The course architects at Golfplan-Fream, Dale & Ramsey, have broken ground on 18 new holes at the site. Golfplan has designed more than 160 courses in 26 different countries, but this project - slated for a spring 2009 opening - will be the firm's first in the emerging golf destination of Turkey.
Golfplan's 18-hole design at the as yet unnamed resort, with its large hotel component and 4,000 planned villas, will cater to this established crowd while also serving Bodrum's growing numbers of German and British tourists.
"This community has long been the quiet, moneyed alternative to Turkey's more commercial tourist region down the Ionian coast, and when you see the climate and terrain here in Bodrum, it's easy to see why they kept it quiet," says Kevin Ramsey, a partner with Santa Rosa, Calif.-based Golfplan-Fream, Dale & Ramsey.
"Both are perfectly suited to golf. Our site in Bodrum combines a sort of high-desert vegetation — rocky, sandy soils with olive trees, scrub oak and sage; very dry — with tropical temperatures in summer and serious elevation change."
Ramsey explained that half the routing extends down to the property's salt-water estuary, home to the palms and flamingos. Several corners of the site — including the 18th tee complex — are festooned with ruins from the ancient Greek and Roman cultures that thrived here for centuries Before the Common Era.
The other nine winds up into several valleys flanked by steep, striking rock outcroppings — site of the hotel and most of the real estate lots, which look down on the course. The hotel (developers are considering Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton) has been designed to resemble a Roman ruin that stair-steps down these rock plateaus. On the final, lowest step sits the clubhouse and 1st tee, Ramsey noted.
"We've been very careful with the routing and construction of the golf course," the course architect continues. "This entire area has tremendous history and areas adjacent to the golf course have been designated an archaeological preserve, so our intent is to keep things right where they are and let people experience the history. It's quite something to be standing beside a column or bit of masonry that's been in place for more than 2,500 years.
"Water is another big issue here, as everywhere these days. The regulations aren't as strict as they are in California, but they are one reason we've designed a paspalum golf course," says Ramsey, noting that this salt-tolerant grass allows course irrigation options that include both effluent and groundwater too brackish for normal turfgrasses. "We've specified Tifeagle greens [bermudagrass]. We also plan to revegetate some portions of the property with oaks and palms from other parts of the property."
This is the first golf resort project for developer Agaoglu, a veteran, Istanbul-based builder of high-rise apartments and office buildings in the city; so far they have done everything right, Ramsey says.
The owners are doing the general earthworks, while Golf International out of Istanbul has been hired to construct the course. Golfplan brought in one of its elite shapers, Jimmy Stevens, to do all the feature work. Stevens handled Golfplan designs at Eagle Ridge in Gilroy, Calif., and Guam International, among others.
The course at Bodrum will only be the tenth course in Turkey so golf is still in its infancy but the increased number of tourists means it is seen as an emerging golf destination.
Source http://www.voicesnewspaper.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1602
No comments:
Post a Comment