Peter Michel Heilmann's The Wor(l)d of Golf

The Wor(l)d of Golf (Fourth Column & Launch Pad, February 26 - March 4, 2006)

This week's The Wor(l)d of Golf column and launch pad has a heavy emphasis on Scotland and the USA, although South Africa, Turkey and Ireland have also been mentioned.

Have a wonderful, successful week and... keep in touch with the Dutch!

Peter Michel Heilmann

1. Selected golf courses, resorts and residential golf communities

Carnoustie Golf Links -- Home of the 2007 Open Championship: The game of golf has reputedly been played at Carnoustie since before Columbus discovered America, making it one of the oldest courses in the world. All the golfing greats have played the Championship Links and the roll of Open Champions at Carnoustie bears testimony to the demanding challenge and testing quality of this traditional links golf course. The links have come back into their own again with the dramatic Open Championship win in 1999 by Paul Lawrie -- the first Scot to win the Open in Scotland since Tommy Armour won at Carnoustie in 1931. On July 19-22, 2007, the Championship course at Carnoustie will host its seventh Open Championship. http://www.carnoustiegolflinks.co.uk/ http://www.dunhilllinks.com/carnoustie/ Heritage Green planned golf course community in La Plata, Maryland (grand opening planned for spring 2007): McLean, Virginia-based GP Development has recently been selected to develop Maryland's largest new planned community site, Heritage Green in La Plata. Located in Charles County, approximately 30 minutes South of Clinton, Maryland via Routes 5 and 301, the new development will offer residents of the Nation's Capital area a new destination for upscale living at attractively affordable prices in a supremely enclaved setting. Within easy reach of employment in Anne Arundel and Prince George’s Counties, as well as Washington, D.C. and the Alexandria, Virginia area, Heritage Green is being planned to offer a rewarding lifestyle in a "charming, natural setting," according to the developer, GP Development, a member of the Greek-Cypriot G. Paraskevaides group of companies. GP is known for its best-selling planned community of Powell's Landing, by Powell's Creek and the Potomac River in Eastern Prince William County, Virginia, as well as a host of single-family communities. The development team will work closely with one of the leading U.S. urban design groups to assure that Heritage Green reflects the style, architecture and neighbourly values of the historic Chesapeake area and La Plata, Maryland. The golf course community will include over 1,000 acres, an 18-hole golf course and world-class amenities of all types. It will feature more than 3,000 single family homes, townhomes, condominiums and apartments, as well as commercial space. Homes at Heritage Green will be offered by the area's leading homebuilders to fit the requirements of every budget and lifestyle. They will cover a broad gamut ranging from single family homes and townhomes to condominiums and rental apartments. An active-adult enclave for those over 55 is also being planned. Homebuyers will have the opportunity to select urban-oriented residences in the neo-traditional town center, or offerings in our surrounding villages featuring fairway backdrops. At this time it is anticipated that the master plan for Heritage Green will be completed by the end of this year. Selection of homebuilders will be finalised by spring 2006. The grand opening is planned for spring 2007, and first move-ins in fall 2007. http://www.heritagegreenmd.com/ http://www.gphomesusa.com/ http://www.gpdevusa.com/ Kiawah Island's Ocean Course awarded 2012 PGA Championship: In June last year, The Professional Golfers' Association of America announced that Kiawah Island's Ocean Course will become the fourth course in history to host all three of The PGA of America's major championships when the famed Pete Dye-designed oceanfront layout welcomes the 2012 PGA Championship. http://www.pga.com/cpc/2005/news_062305_kiawah.html http://www.kiawahisland.com/ Kiawah Development Partners: Kiawah Development Partners (KDP) is a visionary group of investors with an unwavering passion for the game and an insatiable desire to place Kiawah Island among the top golf spots in the world. KDP is the master developer of Kiawah Island, a 10,000-acre sea island located 21 miles south of Charleston, South Carolina. The company's subsidiaries include Kiawah Island Real Estate; The Kiawah Island Club, which encompasses the Tom Fazio-designed River Course, the Tom Watson-designed Cassique, The Beach Club and Sasanqua, the members-only spa; and Doonbeg Golf Club in Doonbeg, County Clare, Ireland. Charles P. "Buddy" Darby III is KDP's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. http://www.kiawahisland.com/ http://www.golfcourserealty.com/features/kiawah-island-club.htm http://www.doonbeggolfclub.com/ http://www.golfcoursehome.net/doc/communities/Community-Doonbeggc.htm Kiawah Island Golf Resort breaks ground for new clubhouse at its Ocean Course: In December last year, ten days before Christmas, Kiawah Island Golf Resort officially broke ground on a new clubhouse at its famed Ocean Course. Turning over the first few shovels of dirt were Resort Chairman William H. Goodwin, Jr., Resort President Roger Warren and Kiawah Island Mayor Bill Wert. The 24,000-square-foot clubhouse, which is costing in excess of USD 18 million, has an expected completion date of spring 2007. The Ocean Course will then host the 2007 Senior PGA Championship in May of that year. The layout is also the venue for the 2012 PGA Championship, the first of golf's four "majors" to be held in South Carolina. Situated adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean and 150 feet from the 18th green, the new clubhouse has been designed to augment The Ocean Course's stature in the game of golf and provide a stage befitting major professional golf events. Architecture firm Robert A.M. Stern Architects has designed the clubhouse. http://www.charlestongolfinc.com/kiawah_clubhouse.html The Official Charleston, SC Area On-line Golf Guide: Charleston Golf, Inc. was formed in 1995 to promote the Charleston area as one of the southeast's premier golf destinations. It is a non-profit organisation supported by