Jumeirah Golf Estates, Singh, Garcia, Dye pledge support to The Institute
Some of the most dynamic and forward-thinking members of the golf industry have announced their support of The Environmental Institute for Golf by agreeing to serve on its Advisory Council.
The Environmental Institute for Golf is the philanthropic organization of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). World Golf Hall of Fame member Greg Norman serves as the chair of the Advisory Council.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman of Dubai World, the parent company of Jumeirah Golf Estates, the residential golf development with four 18-hole, environmentally friendly golf courses, in Dubai. Two of the courses, Fire and Earth, are designed by Norman. A third course, Water, is designed by Vijah Singh and a fourth course, Wind, is a collaborative effort of Norman, Pete Dye and Sergio Garcia.
Fire and Earth are being built concurrently and are under construction. Norman has made several site visits and both Fire and Earth are expected to open in early 2008. The design for Water has been completed by Singh and his design team, along with Jumeirah Golf Estates and is scheduled to break ground in mid-2007. Water will open in 2009. Wind is currently in the design phase. Construction will commence toward the end of 2007 with the intention of opening in 2009.
Sultan bin Sulayem has been a member of the Advisory Council since 2004 and will continue his seat for another three-year term. Dye, Garcia and Singh have each donated portions of their design fees from the project to The Institute and have joined the Advisory Council as well.
The Advisory Council provides guidance to The Institute’s board of trustees in the areas of outreach, fundraising and strategic planning. The members were selected to enhance The Institute’s ability to cultivate relationships with current and potential donors, as well as communicate the importance of the work conducted by The Institute.
"I have been a regular visitor to Dubai for nearly two decades, and I have followed the city’s meteoric development very closely," said Norman, chairman and CEO of Great White Shark Enterprises. "I was delighted to establish a relationship with Sultan bin Sulayem to help further Dubai’s evolution into a world-class tourism and business destination. Sultan was one of the founding members of the Advisory Council and I am very pleased that he has agreed to serve another three-year term. At the same time, it is tremendous for The Institute that we are also able to announce the addition of Pete Dye, Sergio Garcia and Vijay Singh. All of us share a similar passion for the game of golf and the environment. With Sultan’s leadership, the four courses at Jumeirah Golf Estates will serve as a model for other developments in emerging golf markets."
Sultan bin Sulayem is recognized as one of the leading businessmen of Dubai. Dubai World is a holding company that manages and supervises the portfolio of businesses and projects for the Dubai government and works toward making Dubai the leading hub for the commerce and trading industry.
"Golf is an important trigger for the long-term development of Dubai’s tourism and residential markets," Sultan bin Sulayem said. "Yet we must ensure that all golf course development is environmentally sustainable. We do not just want to follow international best practice – we want to set it. I am therefore delighted to continue my membership of the Advisory Council."
Sultan bin Sulayem established Nakheel, a real estate and tourism property development firm responsible for building the three iconic developments of The Palm, the world’s largest man-made islands, being constructed off the coast of Dubai. Heralded as "the eighth wonder of the world" and visible from the moon, this successful project has attracted international acclaim. It was followed by The World, a prestigious 300-island development shaped to form a map of the globe, and Dubai Waterfront, considered the most ambitious reclamation project in the world, composed of 250 master planned communities, launching recently and meeting with great success.
Dye, considered in many circles to be the most influential golf course architect of the last five decades, is a member and past president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects. He is known for designing unique and challenging golf courses and is also acclaimed for his innovative, environmentally friendly designs. A hands-on designer, he is more likely to be found on a bulldozer than at a drafting board. Dye has created some 75 golf courses, mostly in the United States, including such spectacularly varied layouts as Harbour Town Golf Links at Sea Pines Plantation in South Carolina, the Stadium Course at PGA West in La Quinta, Calif., the Crooked Stick golf course in Carmel, Ind., Teeth of the Dog in Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic and Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis.
