Faldo Design storming the globe

Golf Course News, Jan 2002 by Overbeck, Andrew

PHOENIX, Ariz. - Another course in professional golfer Nick Faldo's growing international portfolio will open here this month at Marriott's Desert Ridge Resort and Spa. The Faldo Course at Wildfire Golf Club will join an existing Arnold Palmer layout bringing the facility's hole total to 36.

Faldo Design's first course in the United States, Shadow Ridge Golf Club in Palm Desert, Calif., opened in February 2001. Faldo, however, has been involved with numerous golf course developments across Europe and Asia in the last several years.

"In the last five years or so, as his golf career winds down, he has determined that design will be his next career," said Nick Edmund, Faldo Design's director of development. "Our intention is not to build a lot of courses, but to build a worldwide portfolio."

WILDFIRE GOLF CLUB

At Desert Ridge, Faldo worked with architect Brian Curley to design a course that would complement the desert-style Palmer layout.

"The Palmer course is a true desert golf course," said director of golf Kevin Stockford. "The Faldo course has a more manicured look in the transitions. The bunkers are more distinctive with high flashing lips of turf and sand. They look pretty ferocious."

The course will open this month, but a grand opening for the facility thatwill include a 1,000-- room hotel and convention center will not be held until November.

ELSEWHERE IN NORTH AMERICA...

In addition to work in California, Faldo Design is involved with another multi-course project in Connecticut. The project, Phelps Brook Golf Club, is being developed by National Fairways and will include a Tom Fazio layout. While the Fazio course will begin construction in spring, Edmund said the Faldo track that was designed along with Philadelphia-- based architect Gil Hanse has been put on hold.

The firm is also working with Brian Curley in Mexico at Cabo San Quintin, 200 miles south of San Diego on the west coast of Baja. The course isbeing developed by Emerald Resorts and is due to start construction this summer.

In Canada, Faldo Design is working with IMG on a project called Lake Rosseau in the Muskoka Lakes region north of Toronto. The 18-hole facility is being developed by Ken Fowler Enterprises and clearing work began this winter.

...AND AROUND THE WORLD

Faldo Design has two projects going in Europe. In Portugal, the firm has teamed up with Steve Smyers to design a course in the western Algarve. The 27-hole project is currently in the approval phase.

In Greece, the firm's London-- based vice president of design, Guy Hockley, is working on a new course at the Olympia Resort. That course is scheduled to open when the Olympics come to Athens in 2004 and construction should begin this summer.

Hockley is also working on a project in New Caledonia in the South Pacific that will begin construction this year.

In Asia, the firm is working with IMG Singapore on another Olympic project in Beijing at the Beijing HongHua International Golf Club. The course is located five minutes from the 2008 Olympic Village along the fourth ring road in Beijing. Rough shaping is currently underway and is being supervised by lead architect Brit Stenson. The course should be open for play in 2003.

While this may seem like a lot of projects, Edmund contends that the firm wants to focus on quality not quantity. "In three to four years we will have courses in six or seven countries and we want them to be the best if not one of the very best in each of those countries."