the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Charleston Golf Course Owners Association and Greater Charleston Hotel & Motel Association. Its members consist of 20 championship golf courses and over 25 hotels, motels, resorts and villa rental agencies. Charleston Golf, Inc. annually produces the Official Charleston Area Golf Guide as well as the on-line version of the guide. The organisation specialises in creating and booking golf packages for individuals and groups at its member properties. Charleston Golf's staff also arranges corporate golf outings and tournaments for meeting and convention groups. http://www.charlestongolfinc.com/ http://www.charlestoncvb.com/ Official Charleston, South Carolina Area Golf Guide: The Official Charleston Area Golf Guide is your complete source for everything you need to know about golf in the Charleston area. You'll find detailed course descriptions and statistics, as well as information on lodging, dining and attractions. Simply request your copy on-line or ask for it at any South Carolina Welcome Centre or Charleston Area Visitor Centre. http://www.charlestongolfinc.com/request.html Did you know Charleston had America's first golf course and golf club? Over 200 years ago Charleston was the site of America's first golf course and golf club. In 1786 the South Carolina Golf Club and Harleston Green were established in what is now downtown Charleston. In fact, the term "green fee" is thought to have evolved from the membership fees paid to maintain the area green where they played. Just a few years later in the 1790s, Summerville was founded as a retreat for plantation owners and many celebrities of the day. In 1891 the Pine Forest Inn opened which featured 130 acres of golf links. Soon thereafter, in the mid-1920s, three courses were built in the Charleston area featuring Bermuda grass greens. While Harleston Green and the Pine Forest Inn have since faded from memory, they helped establish a heritage of golfing excellence that is evident throughout the Lowcountry today. Many golfers were unaware of the quality golf available in the Charleston area until 1991, when The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort hosted one of the most fiercely contested Ryder Cup matches in history. In 1997 and 2001 the resort again played host to an international television audience, hosting the 43rd World Cup of Golf and the inaugural UBS Warburg Cup. And continuing that tradition, the 2003 WGC World Cup was played at the scenic course November 11-16. http://www.charlestongolfinc.com/history.html MeriStar Hospitality Corp. to be acquired by The Blackstone Group -- Change of ownership for the Dunes Golf & Tennis Club on Sanibel and the South Seas Island Resort on Captiva: The big news this week was the announcement by Bethesda, Maryland-based MeriStar Hospitality Corp., owner of 57 principally upper-upscale, full-service hotels in major markets and resort locations and one of the largest real estate investment trusts (REIT) in the U.S., that it has signed a merger agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of The Blackstone Group in a transaction valued at approximately EUR 2.6 billion. Earlier this month, MeriStar signed a definitive agreement to sell a portfolio of nine hotels (1,948 rooms) and a golf and tennis club, all located in Florida, to an affiliate of The Blackstone Group. The deal is for about USD 367 million in cash. The 10 properties involved in the sale are the Dunes Golf & Tennis Club on Sanibel and the South Seas Island Resort on Captiva, both of which feature golf courses, along with the Best Western Sanibel Island Beach Resort, the Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront, the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort, the Sanibel Inn, the Seaside Inn on Sanibel, the Sheraton Beach Resort Key Largo, the Song of the Sea on Sanibel and the Sundial Beach Resort on Sanibel. MeriStar is one of the nation's largest hotel real estate investment trusts (REIT). It intends to use the majority of the proceeds to further reduce debt, particularly its most expensive 10.5% senior unsecured debt, which currently is callable by the company. http://www.meristar.com/news/external_files/blackstone%20merger%20announce%20rel%20pr2a.pdf (4-page PDF document with the official announcement) http://www.pga.com/news/industry/florida020606.cfm http://www.meristar.com/portfolio/hotel.aspx?id=42 (The Dunes Golf & Tennis Club, Sanibel, Florida) http://www.meristar.com/ http://www.blackstone.com/ South Seas Island Resort (formerly South Seas Plantation Resort), Captiva Island, Florida: After 17 months, South Seas Resort opens this spring as the all new South Seas Island Resort following a USD 140 million renovation property-wide. On August 13, 2004, the South Seas Resort on the north end of Captiva Island was severely impacted when it suffered a direct hit by Hurricane Charley's 145 mph sustained winds and higher gusts. Stretched across 330 secluded acres at the northern tip of pristine Captiva Island, the beach-front South Seas Island Resort offers a wide range of amenities in an idyllic setting where manatees, dolphins and migrating birds frolic. Guests will enjoy new accommodations, new dining options and miles of private soft sand beaches world famous for shelling. Offering world-class recreational activities like fishing, Gulf-front golf, sailing and children's activities. The resort features a new Gulf-front Executive Golf Course, redesigned as one of the top five short courses in the world, and a new mini-golf course showcasing the history of Captiva Island. http://www.meristar.com/portfolio/hotel.aspx?id=34 http://www.visitflorida.com/destinations/moreinfo.php/ID=7430/detail=golf The James Braid Golf Trail, Scotland: Six Scottish golf trails exploring the legacy of James Braid as "one of golf's greatest course designers". The trails have been established as a tribute to his immense contribution to the game as both champion golfer and golf course pioneer. http://golf.visitscotland.com/jbcollection/ http://golf.visitscotland.com/jb_brochure (order your free "The James Braid Golf Trail Brochure", an essential guide to six Scottish golf trails, exploring a selection of the courses designed by Scotland's golf course architect, James Braid) http://golf.visitscotland.com/jb_brochure

