I have an interesting case where exactly this theme has turned up. The whole story is full of non-sequitors so it is sometimes difficult follow.
Here is some of the story.
Recently the 2nd Phase of a 3 Phase Golf Course Project of mine in Fuerteventura, Spain for a Hotel Resort has completed construction. The original brief was a Par 72 Golf Course with a Practise Area including 3 short practise holes. During the Planning Application the client ran into difficulties securing the land for the golf course (it’s a complicated story) and so it was decided to use the Practise holes as part of the 18-Hole Golf course until the Phase 3 could be completed.
The Phase 2 which will be opened in 2 months will be an 18-Hole Par 67 with 3x Par 5’s, 7x Par 4’s and 8x Par 3’s.
At present the Phase 1, 9-Hole only Par 30, is in operation.
Although the 9-Hole Golf Course is ticking over nicely at the moment the Client’s Marketing men have been busy trying to interest some Golf Travel Operaters and secure some contracts with them.
Up until recently the Travel Operaters had turned their noses up at the Par 67 and communicated they were really only interested in selling a Par 72 to the tourists.
One of the Travel Groups had just started supplying golf tourists to another Golf Course (a Par 72) about ½ hour away. Apparently the Tourists found the other golf course not to their liking (indifferent maintenance and very narrow difficult holes) and preferred to play our 9-Hole Golf Course at Las Playitas.
The Travel Operaters seeing the interest of the golfers took up renewed contact and decided to send a party of “golfing experts” across to test the 9-Hole golf course and check out the Phase 2 Par 67 18-Hole.
Now “Low and Behold” on examination the Tour Operaters love the golf course and even think the Par 67 could be an interesting market niche for their happy golfers.
My next problem being - will they like the Phase 3 upgrade, (now to be a Par 70) or will they prefer the Par 67!!!