Garcia is a six-time PGA Tour winner with 10 international victories. He turned pro on April 21, 1999, after playing in 28 professional events as an amateur. The first British Amateur champion to finish as low amateur in Masters (1999), Garcia won 19 events as an amateur and also a professional event, the Catalonian Open, at age 17. He made the cut in 12 of 18 European Tour events entered before turning professional and at age 14, Garcia made his first cut in a European Tour event, the 1995 Turespana Open Mediterranea, setting a European Tour record as youngest player to make a cut. Garcia won the 1995 European Amateur Championship, the youngest winner of the event and he was the youngest Ryder Cup participant ever. The Castellon, Spain, native, splits time between residences in Borriol, Spain, and the U.S.
Singh, a 2006 inductee to the World Golf Hall of Fame, owns 30 PGA Tour victories and 22 international wins. He has won three majors and has finished among the top five on the PGA Tour money list for nine consecutive seasons, winning the last five. Singh was the 1993 PGA Rookie of the Year, the 2004 PGA Player of the Year and he is a six-time President’s Cup participant. Hailing from Lautoka, Fiji, his first name means "victory" in Hindi. Singh served as honorary chairperson for the 1999 National Golf Day, PGA of America’s annual fundraiser for junior golf. He established, with wife and son, the Vijay Singh Charitable Foundation, benefiting charities and non-profit agencies that provide assistance, shelter, counseling and support to women and children who are victims of domestic abuse.
The Environmental Institute for Golf’s Advisory Council:
Tom Crow, founder of Cobra Golf and a retired trustee for The Institute
John Foster, president of West Coast Turf
Dana Garmany, chairman and CEO of Troon Golf
Jack R. Harrell, Jr., CEO of Harrell’s Fertilizer
Bill Jones III, chairman and CEO of Sea Island Co.
Paul C. Kanavos, chairman and CEO of Flag Luxury Properties, LLC
Bill Kubly, CEO of Landscapes Unlimited and chairman of The Institute’s board of trustees
Owen G. Larkin, president of the Vineyard Golf Club in Edgartown, Mass.
Rafael Martinez, president of Republic Capital Corp. and Institute trustee
Gary N. McClung, president of Midway Ford/Sterling Truck Center and developer of Quintero Golf and Country Club, Peoria, Ariz.
Ken Melrose, retired chairman and CEO of The Toro Co.
Greg Norman, chairman of Advisory Council, Institute trustee and chairman and CEO of Great White Shark Enterprises
Jaime Ortiz-Patiño, owner of Valderrama Golf Club in Sotogrande, Spain
David Pillsbury, president of PGA Tour Golf Course Properties and vice chairman/treasurer of The Institute’s board of trustees
Joe Steranka, CEO of PGA of America
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman of Dubai World
Weldon Wyatt, founder and CEO of Sage Valley Golf Club, Graniteville, S.C.
The Environmental Institute for Golf, the philanthropic organization of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), is a collaborative effort of the environmental and golf communities, dedicated to strengthening the compatibility of golf with the natural environment. The Institute concentrates on delivering programs and services involving research, education and outreach that communicate the best management practices of environmental stewardship on the golf course. For more on The Institute, visit www.eifg.org.
Celebrating its 80th anniversary, GCSAA is a leading golf organization and has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to more than 21,000 members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA’s mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org.
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For more information contact:
Teri Harris, GCSAA managing director, development, at (785) 832-4465 or tharris@gcsaa.org
Greg Lyman, GCSAA director of environmental programs, at (785) 832-3625 or glyman@gcsaa.org
Brian Stevens, Great White Shark Enterprises vice president communications, at (561) 743-8818 or brian.stevens@gwse.com
Jamie Goodenough, Jumeirah Golf Estates marketing manager, at +971 4 365 8725 / +971 50 653 8085 or Jamie.Goodenough@istithmar.ae
Greg Moore, Four Communications Group, at +971 50 794 4923 / +971 4 362 5129 or greg.moore@fourcommunications.com
Contact:
Jeff Bollig, GCSAA director of communications
(800) 472-7878, ext. 4430 or jbollig@gcsaa.org
