Also underway: new course in southern Utah, restoration in Toronto
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Oct. 19, 2007 â?¦ The newest John Fought design, the Player’s Course, is to formally debut the week after Thanksgiving at Indian Wells Golf Resort in Indian Wells, Calif.
"It’s a wonderful design that presents challenges and rewards that can be experienced by all golfers," said Roger Behling, golf resort director, City of Indian Wells. "John’s knowledge clearly shows through. The course just came out great and will be a lot of fun to play."
While the 7,400-yard, par 72 officially opens Nov. 27, a grand opening celebration is planned for early 2008 in conjunction with the completion of the resort’s new 53,000-square-foot clubhouse.
Fought also designed the resort’s new practice facility, as well as a lighted 18-hole putting course.
The Player’s Course will be unveiled just days after the resort plays host to the 2007 LG Skins Game. The 25th anniversary version is set for Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 24-25) at Indian Wells Golf Resort’s already completed Celebrity Course, which was designed by Clive Clark. This year’s participants are Zach Johnson, Brett Wetterich, Stephen Ames and Fred Couples.
No decision has been reached on the site of the 2008 Skins Game but it is anticipated that Fought’s new Player’s Course, part of a $61 million construction project at Indian Wells Golf Resort, will command serious consideration. The event is in its first year of a three-year contract to remain in the Coachella Valley.
Elsewhere, other new Fought projects include:
â?¢ Golf Club at Sand Hollow Resort; Hurricane, Utah. The latest addition to the southern Utah golf landscape is scheduled to open next spring. Fought is constructing both an 18-hole Championship Course and a St. Andrews Nine at this new residential golf resort 10 miles from St. George. The 27-hole complex incorporates ridgeline, canyon and elevation variations into a memorable golf experience.
"John has done a phenomenal job with the courses," said Thomas Seneca, president, Sand Hollow Golf Resort. "We had high expectations here and I’m very pleased to say he has exceeded those expectations."
Fought, a collegiate golf star at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, said he has been visiting the St. George area for 35 years and has never tired of the region because of its rugged, natural beauty.
"This is a great site because it has some of the most stunning views of the beautiful red rock formations and mountains as a backdrop," Fought said. "The topography is wonderful and I think it will compare favorably to anything in the western part of the United States."
The 900-acre resort is accessible with flights into St. George from Los Angeles or Salt Lake City, or a 90-minute drive from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.
â?¢ Rosedale Golf Club; Toronto, Canada. Fought, who has gained a reputation for deftly restoring classic courses, is in the midst of restoring this course (1909) in two phases.
"The course has undergone subtle changes over the years and lost its identity. John has done an incredible job restoring 18 holes that are consistent and have the feel of one architect," said Peter Oldfield, general manager, Rosedale Golf Club.
Fought’s initial efforts are focused on the reshaping of all the bunkers and tees on the courses, while the next phase, to begin in 2008, will concentrate on the rebuilding of one to three greens and finishing off any work not completed in 2007.
The 6,500-yard, par 71 (par 73 for women) course is the centerpiece of this venerable club.
A banner year
A former PGA Tour competitor, Fought has enjoyed a design career breakout 2007, with five courses â?” a blend of solo designs, co-designs and restorations â?”hosting significant events:
The Gallery Golf Club-South Course, located near Tucson, Ariz., and one of Fought’s most heralded solo designs, was the site of February’s Accenture Match Play Championship.
Pine Needles Golf Club, where Fought earlier had completed a widely acclaimed restoration of the Ross classic in Southern Pines, N.C., hosted the U.S. Women’s Open in late June/early July.
Somerby Golf Club, a Fought co-design in Byron, Minn., welcomed the Nationwide Tour’s Scholarship America Showdown in mid-July.
Crosswater Golf Club at Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, Ore., was home to both the Jeld-Wen Tradition, a major on the Champions Tour, in August as well as the PGA Club National Championship in June.
Meadows Golf Club, also at Sunriver Resort, served as the host course for the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship in September.
For more information about Scottsdale, Ariz.-based John Fought Design, call (480) 991-9858 or visit www.foughtdesign.com .
Contact:
Karen Moraghan
Hunter Public Relations – East
908/876-5100
kmoraghan@hunter-pr.com
www.hunter-pr.com