2. Golf lifestyle and real estate investments

Sam Torrance, Ryder Cup-winning captain 2002: "I have played golf all over the world, and in some weird and wonderful places, but there is no greater pleasure than playing the game at home, in the undisputable 'Home of Golf'... No other country in the world has so many golf courses of such quality, variety and accessibility, within such a comparatively small area." These are the welcoming words of a proud Scot -- in "The Official guide to Golf in Scotland 2005" -- who also says that he is particularly fond of St. Andrews, where, in 1995, Sam teamed up with his fellow Scots Colin Montgomerie and Andrew Coltart to win the Dunhill Cup in front of a fervent home crowd. Then, in 2003, he experienced a proud moment indeed when winning the team competition with his son, Daniel, at the dunhill links championship -- a 72-hole stroke play Pro-Am golf tournament played over three of the world's most spectacular links courses: the Old Course in St. Andrews, the Championship Course in Carnoustie and Kingsbarns Golf Links -- at the same venue! http://www.europeantour.com/default.sps?pagegid={20E6AA6B-0225-4C71-BD89-2ACBEE615D69}&playerId=193

http://golf.visitscotland.com/brochure (request "The Official guide to Golf in Scotland 2006", the most comprehensive guide to golf in Scotland with over 500 courses to choose from, by completing an on-line order form) The Barns at Kingsbarns -- Luxurious countryside retreat in the heart of Fife, Scotland: Hidden along Fife's east coast and surrounded by the finest links golf courses in the world, The Barns at Kingsbarns is an idyllic Scottish retreat. Only a short distance from Kingsbarns Golf Links, The Barns serves authentic grilled cuisine, balanced by fine wines and a cordial ambience. For the ideal escape, The Barns offers sumptuous accommodation, marrying custom with innovation to create a home away from home. The East Neuk of Fife serves as a gateway to the best of Scotland. The historic village of Kingsbarns is surrounded by a number of World renowned golf courses; the picturesque fishing village of Crail proudly houses the seventh oldest golf course in the world, founded by members of the Erskine family from the adjacent Cambo Estate. Shoulder season golf breaks are currently available from February 1 to April 14, 2006 and again from the October 14, 2006 - April 14, 2007. Rates start from GBP 245.00 per person. http://www.barnsatkingsbarns.com/ http://www.barnsatkingsbarns.com/luxury-accommodation-scotland/article.php?id=21 Connoisseurs Scotland -- Presenting the very best Scotland has to offer: Connoisseurs Scotland is a boutique collection of Scotland's most luxurious unique hotels and services. Member properties pride themselves on delivering the utmost in personal service from one guest to 1,200 guests. As well as accommodation, fine dining and recreational options, member properties also have a wide range of unique, professional yet personal conference and business facilities. Luxury Scotland's aim is to guide you through the very best of Scotland, offering the discerning traveller a unique and memorable way to discover this country. Luxury Scotland presents the finest hotels that Scotland has to offer, including a castle, a unique railway train and a luxurious sea going yacht. In these properties you will experience the very best of Scotland, great natural beauty, tradition, romance, authenticity and hospitality as well as incomparable food and matchless service. http://www.luxuryscotland.co.uk/

Scottish Incoming Golf Tour Operators Association (SIGTOA): Having expanded from its original 10 members in 2003, SIGTOA has led the way in the creation of "Golf Tourism Scotland", the industry body representing businesses who sell Scottish golf tourism products, be they vacation specialists, golf courses, hotels or transport operators, etc. http://www.sigtoa.com/

Golf Tourism Scotland (GTS): Golf Tourism Scotland has been built up from the foundations laid by SIGTOA with the aim of raising Scotland's game in areas of product development, golf tourism marketing and other generic tourism areas such as travel, training and research and monitoring. What is needed to achieve this is a membership that will innovate, work together, comment, and participate in ways that will take golf tourism in Scotland to a new level. GTS believes that by "bringing the industry together in Golf Tourism Scotland and then forging a real private/public sector partnership can make Scotland not just the recognised Home of Golf but also the world’s number one golf tourism destination. The return of The Open Championship to St. Andrews in 2005 provided the perfect launch pad for Golf Tourism Scotland as the new voice of the golf tourism industry in Scotland. It is up to the industry now to set the pace and direction."

