Padraig Harrington Gets Into The GCA Business!

[David_Tepper]

Looks like Padraig Harrington (and associates) will be designing his first golf course at The Marlbrook, a 500-acre country estate near Tipperarry, Ireland.

http://www.padraigharrington.com/the_marlbrook.php

[Joel_Stewart]

This doesn't bode well.

European Golf Design (EGD) and International Management Group Design (IMG Design) provide design support for Padraig. EGD is the joint venture design of the PGA European Tour and IMG. Since 1992, when the company was founded, EGD has been commissioned to design courses throughout Europe and beyond. Based in Sunningdale, UK, EGD provides design support fo Padraig in Europe. IMG Design has designed projects all over the globe and provides design support for Padraig in Asia and the Americas.

[Adam Lawrence]

That project was announced years ago and has gone nowhere. David, are you sure this is a new announcement? It isn't dated.

[Adam Lawrence]

Joel - GCA's own Robin Hiseman is one of EGD's architects. I won't say I like everything the firm has done, but much of its work is excellent.

[David_Tepper]

"That project was announced years ago and has gone nowhere. David, are you sure this is a new announcement? It isn't dated."

Adam L. -

You could be right. I was watching the Malaysian Open on TV this morning and one of the announcers referred to PH designing his first golf course near Tipperary. I assumed the project was "alive," but you know what they say about making assumptions.

DT

[Niall C]

This doesn't bode well.

?

[David_Tepper]

Niall -

Joel does not approve of "corporate" GCA.

DT

[Martin Toal]

What's the harm? A professional golf design firm is developing a new course and they will be getting input from Paddy H. There will be a few pictures of him with wellies on walking the site and gesturing at some vague part of the middle distance, and he will talk about how he was influenced by this or that feature on the European Tour or another famous Irish course.

I don't think anyone imagines Paddy H is learning the business of golf course design in all its complexity. He is a smart guy who takes a fairly analytical approach to things, so there would be worse choices.

[David Minogue]

Living in the county next to where this project is supposed to be built as far as I am aware that project has not proceeded since the initial press reports a couple of years ago. I have not heard anything recently about the project but I would guess someone from EGD might know better, from what I read Stan Eby was going to be the lead on the project.

Cheers.

[Adam Lawrence]

Stan retired last year.

[Robin_Hiseman]

Joel - GCA's own Robin Hiseman is one of EGD's architects. I won't say I like everything the firm has done, but much of its work is excellent.

Cheque in post Adam