Punta Brava Golf Club

Location of Punta Brava Golf Club

Punta Brava Golf Club is a private golf club and course currently under development in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico on the Punta Banda Peninsula. It is framed by the Pacific Ocean and the Bay of Todos Santos on three sides. It is designed by Tiger Woods. The vision of the founder of the development project, Brian Tucker, quoted by CNN is "to shape golf history by creating the most spectacular golf course on earth."[1] It is scheduled for completion in 2013.

History

In 2006, former Charles Schwab executive, Brian Tucker, saw the potential for a golf course on the plot of land and subsequently contracted Tiger Woods as the development’s golf course architect, the third course to be designed by him in the world.[2] Because of the unique topography and coastline, the land became one of the most sought after golf design projects in the industry.

Tiger Woods was privately awarded the contract to design the golf course in early 2008. On June 15, 2008 during the final round of the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, the public first caught wind of the Punta Brava project at the ensuing press conference on the Sunday evening. Woods was asked what he had originally planned to do the following day, briefly mentioning his site visit to Punta Brava, although he was closely guarded about it. Events at the Open, however, led to him to postpone his visit to the following week when he visited Punta Brava on June 23. He surveyed the site on foot, despite having a knee injury, finalizing his latest course routing.[3] Tucker noted, "Tiger's a perfectionist. He just keeps working the routing and working it."[3]

Tiger Woods at the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, shortly before he first mentioned the Punta Brava development project to the public

The project was officially announced at a press conference at the Hotel Bel Air in Los Angeles in October 2008 with capital support from billionaire Red McCombs[4] In the Wall Street Journal’s coverage of the news conference, golf writer John Paul Newport opined after the conference, "Woods's name guarantees cachet and, judging by the layout shown at PuntaBrava.com, it's possible that the course will break into the world's top 20 rankings on the day it opens. It looks to be a new and improved version of Cypress Point on California's Monterey Peninsula."[5]

In April 2011, it was reported that the development had been delayed and that Woods has not visited Punta Brava for some time, and that his other two development projects in Dubai and Asheville, North Carolina were also troubled following the media coverage of Wood's infidelities.[6] However, Tucker has seen the delay as positive and has reportedly said that "We said, ‘Let’s talk about prices.’ Before, we were looking at the $3 million-$12 million ranges; now based on all of this we’re looking at $800,000 to $3.9 million. We took advantage of a difficult, stressful, frustrating situation that allowed us to refine the land plan for Punta Brava and give not what the market wants but what our people want."[6] The course is scheduled for completion in 2013.[7]

Design

Map of the peninsula, showing the approximate location of the golf course under construction

The Tiger Woods Design features seventeen tees or greens on the ocean.[7] Additionally, the 16th, 17th, and 18th holes run along the Pacific creating a dramatic finish.[7] In the design Woods had paid meticulous attention to detail, making 27 routing maps, when most top architects only draw three or four. Woods said at a press conference in October 2008, "Every single hole on this golf course, whether on a tee, a fairway or a green, you can see the ocean. That makes Punta Brava very different from most golf courses, with the goal to make sure you are a part of this amazing peninsula every time you play."[8] Woods also said in regards to the course at the conference, "You have to walk it, to feel it, to realize how special it is, how beautiful it is, and what you can do with it. As soon as I got on site, I was in."[3] When describing the vision of the course design to Forbes, Tucker remarked "When you have a site surrounded on three sides by ocean and a golf architect (Tiger Woods) that completely integrates it by designing 17 tees or greens on/adjacent to the ocean… you have the opportunity to create something special–a true golf club."[9]

Punta Brava Golf Course will be a 6,835-yard par-70 course.[4] The club will also function as a resort, with 80 villa residences, 39 estate lots, a private clubhouse and hotel with 20 villas, a health spa, 80 villa residences and an Ocean Club.[4][10] The New York Times reported that there were "grand plans of 8,000-square-foot mansions and a gigantic clubhouse."[6] Ricardo Legorreta, winner of the prestigious UIA Gold Medal in 1999 and the Praemium Imperiale in 2011, was reported to be among the team of architects involved in Punta Brava.[11] The developers have also formed an agreement with Don Vita of Vita Associates to overlook the land planning and landscape architecture of the development, Fernando de Haro of Abax and A5 Arquitectura from Mexico City.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Tiger's golf course ventures beset by delays". CNN. 10 February 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  2. ↑ Leung, Wendy (16 October 2008). "The brains behind Punta Brava". Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Woods to Design Course in Mexico". Cybergolf. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Bastaple, Alan (8 October 2008). "Tiger Woods announces next course-design project". Golf.Com. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  5. ↑ Newport, John Paul (19 October 2008). "Financial Crisis May Leave Golf Industry in Rough Patch". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Sullivan, Paul (3 April 2011). "For Tiger Woods, a Golf Course Design Business Is in the Rough". New York Times. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Punta Brava". Tiger Woods Design. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  8. ↑ Louis, Brian, Taub, Daniel (7 October 2008). "Tiger Woods and Flagship to Build Mexico Golf Resort". Bloomberg. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  9. ↑ Badenhausen, Kurt (3 February 2011). "Tiger Woods Dubai is Halted, But Other Courses Move Forward". Forbes. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  10. ↑ "Punta Brava Golf Club". Golf Today. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "The Flagship Group and Tiger Woods Design Announce Plans for Punta Brava, Private Golf and Ocean Club Community with Woods' First Oceanfront Course". PR Newswire. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2011.

External links

Coordinates: 31°44′8″N 116°43′15″W / 31.73556°N 116.72083°W