http://www.golftourismscotland.com/ Joann Dost Golf Editions, LLC, Pebble Beach, California: In the world of golf stock photography, Joann Dost is best known for her aerial photographs of Cypress Point, Pebble Beach and Pacific Dunes. Introduced to the game of golf at the age of 15, Joann has over the years received many awards for her photography. Inspired by Ansel Adams, Joann's work in golf course photography is uniquely her own and her style stands out among the other great photographers in the golf arts arena. Like Linda Hartough, the famous golf landscape oil painter, Joann's golf course photography shows depth and evokes emotion. Along with her contemporaries, Brian Morgan, Mike Klemme, Dick Durrance, John and Jeannine Henebry, Russell Kirk, Aidan Bradley and Larry Lambrecht, Joann is carving out an historical niche in the field of fine art photography in the world of golf. Her Web site is designed for the golf enthusiast, corporate event planners, golf clubs and art collectors who enjoy and utilise beautiful golf landscape photography. Fine art photography prints, corporate gifts, tournament awards, assignment, stock photographyare available through this site, as are advertising concept and design services. http://www.joanndost.com/

http://www.joanndost.com/gifts/stockdet.asp?sku=S-PBLH7 (Pebble Beach Golf Links Hole #7 lithographic signature reproduction print) Solstice Sunset at Cypress Point, California: This Collector's Edition lithograph features an aerial view of the finishing holes at Cypress Point and the stunning landscape of Carmel Bay looking south towards the Big Sur mountains and Point Sur. Created in December 2002 between early winter storms, the image captures the lush central California coastal landscape illuminated by the setting sun of the Solstice. Joann's fine art golf photography prints may be seen and purchased from the Joann Dost Signature Gallery (2700 Garden Road, Monterey, California, which is open by appointment only), In Celebration of Golf (Las Vegas, Nevada and Scottsdale, Arizona), Images of Pebble Beach (Pebble Beach, California), Gallery Sur (Carmel, California), Old Sport and Gallery (two locations in Pinehurst, North Carolina) and Golfdom (King of Prussia, Pennsylvania and Tyson's Corner, Virginia). http://www.joanndost.com/fp.jpg

"Alister MacKenzie's Cypress Point Club": Speaking about Cypress Press, to gain a true appreciation of this "masterpiece in design", Geoff Shackelford's book entitled "Alister MacKenzie's Cypress Point Club" (published fall, 2000) is a must read. Samuel Morse envisioned and influenced virtually every aspect of the Monterey Peninsula's development, including the creation of a club and course at Cypress Point. He wrote: "The Cypress Point Club was organised for the specific purpose of building a great golf course in the most unique and beautiful setting imaginable: a setting in which the course as finally developed seems more than in any other instance the work of nature and not of man. The membership of the club is small, but the founders were devotees of the game and financially able to construct this great golfing monument, for such it is..." The book, a mostly photographic look at the early history of this great course, with an emphasis on the construction and design of Cypress Point Club, is written by a native of Southern California and the author of ten books. Beginning in 2000, Geoff co-designed Rustic Canyon Golf Course in Moorpark, California. A collaboration with architect Gil Hanse of Malvern, Pennsylvania, construction of the course began in 2001, with the layout opening in April 2002. Other design collaborations await, including one in Valentine, Nebraska, future site of The Prairie Club. Geoff also consults at select classic courses in the western United States. http://www.geoffshackelford.com/alister-mackenzies-cypress-poi/

3. Facts and stats about the world of golf

Ireland appears to be losing business back to Scotland as prices are moving increasingly upwards on the emerald Isle: At the PGA show in Orlando last month, 20 US-based golf tour operators and agents took the opportunity to discuss with the Chariman of Golf Tourism Scotland the role of GTS and also pass on feedback on the year ahead. Two common themes kept cropping up in conversation: 1) The level of deposits now being requested and required by Scottish golf courses; and 2) That Ireland appears to be losing business back to Scotland as prices are moving increasingly upwards on the emerald Isle. Increasingly, operators and agents are now having to ask potential clients for deposits in the region of 35-45% of the total trip cost, just to cover the cost of the golf deposits. High-end visitors may be less cost-sensitive than most, but they do not constitute the vast majority of golfing visitors to Scotland and experience suggests that they find higher and higher deposit requirements of concern. Some agents and operators find themselves having to consider paying part of the deposit, to encourage visitors to book and not go to another destination. Your comments on the above are welcome at LinksCoop@aol.com.

http://www.golftourismscotland.com/news.php?id=15 Kazakhstan tees off into new future: Did you know that the Republic of Kazakhstan has five golf courses with another four courses under construction, four driving ranges and 360 registered players? The country's first golf course is the Nurtau Golf Club in Almaty. "It was not until 1991 that they [the Kazakhs] got their independence from Russia, not until 1995 that the country's constitution was rewritten so that they could move from socialism to capitalism and not until 1996 that they could make a start on the country's first golf course, the Nurtau club in Almaty. Now they have their first tournament, the Kazakhstan Open [in Setpember 2005], currently on the European Tour... The Kazakhs hope that their tournament, too, will eventually qualify for the major league... The President, Nursultan Nazabraev, has become a golf nut and the Prime Minister, Nurtay Abykaev, on the basis of being the President of the Kazakhstan Golf Federation, has pulled rank and is actually playing in the tournament... Already in Almaty there is another 18-hole course, built by Arnold Palmer, on which next year's tournament will be held, and Prime Minister Abykaev made no bones about why his country, and his party, are so keen on the sport. The Kazakhs call their country an 'Island of Treasure', with vast reserves of oil, gas, uranium and even gold. The raw materials to make the country rich are present but Western help and investment is needed. 'We have built golf courses in the four cities where our reserves are concentrated,' said Mr. Abykaev. 'We are joining the world economy and golf is good for our image.'" http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/sport/2005/09/25/sgdavi25.xml

