Norman's First South Australian Course To Open Next Year
South Australia's first Greg Norman-designed golf course will open next year, with the legendary Australian golfer confirming construction is on track at The Dunes Port Hughes.
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Visiting the beachside town on the Yorke Peninsula today to inspect the implementation of his design plans, Norman said he was delighted to see his vision for the course take shape.
"It's great to see the tremendous progress that's been made on-site at The Dunes Port Hughes over the past 12 months, not just with the golf course but also the wider residential development," he said.
"From a design point of view, it's exciting to see our plans for the golf course come to life. This really is going to be a classic links-style course which will take maximum advantage of the stunning Port Hughes coastline that we're so fortunate to have as a backdrop.
"The build is really coming together nicely and I look forward to teeing off on the first nine holes next year, and the full 18 soon after."
The first nine holes of the PGA-standard course are currently being shaped, with fairways, tees and greens to be in place by the end of this year.
The Dunes Port Hughes Chief Executive Officer Andrew Martin says he expects the course to be playable by next autumn.
"We're on track to have the front nine completed by Christmas. We then need to allow some time for the turf to establish, so with that in mind we anticipate welcoming golfers for the first time around Easter next year," he said.
"We've certainly come a long way over the past 12 months and we expect to make even bigger inroads in coming months as construction ramps up even further."
Mr Martin said more than $5 million has already been spent on shaping holes and on the creation of permanent lakes and reticulation infrastructure to support the long-term self-sufficient irrigation of the championship-style course, while a further $10 million is being spent on course construction this year to complete the first nine holes.
"We're also making good progress with the construction of townhouses and land allotments within the development, while a new display village is about to be built also," he said.
"Combine all of this with Norman's tick of approval on the golf course and it's indeed an exciting time at The Dunes."
As a touring golf professional, Norman was the game's top ranked player and one of the most prolific international players in the sport's history before turning his focus to golf course design.
He has since completed more than 70 golf courses on six continents, many of which have hosted sanctioned events on the PGA, Nationwide, European and Australasian Tours.
For his maiden South Australian course at The Dunes, Norman and his team of designers have planned extensive sand dunes and native vegetation throughout the course while capitalising on Port Hughes' seaside location.
Located 170km north of Adelaide overlooking the Spencer Gulf, The Dunes Port Hughes is SA's largest planned residential and resort development. When complete the 15-year project will feature more than 2,000 residential homes and world-class leisure facilities.
For more information about The Dunes Port Hughes call 1300 788 867 or visit www.thedunesporthughes.com.au.
