Gary Nicklaus, professional golfer, course designer and son of the legendary Jack Nicklaus, has again been to view progress at Europe’s first Nicklaus Joint Venture golf course project – Machynys Peninsula, near Llanelli, West Wales.
In his last visit before the opening in spring 2004, Gary is working with joint venture partners Sawtrees and Southern Golf to put the finishing touches to the links-style, par-72 championship layout.
All the main features of the £3.5m course have now been shaped and seeding work is nearing completion. Situated in the Millennium Coastal Park, on the edge of Carmarthen Bay overlooking the Gower, it will have a spectacular setting and incorporate many natural features, including both salt and fresh water lakes.
“The Machynys site has presented our team with a balance of luxuries and challenges, and this has enabled us to create an exciting course with great variety,” said Gary.
“The goal for a golf course designer is to bring to life a course that can challenge the finest players in the word but, at the same time, still be enjoyable for the average golfer. We believe Machynys will provide a memorable golf experience that will bring people back time and time again.”
The groups that make up the current joint venture first worked together in 1986 when Jack Nicklaus II was invited to design the championship golf course at Hanbury Manor – the five-star hotel, golf and country club in Hertfordshire, England.
The country club, which has since hosted the English Open on three occasions, was developed by Jim Anderson of Sawtrees and built by Southern Golf, one of Europe’s largest and most successful golf construction companies.
“It’s exciting to be working together again with the Nicklaus organisation, and this time as a full-fledged partnership in what we hope is the first of many more projects,” said Jim Anderson, the principal of Sawtrees, who was the project director at Hanbury Manor and is now managing director of the Nicklaus Joint Venture.
“We are delighted to welcome Gary back to Machynys. Since his last visit, the site-based team has made a huge amount of progress and a true championship course is emerging. We are now looking forward to next year and the impact Machynys will have in the golfing world.”
The Nicklaus course is being developed as Wales gears up to host the 2010 Ryder Cup with an ambitious programme of major tournaments and a major investment in golf development and tourism.