Tradition and technology: "Where Is the Balance?" (by Titleist.com): On February 16, 2006, Acushnet Company (Titleist) posted an unaccredited piece in the "news" section of Titleist.com entitled "Where Is the Balance?". The article begins as follows: "It's not surprising that golfers and the golf media are captivated by the long hitting players on tour or enamored when a player like J.B. Holmes secures his first PGA Tour victory, as he did at the FBR Open, with an impressive driving distance average of 308.0 yards. Long drivers, throughout the game's history, have drawn the admiration of amateurs who only aspire to generate the clubhead speed and precision of such professionals. And there is no refuting the fact that the professional game has experienced a shift to the modern power game where some players have placed a premium on distance over accuracy. But what is disturbing is when members of the golf media use their position to advance their anti-technology and anti-golf ball technology agenda to golfers without providing their readers the opportunity to learn from an opposing view. While free speech is a wonderful thing, and the golf media has every right to provide editorial opinions, it is disillusioning to know that the opposing facts are often conveniently overlooked. Where then do the 25 million golfers in the U.S. get exposed to a balanced perspective on the long-standing technology and tradition debate? And if the PGA Tour is going to measure the perception of the public relative to distance to consider whether additional rule modifications are desirable, and media coverage is imbalanced, then one can hardly expect golfers/fans of the PGA Tour to have an open mind." http://www.titleist.com/news/newsdetail.asp?id=343&category=technology

"'Gopher-ball' no long shot" (by Steve Elling): In the same commentary on Titleist.com dated February 16, the article goes on to say that "the most recent example of this anti-golf ball technology agenda, published in the Orlando Sentinel on February 15, 2006 under the headline." In the feature article, entitled "'Gopher Ball' no long shot", the writer compares, among others, power-hitting J.B. Holmes' victory to the predictions of the Carl Spackler character in CaddyShack in 1982. "When the power-hitting [J.B.] Holmes won this month in Phoenix, he reportedly hit an 8-iron shot from 198 yards. A quarter-century after the movie's release, Murray's verbal riff is no longer a joke. Gopher-ball golf increasingly is, however. These guys don't need caddies, they need bombardiers." http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/golf/orl-glfdistance1506feb15,0,4379591.column?coll=orl-sports-headlines-golf

The Wire equipment editor Jennifer Gardner to look at recent advances in shafts, clubheads and the golf ball: The Golf Press Association's The Wire newsletter for February 23 highlighted this recent piece on Titleist.com, by saying: "One can see how Titleist would have a vested interest in promoting golf ball technology. But it's also pretty clear that the benefits to the tour player and the benefits to the average golfer differ quite a bit. Golf writers and fans may wish to see the pros hit more long-iron shots, while at the same time looking for every edge to personally gain distance off the tee. In 2000, Callaway Golf acknowledged the difference between the pros and the high-handicap golfers by introducing a 'non-conforming' driver, available to those amateur players who wanted to try to gain extra distance... Golf is, to some degree, splitting between the game the pros play and the one that us hackers work at. Does the golf media differentiate between these two games? Are the equipment manufacturers getting the word out about how their products will concretely benefit golfers? And is the average golfer learning what new technologies will benefit his or her game, or are they just being told to compare themselves to the pros and follow suit? The Wire would like to take a look at how new technologies are impacting regular weekend golfers. Over the next three weeks, The Wire equipment editor Jennifer Gardner will look at recent advances in shafts, clubheads and, of course, the golf ball, to see how companies are promoting this equipment to average golfers -- the ultimate buyers. Gardner will examine the features of these technologies and see what kind of golfer is most likely to benefit. Follow along in March and see whether the pros' sticks really are the right ones for you. Equipment manufacturers and consumers with comments on this issue should E-mail equipment@gpagolf.com." http://www.golfbusinesswire.com/

