The first Nicklaus Joint Venture golf course to be built in Europe is entering its final stage of development, with the final fine shaping process and construction of greens about to begin.
Three companies, Sawtrees Ltd, Nicklaus Design and Southern Golf Ltd make up the Nicklaus Joint Venture Group. The relationship was first forged in 1986 when Jack Nicklaus II was asked to design the championship golf course surrounding Hanbury Manor in Hertfordshire
Machynys Peninsula, created by Nicklaus Design, is taking shape as a world-class golf course in a spectacular location, bordering their own new luxury housing development.
Situated in the Millennium Coastal Park, on the edge of Carmarthen Bay overlooking the Gower, the site contains many unusual natural features that required special attention during the shaping process.
One of the lakes incorporated into the course has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), as has Machynys Mound, a protected historic site. The neighbouring National Wetlands Centre for Wales, a haven for wildfowl and waders, is also an SSSI.
“Following the extensive land works surrounding these features a true championship course is beginning to emerge,” said Jim Anderson, managing director of the Nicklaus Joint Venture Group.
“Due to the natural beauty and sensitivity of the location,” he continued, “we have faced a number of challenges in shaping the golf course. The design team have worked very hard to combine the natural attributes of the site and the golf course specification and have come up with a golf course design that will please both the professional and leisurely golfer.
“All major earth moving and rough shaping of the £3.5m course has now been completed, together with the creation of twenty-five acres of new lakes. Twelve miles of irrigation pipes and six miles of drainage pipes have also been installed to date.
“The recent progress that has been made by Southern Golf, the golf course contractors, is very pleasing and with a continuing fair wind we should achieve our aim of completing the seeding of the golf course by the end of August.”
With Wales gearing up to host the 2010 Ryder Cup and already holding major competitions such as The Wales Open, the WPGA Championship of Europe and the Wales Seniors Open, the development of the Nicklaus Golf Course looks set to cement Wales status as a major golfing nation.
The Machynys Peninsula course will lie adjacent to Pentre Nicklaus Village. With breathtaking views across the bay and golf course, the development will provide 173 new homes, ranging in size from one-bedroom mews apartments to five bedroom detached family homes. The first show home will be ready for viewing at the end of July.
All contractors appointed for both the housing and golf course developments are Wales-based companies, showing a commitment on the part of the Nicklaus Joint Venture Group to invest in the Welsh economy.
Jack Nicklaus’s son, Gary, has been responsible for overseeing the design of this course and echoed the comments made by Jim Anderson. “The site for the course at Machynys presents the Nicklaus Design team with a balance of luxuries and challenges, which enables us to create an exciting course with great variety,” he said. “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.
“With Machynys, we hope to have a course that features something for everyone and – most of all – is a memorable golf experience that brings players back time and time again.”
Nicklaus Design www.nicklaus.com
Southern Golf www.southerngolf.co.uk