Scott Ferrell, President of Gary Player Design, will attend the Gary Player Invitational UAE at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club on February 8, along with a host of professional golfers and celebrities celebrating the Union of Golf and Giving.
Ferrell joined the Gary Player Group in 2001 and works closely with Player to ensure that his design philosophies and vision are perfectly executed within each project the division accepts.
Under Ferrell’s leadership, the prominent golf course design company has secured projects in emerging markets around the world including the Middle East, North America, Central America, Europe, Africa, China, and India. Gary Player Design has continued its focus on the Black Knight’s philosophy of creating visually appealing golf courses, while making environmental stewardship a priority.
“I vividly remember my first trip to Abu Dhabi nearly 10 years ago when I learned about the ambitious plans TDIC had for Saadiyat Island,” says Ferrell. “Being part of those plans, not to mention being the first course on the Arabian Gulf in the UAE, frankly, made this project one of the most important in the history of Gary Player Design. I really look forward to returning to Saadiyat for the Gary Player Invitational.”
Eighteen professionals from twelve countries, including Major champions, will join tournament host, sporting legend, and Grand Slam Champion, Gary Player, to help raise funds for underprivileged children. During the last 30 years, The Player Foundation has raised more than $60 million for charity.
The Saadiyat Beach Club is sure to impress all who attend the event. Since opening in 2010, the course has gone from strength to strength, and 2015 marked another year in which awards and accolades have been bestowed upon the golf club. The course took home honors as the United Arab Emirates Best Golf Course at the 2015 World Golf Awards, firmly securing its position as one of the jewels in Abu Dhabi’s golfing crown.
In addition, the Gary Player signature golf course has been awarded certification from Audubon International, recognizing its efforts to preserve and encourage wildlife on the course and in surrounding areas.
“Environmental sensitivity is incredibly important to Mr. Player,” Ferrell said. “I know how gratifying it is to him and our entire team to see Saadiyat’s continued commitment in this area.”
In order to be awarded certification, US-based Audubon International required evidence of the Saadiyat Island club successfully implementing and carrying out activities that significantly protect and encourage natural wildlife and habitation. Audubon International commended the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club’s documentation of wildlife and habitat value, nurturing of natural habitat areas, and restoration of degraded habitats.
For more information on Gary Player Design, visit www.garyplayer.com
ABOUT GARY PLAYER DESIGN
Established by Marc Player in the early 1980s and widely recognized as the most successful international golf course architectural firm in the world, Gary Player Design has branded more than 350 layouts with the mark of a champion. Over its existence, the firm has worked on five continents and in over 30 countries, and prides itself on taking Gary Player and his design experience to emerging markets to help develop the game of golf globally.
The company offers three tiers of golf course design brands, Black Knight Design™, Player Design™ and Gary Player Signature Design™ – of which Mr. Player is personally involved in each Signature project. The cornerstone of Gary Player’s design approach is to create playable and memorable golf courses within the constraints of a given site, while being ultra-sensitive to the surrounding environment.
The result is a portfolio of award-winning and environmentally-recognized courses around the world, including the Top 3 Courses in South Africa and a multitude of Asian awards – most notably the Best Golf Course in both Hong Kong and Indonesia. The company’s portfolio includes nine Gary Player-branded golf courses in China, eight in the Philippines, twelve in Japan, four in Korea, as well as others in Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and India.
Gary Player Design has both existing and active projects in Greece, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, the Ukraine, Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Cypress, as well in the Middle East in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Oman, Qatar and Morocco.
Multiple rankings have also been received in the US by Golf Digest and Golf Magazine, and several courses have been certified by the Audubon International for environmental stewardship. With projects under construction in Canada, Mexico and the United States, Gary Player Design lays claim to 45 golf courses in North America.
Marc Player is the Chief Executive of Black Knight International, the holding company of The Player Group, of which Gary Player Design is an operating division. Presently the design company has more than 60 projects around the world in the design and construction phase, including five that opened in 2010.
For further information and/or a listing of awards, contact Scott Ferrell at +1 864 477-2720 or visit www.garyplayerdesign.com.
Contact:
Bo Wood, Gary Player Group
Tel: 864-477-2720
Email: b.wood@garyplayer.com
Spencer Castillo, Castillo & Ruig
Tel: 310-664-8843
Email: scastillo@discovercrc.com
