I am a member at Keysborough and I have watched the history of this deal unfold closely.
Originally the deal was stitched up by Greg Norman Design with his corporate backers, Macquarie Bank.
IMG then, in its usual manner, went to the owner of the land and offer it a better deal, so exit Norman and partners and enter IMG with their newly acquired design partners, TWP.
Ms Webb is admired for her golfing prowess, and her record speaks for itself. However, the general consensus is, Ms Webb couldn't draw a straight line without the aid of a ruler, and she has admitted as much.
As everyone else has noted, this is just the typical nonsensical, rapacious marketing flotsom and jetsom for which IMG has become renowned.
The deal involves not only the nine new holes, but also an upgrade on the original Sam Berriman design, or what is left of it, dating back to 1948.
The house lots will be selling for around $300,00 each, replete with a tunnel under Hutton Road connecting the old with the new, a new clubhouse, upgraded irrigation sysem, a new and bigger carpark, a gymnasium, a starters hut, new pro shop and the aforementioned redesign of some holes on the existing 18.
From last reports all paperwork is in now in order, so the starting date may not be far away.
I don't have much time for IMG, as anyone who has read my posts over the years here and elsewhere would have concluded, so at the end of the day the members at KGC shouldn't complain too loudly if they feel "screwed".
For mine, I would have invited Michael Clayton, John Sloan and their buddies in for a good revamp, but I guess that's way too out-of-date to invite traditionalists in to tidy up a course that has been altered for the worse by well-meaning committees over the years.
::)Now let's sit back and watch the saga unfold . . . . . . .