4. Upcoming conferences, exhibitions, events, forums and tournaments

Ford Championship at Doral, Miami, Florida -- February 26 - March 5, 2006: Home of the Ford Championship at Doral, the Blue Monster has hosted the prestigious PGA TOUR event in South Florida for 44 years and in 2006 is in its 45th year, the longest continuously running PGA TOUR event in Florida. The Doral Golf Resort & Spa resort has hosted numerous PGA sanctioned events such as The Franklin Templeton Shark Shootout, the PGA Tour Qualifying School Finals and The Office Depot, an LPGA event. Doral is one of the few resorts in the world to offer five 18-hole championship layouts, including the Blue Monster and the Great White Course, designed by Greg Norman, a three-time winner at Doral. The PGA TOUR has "stopped at many golf courses throughout the years, but few have earned the level of respect from professional golfers like the Blue Course at Doral Golf Resort and Spa. In 1996, Raymond Floyd took over the task of restoring the course to its former stature. Then during the summer of 1999, Jim McLean restored the bunkers to the original Dick Wilson design. The goal for both Floyd and McLean was to put the bite back in the Blue Monster and to make it one of the finest courses on the PGA TOUR. There is definitely a total commitment to provide a great venue. Many of the top players in the world compete each year at the Ford Championship, not only because of the strong field of players that it attracts but also because of the many challenges the course offers. The following hole-by-hole descriptions detail the layout of this beast golf course, lovingly referred to as, the Blue Monster. Water continues to be the most feared hazard on The Blue Monster. But what makes the Blue Monster such a great course is what Ben Crenshaw describes as a straightforward playability in all conditions. 'To play well here, a player has to have all the shots,' he says. 'It's critical to be able to work the ball here.'" Last year, Tiger Woods returned to No. 1 in the world, when he made a 30-foot birdie putt on the 17th, then held his breath as the resilient Phil Mickelson nearly chipped in for birdie on the final hole. After four hours of dramatic shifts in momentum and thunderous cheers, Tiger ended a spectacular duel with a 6-foot par putt. That gave him a 6-under 66 for a one-shot victory in the Ford Championship at Doral before a sellout crowd, putting Tiger back at No. 1 in the world ranking for the first time since September 2004. http://www.fordchampionship.com/

http://www.doralresort.com/pdfs/Press_2005FactSheet.pdf The St. Andrews Golf Week -- April 23-29, 2006: Imagine yourself playing over the world-famous links where names like Tiger Woods, the 2005 Open Champion, Nicklaus, Faldo, Ballesteros, Daly and Old Tom Morris claimed some of their most memorable wins. Well, the St. Andrews Golf Week might be your opportunity to achieve this dream. You will follow in the footsteps of the great and play not only the legendary Old Course, but also the other excellent St. Andrews courses -- the New, Jubilee and the Eden. There is also a day's golf at The Dukes Course (designed by five times Open Champion Peter Thompson and owned by St. Andrews Old Course Hotel), and an interesting contrast to traditional links golf. Whether an expert golfer or a little less practiced, the weeks programme lends itself to golfers of all standards, whilst at the same time allowing you to relax and savour the unique atmosphere of St. Andrews. http://www.linksgolfstandrews.com/golfweek.htm Carnoustie Country Classic 2006: The Carnoustie Country Classic is now in its fifth year and has already built up a loyal following with entries from all parts of the UK and beyond. It offers you the challenge of playing four of the world's best courses, including the venue for the 2007 Open Championship, under competitive conditions. Limited this year to 180 competitors, spaces are filling up fast. The tournament is for all players with handicap allowance up to 24 for men and 36 for women. Play is at Monifieth Golf Links, Panmure, Montrose (all Open Qualifying courses) and the Carnoustie Championship Course and on a stableford basis between May 15-18, 2006. For GBP 430, the price includes all golf, five nights accommodation, Opening Reception, Prizegiving Dinner, travel to and from golf courses, prizes and some social evenings. To book or get further details, contact Margaret Stewart on +44 1674 672932 or E-mail secretary@montroselinks.co.uk. http://www.carnoustiegolflinks.co.uk/

The 138th Open Championship returns to Turnberry, Ayrshire, Scotland from July 16-19, 2009, taking place on the Westin Turnberry Resort's renowned Ailsa Course: In the beginning of December last year, The R&A announced that the 2009 Open Championship will be played at the Westin Turnberry Resort from July 16-19, the fourth time that Turnberry has hosted The Open since it was added to the rota in 1977. In that year, it was the venue for the famous 'Duel in the Sun', when Tom Watson beat Jack Nicklaus by one shot after the pair both birdied the last. The Open returned again in 1986, when Greg Norman not only defeated the field but also the wind and rain. In 1994 Nick Price snatched victory over the last two holes from Jesper Parnevik. As a location, it is unsurpassed for its dramatic seascape as a 'backdrop' to the world's oldest major and as a challenging championship layout, it has produced three winners of the highest calibre. In conjunction with The R&A, work began this winter on the Ailsa Course to enhance it and ensure it is a challenge for the world's best golfers. The Ailsa is regularly acknowledged as one of Britain's top three courses as well as consistently being ranked in the world's top 20 courses. With spectacular views sweeping across the Irish Sea to the Ailsa Craig, the Isle of Arran and the Mull of Kintyre with the picturesque lighthouse on the horizon, the Ailsa will provide a magnificent and memorable setting for this championship and reinforces Turnberry's reputation as one of the greatest Open Championship venues. Turnberry Hotel, Golf Courses and Spa, A Westin Resort, is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 750 properties in more than 80 countries and 110,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Managed under Starwood's Westin Brand, Turnberry is a member of Connoisseurs Scotland, the best of Scotland. http://turnberry.co.uk/

