Gary Player Design is pleased to announce the grand opening of the Mountain Park Golf Course in South Carolina on September 27. The newest Gary Player Signature design will be one of only a handful of new courses opening by any designer in North America in 2013.
“We are thrilled to unveil our Mountain Park course,” said Gary Player. “I am confident its unique character will be well received. It is a stunning setting, and we are extremely pleased with the course from a design perspective.”
“Links-style shot making, fast and firm conditions, exciting variety and walkability are all key design elements that we have incorporated into the Mountain Park course,” said Jeff Lawrence, Gary Player Design Senior Designer. “It will truly be a fun and exciting golf course to experience.”
Gary Player will be in attendance for the grand opening ceremonies on Friday, September 27, where the Black Knight will host a morning clinic and grand opening tournament for Mountain Park members. The autumn opening will allow members and guests to experience the natural beauty and scenic backdrop of the course as the fall colors begin to change.
“Experiencing the natural beauty, impeccable conditioning and distinctive playability will certainly capture the imagination and intrigue of everyone who plays it,” said Lawrence.
The 7218-yard layout was designed to the highest environmental standards, but also with playability for all levels in mind.
“Members and guests will see an environmentally friendly landscape, with native grasses incorporated to create a ‘links’ feel,” said Scott Ferrell, President of Gary Player Design. “Players of all skill levels will have a wonderful array of shot options, particularly around the greens.”
Mountain Park is just one of the courses that Gary Player Design will add in the coming months to its international portfolio that includes more than 300 courses across the globe in over 35 countries. The Black Knight’s design firm will also open Gary Player Signature courses at DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon, India next month and Indura Resort in Honduras early next year.
“We are delighted to have over 40 active design projects worldwide, including over twenty under construction at this time,” said Marc Player, CEO of Black Knight International. “As we start new designs in China, Peru, India, Gabon, Brazil, and the Middle East, we continue the expansion of our global portfolio at a substantial rate.”
ABOUT GARY PLAYER DESIGN
Widely recognized as the world’s most successful golf course architectural firm, Gary Player Design established by Marc Player in 1983 has completed over 325 championship courses spanning the globe. With an ever-increasing number of courses stretching across five continents and encompassing more than 35 countries, the firm is renowned for its select and ecological approach to design.
Magazines such as Golf Asia, Travel & Leisure, Golf Digest, Golf Week, Golf World Worldwide Golf, and The Complete Golfer have consistently listed Gary Player courses among the top places to play. Travel & Leisure Golf named Leopard Creek in South Africa one of the top ten Best International Courses; Geneva National was referred to by Golfweek as the best course you can play in America; and Golf, Inc. named BlackSeaRama in Bulgaria the 2010 International Development of the Year. Awards and accolades such as these are numerous, and for good reason. Gary Player Design doesn’t simply design the course and walk away; they also provide the consulting services that will guide a newly established project through the implementation steps necessary to ensure success. The results are premier golf courses & resorts that provide golfers with a unique style of luxury, the challenge of risk versus reward, and a truly memorable experience.
Although Gary Player’s golfing expertise influences every project, Gary Player Design offers three tiers of golf course design service; Black Knight Design™, Player Design™, and Gary Player Signature Design™. On Signature Design projects, Mr. Player is involved in every phase of design and development. With over 50 years of professional golf experience, Player, The World’s Most Traveled Athlete™ has visited and studied most of the great golf courses of the world so he understands that the design of a course takes both vision and respect for existing conditions. His design philosophy, and also that of The Player Group, is to create challenging yet playable courses that enhance the existing resources and retain the natural beauty of the land. Environmental sensitivity is a cornerstone of Gary Player’s passion for golf course design.
Gary Player, often referred to as the Black Knight, is one of the century’s greatest golfers and one of the original inductees into the World Golf Hall of Fame. He is one of only five golfers to ever win the Grand Slam on the PGA Tour and the only golfer to win the Grand Slam on both the regular and Champions Tour. Over the course of his career, Player participated in 438 Tour events, placed in the top 25 in 281 of them, and won 165 worldwide tournaments. Player, whose career earnings exceed $15 million, is a legend in his own time. Currently serving as The Global Ambassador to the World Golf Hall of Fame, he has been a three-time President’s Cup Captain and is ranked by Golf Digest as one of the top ten all-time golf greats. Player’s iconic status in sport adds immeasurable marketing value to all golf course design assignments he accepts. His legacy will most certainly ensure Gary Player’s Design success for many years to come.
For more information, please contact Grace Lipscomb-Vine, Archivist & Media Coordinator, Gary Player Group, at +1 864-477-2720, or grace@garyplayer.com
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