Trailblazing Firm Ranked Among Top Golf Course Architects in Asia
(SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.) – Schmidt-Curley Design – the full-service golf-course architecture, master-planning and construction-management firm – announces projects in China and Thailand were recently recognized in Asian Golf Monthly’s annual rankings of golf courses and designers on the world’s most populous continent.
The firm’s renovation at Siam Country Club’s Old Course (Thailand) took top prize in the “Best Renovation” category, and its work at China’s Tianjin Yangliuqing Golf Club placed third. In addition, Schmidt-Curley’s Olazabal Course at Mission Hills Golf Club, recent host of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup, was named the No. 2 golf course in China and No. 4 in Asia. Their impressive roster of credits helped the firm achieve a ranking among the top-3 golf course architects in Asia.
“We’re honored Schmidt-Curley has once again been recognized by the loyal readers of Asian Golf Monthly,” says Brian Curley. “We enjoy working inAsia. The continent has always captivated us, as it affords a vast array of unique sites ranging from craggy and mountainous to seaside links. With our new office on Hainan Island, we look forward to increasing our already-strong ties to the region.”
Recognition of the Old Course at Siam Country Club, host of the 2007 Honda LPGA Thailand, was well deserved. Although routing remained intact, new greens were constructed to improve drainage, all bunkers were tiled and high-flashed and 20-30 percent of all trees were removed to improve air flow around greens and reclaim playing corridors. Novatek Ultra Dwarf Bermuda was used on the greens; the revolutionary Seashore Paspalum was used everywhere else. What resulted was an exceptionally well-conditioned and challenging track.
“Our work on the Old Course was a lot of fun,” says Lee Schmidt, who oversaw the renovation as well as construction of Siam’s recently-opened, 27-hole Plantation Course. “Although we bulldozed the course from tee to green, the property’s bountiful trees allowed us to essentially create a brand new course that required little time to mature, making the full impact of our changes immediately ascertainable.”
The refurbished nine-hole “C Course” at China’s Tianjin Yangliuqing Golf Club was renovated and combined with another Schmidt-Curley project, the new nine-hole “D Course,” to offer one of the most challenging and best received courses in the greater Tianjin / Beijing region. Measuring over 7,400 yards, the par-72 layout features rolling terrain lined with willow, poplar and locust trees. They complement wide fairways, bold, rugged bunkering, and large, undulating greens and incorporated chipping areas.
Recent host of November’s Omega Mission Hills World Cup, the par-72, 7,251-yard Olazabal Course opened in 2003 and will be home to the tournament through 2018. Sprinkled with nearly 160 bunkers, the layout features significant elevation changes as it weaves through lush, primordial jungle and offers several breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. With water down the entire left side and a fairway framed by 24 bunkers, the 580-yard, par-5, 15th is one of the most famous holes in Asia.
For more information about completed and current projects, visit www.schmidt-curley.com or call 480.483.1994.
About Schmidt-Curley Design, Inc.
Founded by partners Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley with offices in Scottsdale, Arizona and Haikou, Hainan Island, China, Schmidt-Curley is a full-service, international golf course architecture and master-planning firm with more than 100 layouts in 24 countries, including the U.S., Thailand, China, Vietnam, Mexico, Egypt, Sweden, and Korea. The tandem is responsible for crafting 10 of the 12 courses at storied Mission Hills Golf Club inShenzhen, China – the largest golf complex in the world.
Schmidt-Curley teamed with long-time partner Nick Faldo, as well as Ernie Els, Jose Maria Olazabal, David Duval, Annika Sorenstam, Vijay Singh, David Leadbetter and Jumbo Ozaki to create a golf experience unlike any other globally. High profile, award-winning projects from Schmidt-Curley include Bali Hai and Siena Golf Clubs (Las Vegas), Amata Spring Golf Club (Chonburi, Thailand, two-time host of the PGA European Tour’s Royal Trophy), Terra Lago Golf Club (Indio, California, site of the Skins Game from 1999 – 2002), Twin Creeks Golf Club (Cedar Park, Texas), and Crosby National Golf Club (Rancho Santa Fe, California).
Schmidt-Curley has also worked extensively with golf’s biggest names – including Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye, Fred Couples and Faldo on numerous high-profile projects – and boasts four ASGCA members (Lee Schmidt, Brian Curley, Grant Haserot and Andy Raugust).
Producing demanding yet beautiful and enjoyable courses, Schmidt-Curley strives to create golf experiences that stir the senses and elevate golfers’ appreciations for the land and the game. By balancing classic golf course architecture with ever-changing contemporary technology, Schmidt-Curley places an emphasis on site-adaptive courses, memorable and enjoyable for all levels of play and always designed for cost-efficient maintenance and operations.
Contact:
Shane Sharp
Buffalo Communications
704.519.8381 (cell)
ssharp@billycaspergolf.com
www.buffalocommunications.com
Stephen Reynolds
Buffalo Communications
703.761.1444
sreynolds@billycaspergolf.com