http://www.luxuryscotland.co.uk/directory_members/turnberry/index.html Signature Tours -- 2006 Joann Dost photography workshop and golf tour of Scotland: Wide World of Golf (WWG) in collaboration with Joann Dost (see above) are organising a photography workshop and golf tour of Scotland, which will offer guests a unique opportunity to play and photograph some of the finest layouts of the "home of golf". From Royal Dornoch, Kingsbarns, Cruden Bay and Turnberry, Joann will offer some keen insight into her techniques with five individual workshops. Precise dates for this 2006 workshop are (yet) to be announced. WWG was founded in 1957 in San Francisco by Michael C. Roseto who owned a successful travel agency and began planning golf tours to Hawaii for fellow members of The Olympic Club. WWG was the first American company to bring golfers across in groups to play the great courses of Scotland and Ireland, and the first to bring Americans across to Asia with many Friendship Cups in Japan. Thereafter in the 1960s, WWG was the originator of the golf cruise and the first to offer an "Around The World Golf Tour". Today, WWG is headed by Bill Hogan in Texas and Mike Lardner in Pennsylvania. Born in Washington D.C. and raised in Vienna, Virginia, Joann Dost has practiced the art of golf photography since the late 1970s, traveling across America, the British Isles, the Far East and Australia to capture the essence of golf course architecture and the spirit of the game with her camera. http://www.wideworldofgolf.com/joanndostphotographyworkshop.htm

5. Golf course design and development

Dutch developers Global2ndHome to build 27-hole course in Bodrum, "The Saint Tropez of Turkey": Located 25 km. from Bodrum, Turkey, near the village of Munculur, European Golf Design Ltd. of the United Kingdom have been appointed by Noordwijk, The Netherlands-based Global 2ndHome to design a 27-hole resort course. The site is situated on undulating land with a mixture of pine forest and olive groves. As well as the golf course, a resort village and hotel complex will be built. Construction is due to commence late 2007. http://www.global2ndhome.com/english/index.php

http://www.egd.com/pages/egdnews.htm Euphoria Golf Estate & Hydro, a new family-orientated resort in Mookgopoing, Limpopo Province, South Africa: World number one Annika Sorenstam is to work on a new family-orientated resort in South Africa, in association with European Golf Design. In Sun City last month competing in the Women's World Cup of Golf, Annika took time out to launch Euphoria Golf Estate & Hydro. Annika: "South Africa is a country I have always wanted to visit and I’m absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to take part in this project. There are very few courses that have been developed with any consideration given to how it might play for the whole family. Courses are typically designed from the back tees for men... The brief at Euphoria was to design a course that will challenge men, women and children equally." At 7,648 yards, par 72, the course will use kikuyu grass for the tees, fairways and semi-roughs, which is common for most southern African golf courses. Far rough areas of the site will be managed with the natural flora and fauna of the Waterberg region with a serious commitment to the preservation of native landscape grassland types. The course is located in Mookgopoing in the Limpopo Province (close to Nylstroom), a two-hour drive north of Johannesburg. The architectural theme is contemporary South African chic. The estate includes a hot spring hydro, equestrian centre, retailing and conference facilities. A hotel and luxury residential units will compliment the golf course. http://www.euphoriaestate.co.za/

http://www.egd.com/pages/egdnews.htm Neighbourhood watch -- Golf estates in South Africa: "You'd be wrong if you thought the people buying at residential and resort golf estates are members of the grey panthers. True, many retirees or those close to hanging up their suits and locking away the briefcase opt for a home beside a sweeping fairway, but many buyers are young, married couples with two or three kids. Both punters are buying for similar reasons: either one or other spouse plays golf regularly; they want a secure environment for themselves and their children; and, in the case of the youngsters, they want something that will appreciate in value. Then there’s the buyer who doesn't even play golf but wants a second home in a magnificent setting (preferably one that will generate rental income). We took a selection of golf estates, ranging from the well-established (where second- and third-time sales are occurring) to those where the course is built but the residential component is still in the planning stages." (Excerpt from The Property Magazine, South Africa.) http://www.thepropertymag.com/article.asp?contentid=6641

