Following the recent announcements from Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman, we’d like to formally confirm our availability and desire to design the course for the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.
in General
Football is well represented at EGD; it is often at the heart of a heated discussion especially on a Monday morning.
Starting in the back of the office we have Gary, a Glasgow Rangers fan, I don’t have much to say about Rangers apart from Gary could probably get in that team at the moment. It also helps getting tickets when your uncle is the Chairman!!
Robin and Dave are Spurs Fans. One would be too many. Sleeping Giants? I think they are in a coma. We mustn’t also forget Rob’s first love Halifax Town who languish in the Unibond league.
The Man Utd Mug belongs to Matt, he doesn’t like the diving that has come into the modern game and hates Ronaldo’s greasy hair, he was glad to see the back of him. His Favourite Utd player? I would say Wayne Rooney, of course, the toffees taught him everything that he knows.
Jeremy is a Gooner, he has not forked out for a mug though. Maybe he is not very proud. Or is it us? Maybe we haven’t seen it like Mr Wenger.
Sarah is a part time Liverpool fan, when they lose (quite often this season) she cheers on Fulham. I think she fits in better with the fans in South West London rather than the Merseysiders. She does own a pair of highly one sided Liverpool goggles though.
Shara, as far as I know the only team she supports is the one that her sons James and Sam play in. She is probably the most sensible of all of us.
Ross – he is a Hammer, currently they are in the relegation zone, the team that put them there last week with a win at Upton Park? Everton , that happens to be my team. The Pride of Merseyside.
Stan also likes football, his favourite team? The Chicago Bears. Huh.
Come on you Toffees!
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Yesterday Gary, Dave, Rob and Myself were lucky enough to play the Old Course at Sunningdale. After throwing the balls up on the first tee Dave and I were paired together (again). This gave us the chance of some revenge after our defeat at Sunningdale Ladies. Dave started very well and we quickly found ourselves up in the match. We reached the turn 2 ahead. Robin and Gary were still upbeat though after I had given them 2 ‘ooslam’ bits after some sloppy putting on the par 3’s.
After I won a couple of bits back at 13 and 14 Dave and I found ourselves 3 up with 4 to play. However, Robin then made a good 3 at the 15th to keep the match going, I then went missing for the last 3 holes and Dave couldn’t quite hang on despite a great double sandy par at 17, the match ending in a half after some impressive golf from Gary.
I quite like writing these reports, I can skim over a match and not mention the duffs and tops that I hit, the snap hooks that Rob hit and the big push slices that Dave and Gary hit…. oops I just did… sorry chaps!
I should also mention that the course was in great condition, the new bunkering looked great and fits in really well. It was a pleasure to play. A big thanks goes to our Director and Sunningdale member Michael King for organising the game for us.
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European Golf Design are pleased to announce the official opening of a new inner-city golf course in Glasgow designed by the company in partnership with Colin Montgomerie. Ruchill Community Golf Course has been developed on the site of the original Ruchill Golf Course which was closed by Glasgow City Council because of vandalism in the 1997. The completely new course has been built to provide accessible golf for the local community and in particular to offer golf tuition to juniors. In addition the course will act as a training centre for greenkeepers and club managers. The scheme has been aided by contributions from, amongst others, Sportscotland and The R and A and has the backing of the Scottish Golf Union.
The project received the enthusiastic support of Colin Montgomerie who officially opened the golf course this week.
Ross McMurray, one of the lead architects on the project for EGD said, “We were delighted to be able to assist Colin in the design of the golf course at Ruchill. This was an ambitious project which has taken a number of years to reach fruition, requiring the involvement of a wide range of different organisations working together in partnership. We are sure that this revitalised green space adjacent to the Forth and Clyde Canal will provide a focus for sport and education for the local community as well as a broader opportunity for social integration. There are few, if any, inner city golf projects of this kind in the UK but hopefully it will provide youngsters with a unique chance to develop an interest in golf which will last a life time.”
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This week two EGD courses stage tournaments on the European Tour.
The Seniors Tour travel to Casa Serena in the Czech Republic for the Casa Serena Seniors Open, the second year the tournament has been held. Won in 2008 by Bernhard Langer, his maiden Senior Tour win, Langer’s title defence could face a stern test from two fellow former Ryder Cup Captains in Sam Torrance and Woosnam, who are locked in a battle at the top of the Order of Merit.
