Arnold Palmer to Build Second Course at Castle Stuart

[Benjamin Litman]

This just in (link and full text below):

http://www.lucidmessages.com/2015/03/the-king-set-to-take-castle-by-storm/

The Arnold Palmer Group has confirmed it is joining forces with Castle Stuart’s managing partner Mark Parsinen and his team to collaborate on a spectacular new 18-hole links course on the Moray Firth near Inverness.

The new venture will complement the existing course at Castle Stuart, built by Parsinen and Gil Hanse and which has achieved worldwide acclaim since opening in 2009.

Plans for the venue’s second iconic course will be submitted within two months and it is envisaged work will get underway early next year, ahead of the return of the Scottish Open to Castle Stuart for the fourth time in six years. It is planned to have the new links open for use by 2019.

The partnership deal was announced by Arnold Palmer at his Invitational tournament which is being held this week at the golfer’s Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Florida.

Discussions on the project have been ongoing for some time and members of the Palmer team have visited Castle Stuart several times recently.

Palmer, nicknamed The King and winner of seven Majors including successive victories at The Open championship in 1961 and 1962 – the latter at Royal Troon -  intends to visit Castle Stuart this summer, ahead of The Open at St Andrews.

He is said to be excited at the prospect of creating a new course as homage to Scotland and to recognise his love of links golf.

Mark Parsinen, who also co-designed Kingsbarns Golf Links in Fife, said; “We have been in discussion for more than a year now with the Arnold Palmer Group and we are delighted that it has joined the partnership at Castle Stuart Golf Links.

“We are working with his design team on the routing of the new course with a view to beginning construction this time next year.”

The new course will be similar in length to the existing 7,193-yard links and will feature spectacular views across the Moray Firth as well as the 17th century castle which gives the course its name.

Stuart McColm, Castle Stuart Golf Links’ general manager, added: “This is fantastic news, not just for Inverness, but for the Highlands and for Scotland. We at Castle Stuart have focused on working with other partners to promote the Highlands as a world class golfing destination and this announcement that the Arnold Palmer Group wants to partner with us can only enhance that reputation.

“Having two world class courses in Inverness, together with all the other great courses in the Highlands, will undoubtedly drive more people to this area and have a significant economic impact.”

The development is another major milestone in the short but spectacular history of Castle Stuart Golf Links.

It has achieved global acclaim in its first six years and was placed at No. 56 on Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Courses in the World in 2013.

It staged the Scottish Open for three successive years from 2011-2013, with the 2013 championship, won by Phil Mickelson, reaching a worldwide television audience of more than 500 million, including weekend live coverage on NBC USA.

The championship, sponsored by Aberdeen Asset Management and the Scottish Government, will return to Castle Stuart in July, 2016.

Castle Stuart Golf Links opens for the 2015 season on Friday, 27 March.

[David_Tepper]

Very interesting and more than a little surprising. Arnie is still the biggest "brand" in golf.

[Niall Hay]

Castle Stuart is wonderful.  Is there mention of the exact 2nd course location? Routing?   

Interesting choice of architect. Very happy for Arnie and his team.

[Niall Hay]

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/arnold-palmer-plans-new-course-in-the-highlands.121129526  seems official.

Legendary American golfer Arnold Palmer is to build his first golf course in Scotland at Castle Stuart on the shores of the Moray Firth and could open it in four years.

The Arnold Palmer Group confirmed it is joining forces with Castle Stuart Golf Links' managing partner Mark Parsinen and his team to collaborate on a spectacular new 18 hole course.

The partnership deal was announced by Arnold Palmer at his Invitational tournament which is being held this week at the golfer's Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Florida.

The new venture will complement the existing course at Castle Stuart, near Inverness, which has achieved worldwide acclaim since opening in 2009.

It was 56 on Golf Magazine's Top 100 Courses in the World in 2013 and staged the Scottish Open for three successive years from 2011-2013. The 2013 championship, won by Phil Mickelson, reaching a worldwide television audience of more than 500 million, including weekend live coverage on NBC USA.

Plans for the second course will be submitted within two months and it is envisaged work will get underway early next year, ahead of the return of the Scottish Open to Castle Stuart for the fourth time in six years. It is planned to have the new links open for use by 2019.

Palmer, nicknamed The King and winner of seven Majors including successive victories at The Open championship in 1961 and 1962 - the latter at Royal Troon - intends to visit Castle Stuart this summer, ahead of The Open at St Andrews.

He is said to be excited at the prospect of creating a new course as homage to Scotland, the home of golf, and to underline his love of links golf.

Mark Parsinen, who also co-designed Kingsbarns Golf Links in Fife, said; "We have been in discussion for more than a year now with the Arnold Palmer Group and we are delighted that it has joined the partnership at Castle Stuart Golf Links."