6. Sustainable development

Wally Menne, Chairman of the Timberwatch Coalition -- An environmentalist in South Africa: "Wally Menne's take on golf is not unlike that of a dung beetle drowning in a toilet bowl. 'These golf estates are a manifestation of inequitable distribution of wealth, and the consequence of years of disparity,' Menne warms up. 'It started with apartheid and continued with capitalism -- putting a lot of wealth in the hands of a few corporate entities. I've worked all my life for a South Africa that’s different, and now I just see a concentration of wealth in white hands... ’Golf is not a bad game, but the way it has manifested, it has become the game of the ultra wealthy. I love golf courses. They are wonderful in that they are at least closer to being natural habitats for birds and animals. But because they are so exclusive, and because of all the baggage -- the 'Old Boys' Club' -- that goes with being a member of the Durban Country Club, for instance, it’s a problem and it’s not good for this country. It’s a manifestation of the past. They have a few token black members, but it’s still pretty much the same old clique that drives it, the old blood of Durban... I consult to some golf estates, and I try and direct people to do things as right as possible in the environmental sense. That’s how life should be - we should all be living in a massive golf estate with miles of green grass around us and lovely bits of bush. But that's not possible, because for every millionaire living on a golf estate there are probably a hundred poor black people living in squalor to subsidise his lifestyle." (Excerpt from The Property Magazine, South Africa.) http://www.thepropertymag.com/article.asp?contentid=3078 South Seas Island Resort, Captiva Island, Florida sustained severe wind damage and significant flooding throughout the development due to Hurricane Charley: On August 13, 2004, the South Seas Resort on the north end of Captiva Island was severely impacted when it suffered a direct hit by Hurricane Charley's 145 mph sustained winds and higher gusts. More than 50 acres of mangrove forests exist within MeriStar's and the condominium associations ownership at the resort. This represents a significant portion of the mangroves found on Captiva Island. All mangrove forests were severely damaged with more than 90% of the canopy destroyed and mortalities of up to 98% throughout. The majority of this vegetation is now tightly packed debris on the forest floor ranging from 150 to 200 tonnes per acre. The goal of the restoration activity is to restore and improve the type, nature and functions of these mangrove wetlands. The northern area of the resort fronting on the golf course sustained major beach and dune erosion. http://www.environment.com/southseas.htm

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/beaches/publications/pdf/charley.pdf (34-page PDF document) The environmental principles for golf courses in the United States: A group of leading golf and environmental organisations have jointly developed a set of principles that seek to produce environmental excellence in golf course planning and siting, design, construction, maintenance and facility operations. These principles are envisioned as a tool of universal value, for national use under a variety of circumstances. However, it should be up to local communities, based on local values, and others involved in the regulatory process, to assess the environmental compatibility of golf courses. Good environmental practice and design is the result of a multitude of factors and a thorough understanding of how these factors interrelate on a specific site in a specific locale. The principles are meant to be used as a guide to making good decisions relative to the planning and siting, design, construction, maintenance and operation of a golf course. They are voluntary, and should be interpreted as representing a whole philosophy of good environmental design and management rather than specific dictates, each of which must be met in all cases. It is hoped that the principles will be widely adopted and used to improve the level of environmental awareness, practice, dialogue, and quality achieved within the game of golf. http://www.gcsaa.org/resources/facts/principles.asp

Audubon International -- "Helping people help the environment": Headquartered in Selkirk, New York, Audubon International strives to educate, assist, and inspire millions of people from all walks of life to protect and sustain the land, water, wildlife, and natural resources around them. By helping people make sound environmental decisions and take action, building from individual to community-wide involvement, the organisation fosters more sustainable human and natural communities. In more than two dozen countries on five continents, Audubon International members are cleaning up streams, protecting common and endangered wildlife, restoring wetlands, conserving water and energy, and educating youth about the value of good environmental stewardship. With Audubon International information and guidance, individuals from all walks of life are making a difference in their communities. Audubon's mission is to "educate, assist, and inspire millions of people from all walks of life to protect and sustain the land, water, wildlife, and natural resources around them". http://www.audubonintl.org/ United States Golf Association's environmental programmes: Most golfers take for granted their beautifully maintained golf course when they hit the links for fun and exercise. They probably have little understanding of how much work it takes to maintain a golf course on a daily basis, or of the science that has been developed over the decades to make it possible to enjoy such great playing conditions. The USGA's Green Section knows a lot about how we come to obtain these standards, having been involved in turfgrass and educational programs since 1920. Since 1990, the USGA Green Section has dedicated a significant amount of time and resources focusing on environmental outreach. Through programmes such as the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Programme for Golf Courses, Wildlife Links, and many other environmentally oriented projects, the USGA promotes ecologically sound land management, and the conservation and protection of natural resources on golf courses. http://www.usga.org/turf/environmental_programs/environmental_programs.html

This week, The Wor(l)d of Golf would like to share with you a number of exciting golf, real estate and lifestyle-related URLs. Watch out for a five-year-old golfing prodigy from Scotland and new kid on the block who is known by the name of tiny tiger cub.

Disclaimer: BuffaloGolfer.Com and Peter Michel Heilmann are not responsible for the content of external sites. None of the sites listed in "The Wor(l)d of Golf" 

are sponsored links.

Index of The Wor(l)d of Golf Launch Pads
Launch Pad #1-February 5-11, 2006	This week, The Wor(l)d of Golf launches its first launch pad.
Launch Pad #2-February 12-18, 2006	`This week, The Wor(l)d of Golf brings you a number of interesting official and unofficial sites on the Web. Since this is a newly-launched on-line column and launch pad, I look forward to receiving your feedback. Have a great week and, on February 14, a Happy Valentine's Day. Keep in touch with the Dutch!`
Launch Pad #3-February 19-25, 2006	`This week, The Wor(l)d of Golf would like to share with you a number of exciting golf, real estate and lifestyle-related URLs. Watch out for a five-year-old golfing prodigy from Scotland and new kid on the block who is known by the name of tiny tiger cub.`
Launch Pad #4-February 26-March 4, 2006	`This week's The Wor(l)d of Golf column and launch pad has a heavy emphasis on Scotland and the USA, although South Africa, Turkey and Ireland have also been mentioned.`