Golf Course Architecture - Issue 64, April 2021

79 SAUD I ARAB I A landscape, bringing together green spaces and mountainous terrain to form a picturesque canvas for both a beautiful and challenging golf course.” There are plans for another course at Qiddiya, but the designer is yet to be announced. The choices of Norman and Nicklaus fit with Al Sorour’s desire for “branded” courses. Gary Player has become an ambassador for Golf Saudi and was a keynote speaker at the Golf Saudi Summit, where other firms headed by signature designers – including Nick Faldo, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson – were also represented. But that brand needn’t necessarily be a former pro golfer – big-name architecture firms including Golfplan, Robert Trent Jones II and Dye Designs were present too and will be keeping a close eye on the developments that unfold. It may not be too long before we see courses designed by a Saudi national, too. Landscape designer Abdullah Kamakhi has been accepted into the European Institute of Golf Course Architects (EIGCA), positioning him to become Saudi Arabia’s first golf course architect. Al-Sorour says: “This is one of the most rewarding parts of the job, seeing Abdullah thrive in a career path that, only a few years ago, didn’t exist within Saudi Arabia.” The latest radical infrastructure project to be revealed in Saudi Arabia is the extraordinary ‘The Line’ in the northwest of the country. A zero- carbon city built over 100 miles in a straight line, there will be no streets or transport above ground, with the entire metropolis accessible by a five minute walk to an underground metro, capable of transporting people from one end to the other in just 20 minutes. It is easy to see how golf could complement an emission-free green vision for the future. Al Sorour says: “The clean, high- tech environment that The Line will create will no doubt allow golf courses to f lourish due to their aesthetics, environmental development and consideration for health and nature in conjunction with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, turning the Red Sea coastline into a hub for golf.” While their eyes are firmly fixed on the future, those running the game in Saudi Arabia have a deep respect for the game’s past over the desert sand. Al Sorour’s dream is for a really great desert tournament over four rounds, that alternate between desert and grass. “Seeing these golf courses built with sand and oil is heart-warming,” he says. “It’s surreal, you visit them, and you can feel it – those old souls taking a break from going out to discover oil.” GCA “ It is easy to see how golf could complement an emission-free green vision for the future” A visualisation of the new Nicklaus Design course planned for the massive Qiddiya development, which is to become Saudi Arabia’s capital for sports, entertainment and the arts Photo: Golf Saudi