The new course will be similar in length to the existing 7,193-yard links and will feature spectacular views across the Moray Firth as well as the 17th century castle which gives the course its name.

[Benjamin Litman]

Very interesting and more than a little surprising. Arnie is still the biggest "brand" in golf.

Indeed, David. Is there some significance to March 19 as a release date for such news? First Cape Wickham, now this. And note that both releases describe the new courses as "spectacular." They obviously are, but, perhaps spoiled by Bernard Darwin and many of the esteemed posters on this board, I expect more out of golf writers.

I'm very curious to hear from Tom on this, as I can't imagine he wasn't involved in the architect-selection process. The King is the King, but, as you imply, David, certainly a break from the "minimalists" who have repeatedly received--and delivered on--these projects over the last decade.

In any event, a Highlands hub for Scotland golf vacations just became that much more popular, I imagine.

[David_Tepper]

"Is there mention of the exact 2nd course location?"

Niall -

I am pretty sure the 2nd course will be located to the left of the entry road to the clubhouse/parking lot/driving range. At least that is where the 2nd course was to be located on the original development plans for the property.

DT

[Mark Pritchett]

If Brandon Johnson (with APD) is involved I would expect to be a top notch design.  His work at Spring Island and Wexford are terrific. 

This will be an interesting project to follow.   

[Gary Sato]

Parsinen is a control freak and considers himself an architect so the Palmer name is the most important aspect from a marketing effort. I suspect he feels it will drive people to the property?  

Realistically, Palmer is 85 years old and my bet is his contract requires him to show up once, opening day.

[Benjamin Litman]

Realistically, Palmer is 85 years old and my bet is his contract requires him to show up once, opening day.

The article says he's already planning to be there this summer, before the Open at St. Andrews.

[Eric Smith]

Congratulations to GCAers Thad Layton and Brandon Johnson of Arnold Palmer Design!

[Jon Wiggett]

"Is there mention of the exact 2nd course location?"

Niall -

I am pretty sure the 2nd course will be located to the left of the entry road to the clubhouse/parking lot/driving range. At least that is where the 2nd course was to be located on the original development plans for the property.

DT

From the plans I have seen the 2nd course will start between the present one and the road and go around the back of the castle and along the shore opposite the 4th towards Inverness. This is great news.

Jon

[Adam Lawrence]

Congratulations to GCAers Thad Layton and Brandon Johnson of Arnold Palmer Design!

Thad and Brandon are both great guys, and extremely talented. I won't say I'm not surprised, but I'm certain they will do terrific work.

[Garland Bayley]

Congratulations to GCAers Thad Layton and Brandon Johnson of Arnold Palmer Design!

yeah, what he said!

[Gary Sato]

Realistically, Palmer is 85 years old and my bet is his contract requires him to show up once, opening day.

The article says he's already planning to be there this summer, before the Open at St. Andrews.

Photo opportunity.

[Alan Ritchie]

as a highlander I'm pretty excited by this, can only be good for the area and make it a real contender with the more traditionally popular areas.. not knowing much about palmer designs however, what differences will people expect to see from the course next door? Will it look like bay hill?😉

[Benjamin Litman]

As a huge Highlands fan, I'm excited for you, Alan! I think it's pretty safe to say that the Highlands "hub" for Scotland golf travel is now a close second to St. Andrews (although the courses, dare I say, might be better in the Highlands). East Lothian is amazing, too, but I'd put it third, with the West and Aberdeen somewhere after those three.

I'm sure many on here are much more familiar with Arnold Palmer's design work than I am, but I know he designed Tralee in Ireland, and at least the pictures on the website (http://www.traleegolfclub.com/#!home) suggest that we should have high hopes for the coming work at Castle Stuart.

[Adam Lawrence]

As a huge Highlands fan, I'm excited for you, Alan! I think it's pretty safe to say that the Highlands "hub" for Scotland golf travel is now a close second to St. Andrews (although the courses, dare I say, might be better in the Highlands). East Lothian is amazing, too, but I'd put it third, with the West and Aberdeen somewhere after those three.

I'm sure many on here are much more familiar with Arnold Palmer's design work than I am, but I know he designed Tralee in Ireland, and at least the pictures on the website (http://www.traleegolfclub.com/#!home) suggest that we should have high hopes for the coming work at Castle Stuart.

I would not draw any connection between the two. The late Ed Seay designed Tralee, while eithe Brandon Johnson or Thad Layton (or both) will do Castle Stuart.

[Ally Mcintosh]

As a huge Highlands fan, I'm excited for you, Alan! I think it's pretty safe to say that the Highlands "hub" for Scotland golf travel is now a close second to St. Andrews (although the courses, dare I say, might be better in the Highlands). East Lothian is amazing, too, but I'd put it third, with the West and Aberdeen somewhere after those three.