Casa Serena Golf Course is the vision of Terry Gou, the chairman of Foxconn, the largest contract manufacturer of electronics worldwide. The course resides deep in the rural Czech countryside, alongside the castle of the same name that Terry Gou bought and refurbished to be his personal European residence. The course is for the use of the executives and guests of Foxconn and opened for play in 2007.
The second course to play host to the European Tour is Ribagolfe in Portugal. The First Qualifying Stage for the European Tour takes place from 15 – 18th September when 51 golfers will attempt to win a place through to the Second Qualifying Stage and ultimately a card on the European Tour.
European Golf Design designed two courses at Ribagolfe, located near Santo Estevao, 30 minutes drive east of the city centre. Ribagolfe 1 with Ex Walker and Ryder Cup golfer Peter Townsend and Ribagolfe II with Ex Walker and Ryder Cup golfer Michael King. Set within a forest of cork oak trees and the design makes full use of the sweeping undulations of the site, providing many spectacular golf holes across valleys and lakes.
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I have just arrived back in the office from a long weekend in Scotland. I visited Gullane in East Lothian for a couple of rounds with some of my family, the weather prohibited any more than that, I have never seen so much rain in September, and when it wasn’t raining, I think the term ‘blowing a hoolie’ sums it up. It was our first long drive with the new dog, who behaved much better than Alaina in the car, sleeping most the time.
Alaina and I lost narrowly to my Dad and Brother on the first day on Gullane number 3. A short but not easy course, the pictures not really doing the wind justice. We then got another game in on Gullane number 2, another nice links course with some great views over the Firth of Forth and into Fife. Luckily, I did not lose the second game, My Brothers and Dads nerves getting the better of them.
There is some other news from the weekend, Alaina and I are getting Married. Against the odds she said yes to my question on Friday night. The Picture of her and Mac(the dog) was a few minutes before I asked her……..
in General
As a toffee I have been starved of trips to Wembley for many years. 1995 was the last time the blue half of Merseyside made the trip. Sunday saw a repeat of that years final.
The day got off to a good start, I managed to convince Alaina (my girlfriend) that a pre game trip to Ikea wasn’t a good idea. After being dropped off at the ground, my brother, his colleagues and I headed in for some food and drink. A few glasses and bets later (most of which were on a first goal scorer!) we headed to our seats for Kick Off. The wine helped with the nerves and seeing a under strength Man Utd team I felt quietly confident. The fans were as loud as I have experienced, my ears are still ringing two days later.
The first half was tight with chances few and far between. Getting to half time with it goalless I felt that Everton would not have better opportunity to get to the Final of the FA Cup for many years to come. The blues started well in the 2nd half and the fans were making themselves heard. Utd slowly took control after 60 minutes or so, Vidic and Ferdinand winning the aerial battle with Evertons 6’3” (6’7” including hair) Fellaini, the Reds were looking the more likely to break the deadlock. Mid way through the second half they were denied a clear penalty and I’ve never seen a man more angry than Alex Ferguson at the moment, his face was a new, undiscovered, shade of red.
With it still goalless after 90 minutes the game headed for extra time. Again not much action, but, Cahill was stopped in his tracks when through on goal having been adjudged to have fouled Vidic, another suspect decision from the ref! A few minutes later the final whistle went and penalties were to decide who would play Chelsea in the final. After Cahills rugby conversion my head was in my hands, however, Berbatov and Ferdinand both missed allowing Phil Jagielka to score the winning spot kick. A blue day it was, The red half of the stadium emptied very quickly!
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Fresh from playing in his 500th European Tour event the week before last, Colin Montgomerie came into the office earlier in the week for a design session for the projects we’re working on with him in Denmark and Egypt. Having discussed the elements of detailed design for the former project, we then went through the progress to date on the initial master planning for the Egypt site.
As well as going through these two projects, we also spent some time talking about our work on the Twenty Ten Course at Celtic Manor, venue for the 2010 Ryder Cup, which Colin visited recently in his capacity as European Team Captain. Colin said he was very impressed with the way the course is maturing, particularly the new holes, and gave special mention to the viewing areas that have been created over the last four holes that will allow the vast majority of the 40,000+ crowd to watch golf over the closing stretch, as well as seeing up to twelve of the other holes during the early stages of play.
Following that, Monty was interviewed by two writers from Bad Halo Golf (www.badhalogolf.com) with whom we are collaborating on a new book to be published later in the summer on golf course design.
