6 | AUSTRALASIA NEWS
AUSTRALASIA NEWS
Golf pros
launch $12
million course
construction
works
Golf professionals, Nick O’Hern, and
Dana Lacey, will officially launch
the $12 million driving range
construction works at Wembley
Golf Course on 14 December.
O’Hern, the only player to have
beaten Tiger Woods on two
occasions, and Lacey, one of the
Women’s PGA rising stars, will give
lessons to golf amateurs and play
a nine-hole round with winners
of a recent golf competition, as
part of the launch. Construction
was endorsed by Council in April
this year and is set to make the
range one of the largest in the
southern hemisphere. Works
include the construction of an
80 bay, two-tiered driving range
and the introduction of credit
charged style swipe cards to
access a touch screen to tee
waiting for edit????
• Kalgoorlie Golf Course.
Patron of
Golf Australia
named
up golf balls every six seconds.
According to chief executive Jason
Buckley, the development would
provide significant benefits to
both local residents and those
travelling from further a field.“The
development of the driving range
is an investment into the future
of sports development, physical
activity and the community.
‘The Wembley Golf Course has
an international reputation and
has won many environmental
management awards. This
development will see the course
become a world-class leader,” he
said. The plan will also include the
re-development of the Pro Shop
and creation of central Piazza and
alfresco area. Works on the driving
range are expected to be complete
by May or June next year.
Golf Australia recently announced that Dr Haruhisa Handa
has been made an official Patron of Golf Australia. Dr Handa
has been involved in international golf for almost 25 years in
roles ranging from advising professional tours and sponsoring
tournaments through to patronage of the International Blind
Golf Association. Born in Japan, Dr Handa is the Honorary
Chairman of the US LPGA Legends Tour and an advisor to the
European Senior Tour. He is also the current sponsor of the
Handa Australian Senior Open and Handa Australia Cup and
recently announced his sponsorship of four new tournaments
on the European Seniors Tour. Outside of golf, in recognition
of his years of philanthropic work, Dr Handa has been granted
several honorary titles internationally, including Honorary
Doctorates from London University, SOAS, Juilliard School of
Music in New York and an Honorary Fellowship from Oxford
University.“Dr Handa has made a substantial contribution
to international golf at all levels over several decades,” said
Anne Lenagan, Chairman of Golf Australia.“It is fitting that we
recognise this wonderful contribution in a way which allows
Dr Handa to maintain his strong interest and enthusiasm for
Australian golf by being a Patron of Golf Australia.”
Kalgoorlie course
back on track
The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder will
soon be calling for Expressions of
Interest for management tenders for
the operation of our new 18-hole
Graham Marsh Golf Design. Located
in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Western
Australia, it is expected to be one of
the top 10 desert golf courses in the
world. Click on this ad, or visit
www.kalbould.wa.gov.au
to find out more about this
exciting opportunity.”
The Graham-Marsh-designed
desert golf course at Kalgoorlie
will open for play in mid-2010,
according to City of KalgoorlieBoulder CEO Don Burnett.
He told Golf Industry Central the
City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder had
taken over the multi-million dollar
development from developer
Michael Hale.
The project, in south-east Western
Australia, had stalled but was now
on schedule for completion in
May or June.
“The developer is not involved,”
he said.“It was always going to be
the City’s golf course and we have
taken it back over and will set
up a temporary clubhouse while
we complete the permanent
clubhouse and then we go and
sort out the resort side of it, which
is another project.”
Burnett said the final grassing of
the golf course would take place
in early December.
“We want to give it a good
growing in period through
summer.” Burnett said the
estimate for the clubhouse and
the golf course was “ &