I'm sure many on here are much more familiar with Arnold Palmer's design work than I am, but I know he designed Tralee in Ireland, and at least the pictures on the website (http://www.traleegolfclub.com/#!home) suggest that we should have high hopes for the coming work at Castle Stuart.

I would not draw any connection between the two. The late Ed Seay designed Tralee, while eithe Brandon Johnson or Thad Layton (or both) will do Castle Stuart.

Although they are currently redoing the 9th at Tralee with this team, aren't they? The fly-through Brian posted made the revamped hole look really interesting. Is that in construction this winter?

When I was at Castle Stuart last June, Stuart McColm was kind enough to spend a lunch with me. He was talking about the potential land for this new course (as Jon says round the bay from the 4th hole) which was exciting and very different to the original plan shown on the model in the lobby. Like the original course, the ground will need shaped. Looking forward to seeing the new layout.

[Alan Ritchie]

yeah it's certainly not classic dune-land out there. Would agree that a fair amount of earth moving will have to be done

[Pete Lavallee]

Just to set the record straight, Bay Hill is a Dick Wilson design which Arnie purchased and has tinkered with since.

[Michael Essig]

I am going to be the contrarian here. 

One of my two home courses is a Palmer Design, c. 2003, and honestly, it is about a Doak 3 on rolling land in God's country among 100' fir trees.  So the setting is a 10, but the course is far from it.  Architecturally, there is some stupid stuff: downwind carries (often blows 15+ mph) over large deep bunkers to greens that cannot be held by anything more than a 7-iron when the wind is calm, and when the wind is blowing (which is a lot of the time) about a PW; mounding that is ridiculously artificial; and nearly every green is shallow and wide.  Oh, and when you do go over a green, you are on the artificial mounds which equals a downhill pitch to a downsloping green that when well struck you are praying it will stop in the fringe, which means most people hit it over the green.

And my game doesn't suck.  I was the guy who started eagle-birdie-birdie-eagle at Chambers Bay in the 2014 King's Putter.  So, if I have difficulty playing some of these shots, imagine what everyone else does.

I can't fault them for the routing, that was dictated by the housing, but the corridors within the development are a few times wider than the fairways, so there was ample room to work within the allocated space. 

More than anything it is the greens and the surrounds that make no sense, especially when the wind blow over 10 mph, which is all the time.

I do have comparisons: Doak built a private course on property, and Jacobson/Hardy built a third eighteen on property.  Jacobson probably had the worst piece of ground to work with; Doak had the hilliest.  This should speak volumes: because I am not a private member, I rarely play Doak's Tumble Creek, so I probably play the Jacobson course ten times every one play on the Palmer course.

How many APD's are on the ranking lists?

I truly fear what APD would do in Scotland.  Castle Course II?

Maybe Mr. Johnson and Mr. Layton were not involved in the design of my course in 2003, but if they were, I hope they have learned something in the ensuing 12 years.  I don't know them personally or professionally, but I would say this, "The world will be watching."

[Tim Bert]

For Scotland's sake, I hope no one that designed Cherokee Run, King's Creek, or Gillette Ridge are involved.   Apologies to anyone that was involved if that seems harsh. I'm feeling honest tonight.

[Jud_T]

For Scotland's sake, I hope no one that designed Cherokee Run, King's Creek, or Gillette Ridge are involved.   Apologies to anyone that was involved if that seems harsh. I'm feeling honest tonight.

Add Aviara to the list...

[Joel_Stewart]

I am going to be the contrarian here. 


How many APD's are on the ranking lists?

I truly fear what APD would do in Scotland.  Castle Course II?

I agree if Palmer was actively involved.  The fact is Mark Parnesian is the owner and as somebody said he considers himself an architect.  Mark has two Top 100 world courses (Kingsbarn and Castle Stuart) so I doubt he would let it be poorly shaped or routed.

As I said on a Facebook discussion, Mark probably has the routing completed. 

Don't discount Marks eye and level of quality. 

[Benjamin Litman]

A few more details courtesy of Mr. Klein:

http://golfweek.com/news/2015/mar/19/arnold-palmer-scotland-golf-course-design-stuart/

Of particular note:

"Parsinen told Golfweek that what'€™s being referred to as The Tribute Course will start upland and behind the existing front nine, near the eponymous 17th-century castle that is within view when playing the current par-3 fourth hole. The new course will stretch out to the west along a little bay formed at the bottom of the Moray Firth. The site is sandy and elevated, offering long views of the lower firth and downtown Inverness, seven miles to the southwest."

"Palmer'€™s two design associates, Thad Layton and Brandon Johnson, will oversee much of the on-site work in conjunction with Parsinen. The two architects have just returned from a two-week long site visit during which most of the routing was finalized. Parsinen called the collaboration '€œfundamentally a co-design between AP Design and myself.'"