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‘Modest’, ‘Dedicated’, ‘Perfectionist’ are all words that describe EGD’s Stan Eby. Known almost as much for his moustache and pony tail as for the quality of his work Stan is the man behind some outstanding golf courses.
A graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in Landscape Architecture, Stan began his golf design career working for the Chicago based firm of Golf Course Architect Dick Nugent (Past President of the American Society of Golf Course Architects). He joined European Golf Design in 1992. His Professional credentials included professional registration of the United States National Landscape Architecture Licensing Board and continuing education certificates in Project Management and Construction Administration from the University of Wisconsin.
PGA de Catalunya in Spain was designed by Stan in association with Neil Coles & Angel Gallardo. The course is recognised as one of the top 100 golf courses in the world not only by the golfing press but also by amatuers and pro’s alike. Golf Monthly recently named PGA de Catalunya No. 3 in ‘Top 20 European Courses’. Shortly after the course opened in 1999 Golf World awarded it the “Best New Course in Europe”. The course rapidly created an impression and was rewarded by hosting the Sarazen World Open and Spanish Open. This year the Open de Espana on the European Tour will visit the course at the end of April.
At Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Stan worked with Thomas Bjorn to redesign the course and transform it into a golfers’ paradise. The following year Golf World named the course one of the “Top 100 Golf Courses in the World”.
In association with Nick Faldo, Stan designed the Faldo Course at Sporting Club Berlin. The course opened in the summer of 1996 and played host to the German Open in 1998 and 1999. The course was complimented by many Tour players and Golf World voted it “Best New Course in Europe” in November 2007. Stan went on to design the third course at Sporting Club Berlin and no higher acclaim could be paid to his efforts than when the course was named ‘The Eby Course’.
At Portmarnock Links in Ireland, Stan worked alongside Bernhard Langer. The course is nestled in coastal duneland and was designed in the true tradition of links golf with rolling fairway and unforgiving rough. In 2008 the course hosted the Ladies Irish Open. Golf World has said of the course “it’s tough and uncompromising into the prevailing wind, tricky when the wind is at your back – everything a links course should be”.
With design partner Colin Montgomerie, Stan designed the Montgomerie Course at Carton House. The inland link pays tribute to the traditions of the game with sweeping fairways, cavernous bunkers and impeccable greens and has become a ‘must play’ for golfing enthusiasts.
It has received many top awards including:
– ‘Best Course of 2006’ by the readers of Golf Punk Magazine
– Joint winner of prestigious ‘Committed to Green Award’
– ‘Best New Design of the Year 2004’ Award – Golf World, January 2005
– Ranked 10th in Ireland by US Golfers Digest magazine – April 2005
– Home to the 2005 & 2006 Nissan Irish Open
– Home to the 2004 AIB Irish Amateur Open Championship
Stan’s most recent work is Euphoria Golf Estate Hydro in South Africa which was designed in association with Annika Sorenstam. Set in the beautiful Waterberg mountain range the course has been designed with a serious commitment to the preservation of the indigenous fauna and flora. Already the course has been awarded a Compleat Golfer 5-Star Golf Experience.
Stan’s Favourite things:
Sound: Silence
Colour: Shades of grey
Art: The world of Walt Disney
Golf Course: Whatever is on the drawing board
Book: (latest) Team of Rivals
Movie: Das Boot
Food: Cajun
City: Chicago
Drink: What’s on offer?
Place: ‘In the sun’
Gadget: The delete button
Quote: “I CAN ONLY PLEASE ONE PERSON A DAY AND TODAY AIN’T YOUR DAY (Tomorrow Ain’t Lookin Too Good Either)” Anonymous
Music: The Band
in General
European Golf Design have signed a contract to design a new golf course in Portugal at Herdade das Fuezeiras, a short distance from the city of Evora, about an hours drive east of Lisbon.
The project includes an 18 hole course with practice facilities, a 150 bedroom hotel, a mix of high quality residential units and an equestrian centre in open countryside.
Evora is a UNESCO World heritage site and is capital of the Alentejo region of Portugal. The city centre is beautifully preserved and dates back to Roman times but its unique quality stems from its whitewashed houses decorated with azulejos (ceramic tiles) and wrought-iron balconies dating from the 16th to the 18th century. The buildings had a profound influence on Portuguese architecture in Brazil.
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