Jack Nicklaus will enter a new corner of the globe after signing an agreement to design the first Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course in New Zealand at the Kinloch Golf Resort, located just south of Auckland in Kinloch of the Lake Taupo district.
The design contract was signed with Kinloch Golf Resort Limited which owns the land in this North Island destination and was formed to develop the 630-acre project to include support facilities and 80 estate sites.
The construction management contract has been awarded to Golf Unlimited, a German based contractor with international golf course construction experience. Golf Unlimited’s managing partner, Christian Bohn, has been involved in the construction of courses from Mexico to Germany. He has been part of several Nicklaus Design projects throughout Mexico, including the award-winning designs of Cabo del Sol, Punta Mita, and Palmilla (Ocean Nine).
Kinloch Golf Resort will also feature a 20-room boutique lodge, a clubhouse, pro shop, tennis, swimming, and sauna and spa facilities.
“It is quite clear why we chose Jack Nicklaus to design our golf course,” said Jean-Paul Pavlovic, director of Kinloch Golf Resort Limited. “Beyond the value his name carries in this industry, Jack brings credibility and quality to our project. It might sound unrealistic, but it is our goal to build the perfect golf course.”
The presence of an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course will only add fuel to the large, fast-growing tourism and golf markets in New Zealand. According to a McNair Survey, there are more than 460,000 golfers throughout New Zealand and more than 350 golf courses spread throughout the islands, the more preferred of which is North Island. Lake Taupo, with a yearly average high temperature of 63° F (17.3° C), is an already established destination spot, attracting over 670,000 visitors annually.
Located in the central portion of North Island, Lake Taupo is accessible from the New Zealand capital of Wellington and is just a 3-hour drive south of Auckland, the country’s largest city. “I have been to New Zealand many times to fish, and it has been among my favourite countries in the world to visit,” Nicklaus said. “I have long admired the beautiful surroundings of the country, and now, to add my name to the burgeoning golf landscape of New Zealand is special.
“The land on which we will design the golf course offers a mixture of rolling terrain, and is framed by hills that slope toward Lake Taupo. When you combine snow-capped mountains as a backdrop and views of the lake from much of the golf course, you should have a memorable golfing experience.”
Nicklaus hopes to visit the Kinloch site in late January or early February 2002. He has been involved in the design of 198 courses open for play world-wide, and Nicklaus Design, has 229 courses open for play around the world.
Nicklaus www.nicklaus.com.
Golf Unlimited www.golfunlimited.de