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The Shark’s Killer Course
1 January 2009
Back to ArchiveGreg Norman’s Guide to the Course that Is Set to Captivate the World in November 2009
These are exciting times for golf. The sport has experienced continued growth of interest in the last decade—thanks largely to the ‘Tiger effect’—and as we enter the last year of the first decade of the 21st century, we have the thrill of the inaugural season of The Race to Dubai, which has already caused waves around the world of golf.
In this new, exhilarating era, the eyes of the world will be watching as The Race to Dubai finishes with the first Dubai World Championship on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates. When we first conceived the community back in 2004 with the Chairman of Dubai World, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, and David Spencer, we dreamt that one day the course would hold a great championship, but we could not have imagined the level to which this will be taken.
I had been coming to Dubai regularly long before 2004 and have been captivated by the emirate since my first visit. The vision of the ruling family constantly amazes me and it is an honour to play just a small role and to be involved in the creation of what will be one of Dubai’s landmark attractions.
I have been fortunate to have other golf tournaments and PGA events played on golf courses that I have designed, but not something of this magnitude. It is exciting for me, knowing that such a historic event will be played out for the first time on my eco-signature course at Jumeirah Golf Estates. The Earth course is going to be showcased on a global basis, which is fantastic, and I am fully confident that the end result will be a truly great course, fit to host some of the world’s best players.
I referenced earlier the influence that Tiger Woods has had on the game. However, whilst the sport has been poorer for his absence since he has been recovering from injury, it has had the effect of putting the spotlight on some of the other young golfers of this generation. Some of these players have taken the opportunity to shine, and I think that once Tiger is back playing again, he may find a more competitive environment than that which he left. These players will take centre stage in November, and it is a tantalising prospect to think that the top 60 will battle it out over four days on an entirely new course.
The entire course has a great balance, with a challenging first three holes and a front nine magical stretch starting from the downhill, 245-yard, par three, fourth hole, and including a classic par five on the seventh that requires the best of playing strategies and an even greater necessity of execution. I think you will see the best of players struggling to maintain par on this hole. But it is following a varied and complex middle stretch that players will arrive at the run of holes that really stands out for me. The last four fall just short of a mile, and I fully expect this to be one of the most challenging and exciting miles in golf. There is great reward, but there is also great risk!
Comprised of two par four’s, a par three and a par five, the ‘hardest mile’ will provide a challenging finale to the tournament where there could be a two- or three-shot swing that will cater to the best players. This will be a defining moment for spectators and television audiences alike. There is no doubt that we are in for a real treat when The Race to Dubai reaches its climax on the Earth course next November.
It is at the heart of the two golf courses currently being created at Jumeirah Golf Estates—Earth and Fire—that most of the activity during the tournament will take place. The Norman clubhouse will be fully operational by November, offering the crowds an incredible focal point during the tournament. I can just picture one lucky player standing over a winning putt on the 18th green, with the feature lake surrounding the back of the green and the clubhouse set a little farther back. It is going to be a true spectacle.
We have a fantastic team working on the course in order to ensure it is exactly right for the tournament. Everyone involved, both at Greg Norman Golf Course Design and Jumeirah Golf Estates, is at the top of their game. In order to get the best results, you need to be working with the best people. I can honestly say we have done this with Earth, and I believe the course and some of the holes will go down in golf history. These are exciting times and I am so glad to be involved in something this special. Roll on November!
