Nick Faldo – winner of six Major championships and the all-time leading Ryder Cup points scorer – has been selected to design a new 18 hole golf course called ‘Cottonwood Hills‘ near Hutchinson, Kansas.
Located within three miles of the world renowned Prairie Dunes Golf Club,
and occupying similarly dramatic, sandy terrain, Cottonwood Hills isFaldo’s first design in the Mid-West and he is clearly delighted with the appointment:
“This is an incredible piece of land,” he said. ” Faldo Design, is fortunate to have designed courses in some special places around the world, but this wonderfully natural and splendidly rugged site may eclipse them all – it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us.
“The terrain reminds me – for it has many of the characteristics – of three of my favourite golfing environments: the London heathlands, in particular Sunningdale and Walton Heath; the Melbourne sandbelt, home to such masterpieces as Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath, and with it featuring so many spectacularly tumbling dunes, there are strong echoes of the great Scottish and Irish seaside links. Not only is this land ‘God-given‘ in every sense of the word, but we are also working with an extremely talented and determined group of people. I am very confident that we can craft something truly exceptional here.”
To be operated on a ‘high-end daily fee basis‘, Nick Faldo’s layout will be the centrepiece of a prestigious 582-acre mixed-use master planned community
– ‘Cottonwood Hills‘.
Lane Neville, president of developers Cottonwood Hills LLC, who was born in Kansas and raised in Hutchinson, commented, “My partners and I selected Nick Faldo for various reasons. Firstly, Nick is one of golf’s all-time greats – a player who has had the ability to raise his game when it mattered most and on golf’s greatest stages. I‘m not sure enough people appreciate the fact that between 1985 and 1999 no golfer won more than three Majors except Nick Faldo – and he won six. At last month’s Open Championship he proved that he is still a wonderful player and a marvellous ambassador for the sport.”
Neville continued, “Secondly, Nick is fast developing a reputation as an outstanding golf course designer with an impressive international portfolio of projects – which doesn‘t surprise me when you consider that his entire game has been based around superlative shot-making, strategy and excellent course management. Nick is discerning and meticulous in everything he does – he never settles for ‘second best‘ – and this relentless pursuit of excellence appeals, and I believe reflects, our own aspirations for Cottonwood Hills. In short, we share a vision”.
Cottonwood Hills‘ ‘Faldo Championship‘ golf course is scheduled to open in
2005.