Nicklaus stakes his claim in South Africa

Jack Nicklaus looks over design plans while visitng Waterberg. (Photo by Jim Mandeville)

Golf legend Jack Nicklaus was in South Africa earlier this month to survey the site of his latest design--Waterberg, The Jack Nicklaus _ Ernie Els Golf and Game Reserve of South Africa. Waterberg not only represents the first design collaboration between Nicklaus and Els, but also it is the first project in South Africa in which Nicklaus has taken an equity stake.

"I am delighted to be able to work with Ernie," Nicklaus said. "We are going to have a lot of fun together. This is a great project, and the idea of combining a golf course and a game reserve is unique and something exciting to me."

This was Nicklaus' first visit to the site, and during his visit, he conducted a full site survey and reviewed the preliminary routing plan. This was done with Greg Letsche, a senior design associate with Nicklaus Design who has been appointed as the lead designer on the project. Nicklaus' design expertise came to the fore when he made some material changes to the draft golf course routing.

Jack Nicklaus said of the course: "This golf course could easily stretch to 8,000 yards from the back tees at this altitude, but from the front tees, it will play around 6,600-6,800 yards, which gives us a nice golf course for the average golfer to play.

"There is very little elevation change in the golf course itself, and the course will be designed to walk, although players can use carts".

Nicklaus was really taken with the Waterberg site.

"This particular piece of property is a beautiful piece of land--very gentle, surrounded by great vistas from all of the home sites," he said. "The course fits in very nicely, with some beautiful water features that flow through it, as well as great native vegetation. It will make for a very pretty golf course, but at the same time, we will add in good golf shots so that everyone will be able to enjoy it".

The day was shared by the purchasers of stands in Phase I who were delighted to hear Jack's insight for the golf course. Sales of Phase I properties have set new standards for leisure property sales in South Africa, with sales in excess of R200 million in real estate generated over the two-day launch period. Phase II properties will be released to the market toward the end of May.

If Jack Nicklaus' mark on the 20th century was his golf game, his legacy in the 21st century will be his golf course design. He has 236 courses open for play worldwide, including 197 solo designs, 28 co-designs, and 11 redesigns. Nicklaus Design, as a company, has 282 courses open for play in 28 countries.

"Designing a golf course is my total expression," Nicklaus says. "My golf game can only go on so long, but what I have learned can be put into a piece of ground and that will last beyond me."

For more information and to experience the sense of place offered by Waterberg, visit www.waterbergestate.com.