Swan Golf Designs are working extensively at home and abroad – in close to thirty countries – and their team of eight architects works closely with ten partners worldwide.
The practice is beginning the next phase of the renovation of the 1932 links course at Miramar, just south of Oporto in northern Portugal. The original Mackenzie Ross layout has already seen the redesign of three greens along the Atlantic shoreline with the creation of two new holes and a practice ground and academy. In 2006 SGD will redesign the remaining six greens for reconstruction in two further phases of the renovation programme.
Howard Swan comments, “I am pleased to be back at one of Portugal’s oldest courses, on such a beautiful links, with a wonderful traditional character to the club and course”
In Miramar’s long-term plans is an extension to eighteen holes together with the provision of a driving range and three hole academy course.
Marking its first venture into what is one of the world’s booming economies, Swan Golf Designs have been appointed to lay out the course at the Albatross Golf Resort in Bangalore.
Nigel Henbury, SGD’s senior golf course architect, will masterplan the project, which is scheduled to commence construction in mid-2006 and will include substantial residential developments surrounding the golf course.
“We are pleased to add India to our growing project experience as we see a significant future there as the game grows throughout the country,” he says. “The Albatros project is just what a ‘young’ golfing country needs to see increasing participation in the game.”
Meanwhile Swan Golf Designs continue to expand their work in Germany at some of the country’s most historic and fashionable clubs.
Having completed the overall renovation of the East Course Championship layout at Golf Club Hubbelrath in Dusseldorf, the addition of a comprehensive short game academy and bunker practice area is about to begin at nearby Golf Club Bergisch-Land, originally another Bernhard von Limburger design.
This will form part of the third phase of the restoration programme which has to date included ten holes of re-bunkering, three new greens and modifications to the presentation of the course.
At the Germans Open venue of Koln Refrath, the classic course has moved forward with a sixth year of renovation and restoration under Swan’s direction with the redesign of holes 9, 13 and 18. This prestigious club has its centenary this year and after the celebrations it is anticipated that three years of further work will see the completion of the renovation of one of the leading courses in Germany.
All members of the SGD team are part of the membership of the EIGCA.
Swan Golf Designs www.swangolfdesigns.com
Swan spreads his wings
