The site for the upcoming Grenada National course in the Caribbean sports like surfing and mountain biking. Now golf is experiencing a resurgence of interest, but it’s a more casual golf experience, more fun, more family friendly and unique. It makes designing for resorts more fun, too. At Costa Palmas in Baja California Sur, Mexico, the design emphasises a relaxed, social atmosphere, taking full advantage of the location’s exceptional natural beauty, including pristine beaches and wildlife. The course serves as a catalyst, enhancing the overall resort experience with flexible playing options and social gathering areas strategically placed throughout the course. The biggest challenges when designing golf for destination resorts? Simply speaking, remote site locations and limited access to resources. For example, at Grenada National in the Caribbean we discovered a valuable deposit of high-quality sand on site, crucial because importing sand to such a remote location would not have been possible. Being resourceful and adaptive during construction is essential. At Grenada National, finding this sand will be a gamechanger in drainage, playability and the overall player experience. Another challenge is creating something appropriate and truly special while being aware of the business plan of the resort. For instance, if a developer is building a resort on the ocean, there’s often the desire to save the beachfront property for hotel rooms or home sites. But if you can convince the ownership that golf should touch the beach – creating additional viewsheds for more of the property, which enhances the overall value of the aesthetics – it makes for a very special experience. We did something like that at Hoiana Shores in Vietnam. It’s a links golf course in the classic sense… but it’s in Vietnam. The developers wanted to put housing along the beach, which would quickly Photo: RTJ II 31
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