, which the GBA cities will host jointly for the first time. As a long-standing cultural and sports enterprise in the region, Mission Hills is proud to host events like the Mission Hills Golfathon, the GBA golf league, and the PIF Series Shenzhen Championship. Through these activities, we celebrate the National Games and demonstrate the vibrancy and unique appeal of our region through sports.”