NICKLAUS DESIGN AROUND THE GLOBE
Grand Haven’s American Dunes Under Construction
A transformation is under way in Michigan at Grand Haven Golf Club, near the coast of Lake Michigan just west of Grand Rapids. Once owned by Dr. John Rooney, the course is owned today by his son, Major Dan Rooney, founder of Folds Of Honor, a nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to families of military servicemen and women who have fallen or been disabled while on active duty in the United States Armed Forces. Dan is working with Jack and Senior Designer Chris Cochran to completely redesign and reimagine the golf course.
“The property is basically sand underneath,” Jack explained. “What we are trying to do is create a golf course that will open up that feeling of coming off Lake Michigan, having the dunes, and then incorporating that into some of the inland areas that have the beautiful trees.”
“The combination of the two — being able to play through and around exposed dunes as well as tree-lined holes in some places — really creates a golf course that is rather unique. If we can do that, and at the same time honor our military and raise money for the education of the families of our fallen soldiers, this is going to be something very unique and very special in the game of golf.”
With a targeted reopening date of Memorial Day 2020, the new course will be known as American Dunes.
Jack Nicklaus Signature Course in India Hosts Asia Tour International Championship
The Classic Golf and Country Club, the first Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course in Southern Asia that opened in 1998, will be showcased on the Asian Tour when The Classic Golf and Country Club International Championship debuts September 12-15, 2019.
Sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), the new event will feature an exciting mix of established stars, promising talents from the Asian Tour and members of the PGTI, all vying for part of the $300,000 (US) purse.
Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO of the Asian Tour, said,“Apart from having our best players compete for some of the bigger prize purses on Tour, full-field events such as the Classic Golf and Country Club International Championship will also provide our emerging talents with the opportunity to shoot for glory and aim for their breakthrough on the Asian Tour.”
Concession Golf Club Adds Family-Friendly Par 3 “Gimme” Course
Debuting for the peak winter golf season in Sarasota, FL, the all-new Par-3, nine-hole short course and one-acre putting course have been created by the Nicklaus Design team, led by Senior Designer Chris Cochran, at The Concession Golf Club. With site shaping complete and bunkers in place, Mother Nature is presently working her magic during the vital grow-in phase.
“We have created a Par-3 course equal in its quality and visual impact to The Concession’s championship course and complements its challenging nature with a family-friendly design that caters to beginners, juniors, seniors, and die-hard golfers alike,” said Chris Cochran, Senior Designer with Nicklaus Design. “It has been a great experience getting to work with old friends, Bruce Cassidy Sr. (President), Terry Kennelly (Superintendent), and Jerame Miller (Shaper) on this long-awaited project. I think that the membership is going to be delighted with the result of this fun new golf amenity for the club.”
The highly anticipated facility has been given its own name and identity, The Gimme, to distinguish it from the championship course. In a nod to that famous moment of sportsmanship at the 1969 Ryder Cup between the U.S. team’s Jack Nicklaus and Great Britain’s Tony Jacklin, the “Gimme” refers to the putt that Nicklaus conceded to Jacklin, resulting in the first Ryder Cup tie and a moment forever etched in golf history lore. The course will have signature markings on each of its flagsticks to signify that “gimme” distance, adding to the jovial atmosphere of play.
The Gimme Par-3 and Snake Acre Putting Course will open to Concession Golf members on November 1st with a members-only tournament. LINK TO CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS AND PLAN
Video Spotlight: Jack Nicklaus II talks about the importance of protecting the environment
Jack II discusses the importance for golf course designers to set the best example and be stewards of the environment.
Partner Spotlight: Nicklaus Extends 20-year relationship with Apparel Partner in Indonesia
Trisula Corporation, a publicly-traded company (PT) (TRIS), is one of Indonesia’s most respected businesses with interests in textiles, garment manufacturing, retail, real estate, and furniture. Founded in 1968 by Tirta Suherlan, this company has grown from humble beginnings in a simple factory with a few weaving looms, into an international corporation known for providing fair and rewarding work conditions for its 6,100 employees across five industries.
Tirta’s son, Kiky, is now Chairman and CEO of Trisula Corporation and has carried on his father’s vision “to create a better life for all.”
Since 1994, Trisula has greatly expanded the Jack Nicklaus brand across the country and recently extended the long-term relationship for five additional years after experiencing double-digit sales growth for the third consecutive year. The Nicklaus-branded merchandise is distributed to more than 65 points across Indonesia, including prominent department stores such as Sogo, Seibu, Metro, Centro, Lotte, Central, Star, Sarinah, and stand-alone shops in Jakarta and other major Indonesian cities.
“We take great pride in our relationship with the Nicklaus Companies as well as the success we have built with the Jack Nicklaus brand,” said Chairman Suherlan. “The brand demands the highest standards and so does Trisula.”
Over the years on multiple occasions, the company has received recognition for excellence and dedication and is among an elite group of Nicklaus licensees worldwide to achieve the highest business growth distinction for two consecutive years.
“Our strategy is to partner with the industry leader in each country, and Trisula is the very best in the Indonesian market in many aspects,” commented Andy O’Brien, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Licensing, and Communications. “The Jack Nicklaus shops Trisula has developed in cities and malls around the country are of the highest quality and consistent with the Jack Nicklaus brand experience we establish in each market worldwide. Kiky and Dedie Suherlan are not just partners; they are trusted friends.”
Trisula’s plans call for expanding the Nicklaus business to a larger market share through continuous quality improvement, product development, and more effective pricing.
