December 23, 2011
From all of us at Thomson Perrett & Lobb we would like to wish our colleagues, Clients, friends in the industry and fellow golfers a Merry Christmas and look forward to a wonderful 2012.
At this time of the year there always comes a time for reflection on our achievements and on things we could have done better. While the golf development market is still quite stagnant we are pleased with our progress and accomplishments throughout the year.
Please see below some of our highlights for the year.
Master Planning Projects
We have been working on some fascinating master planning projects throughout the year. First of which is a 12, 000Ha site in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) called Wadi Al Asla, where we are appointed by leading architects HOK to assist them with the integration of two golf courses within the complex community master plan. The site has varied landscapes and characteristics and TPL has been onsite since day one to determine the optimal positioning of the golf course sites and how they will give a great golfing experience whilst ensuring connectivity to the rest of the 120km2 site.
Navigating around a 12, 000Ha site at Wadi Al Asla with HOK. The iPad is a great piece of kit.
Another major master planning project we have been concentrating on this year has been Barwa New Cairo. We are appointed by leading US architects RNL to assist them with the integration of an 18 hole championship golf course within a 600Ha residential community in the expanding Cairo suburbs. Whilst it has been a transforming era in Egyptian politics this year the project has continued and we are now looking at finalising the master plan in the near future.
The dramatic landscape at Barwa New Cairo.
International Expansion
In December 2010 we formed the Thomson Perrett & Lobb office in Cape Town, South Africa in which Andrew Goosen (Senior Design Associate) heads up.
Andrew Goosen at our new Cape Town office
TPL has made good in roads into developing long term projects in the African market and have been involved with preliminary studies for projects in Mozambique, Mauritius, Zambia, South Africa and Nigeria.
The dramatic Mozambique coastline where TPL visited in 2011
We look forward to a long association with Africa and to developing a typically ‘African golfing experience’ on all of the projects that we work on.
Working with existing Clubs
In addition to working on large scale master planned golf developments TPL also has great satisfaction in working with existing Clubs to improve their playing strategies. Throughout the year we have undertaken full strategic design reviews at The Richmond Golf Club, Wimbledon Park Golf Club, Royal Jersey Golf Club and a historic restoration of holes 16 + 17 at Burhill Golf Club.
Throughout the months of September to current there has been much construction works being undertaken and we are very proud of our achievements at these Clubs.
Bunker construction work at Royal Jersey Golf Club completed on hole 11, Dec 2011
TPL completed construction of a full 18 hole bunker and strategic review at Richmond Golf Club in Nov 2011.
TPL commenced with phase 1 (50%) of a total bunker reconstruction at Wimbledon Park Golf Club
Restoration of the 16th hole at Burhill Golf Club was completed in Nov 2011
2012?
TPL look forward to the year ahead. The golf development market is still very depressed and struggling in this current economic climate but despite this opportunites are still apparent.
We wish our Melbourne office, Thomson Perrett well for their bid to design the golf course for the Rio Olympics 2016. The decision is to be announced in the new year.
We are pleased to travel to the Opening of our El Ein Bay project in Egypt just after the Christmas break. A fantastic achievement to get this course finished despite the challenges Egypt has faced this year.
Opening of TPL's - El Ein Bay in January 2012
We are in the middle of bidding for three new major new developments so will hopefully have some success with one or more of those for the new year.
We continue to search for Clients who appreciate our attention to detail and our passion for delivering golf courses that complement the indigenous surroundings they lie in. But most importantly for our golf courses to provide a strategic challenge for all and make golf a fun game to play again.
Tim, Peter and Ross wish you a very Merry Christmas and look forward to seeing you all in 2012.
Goodbye 2011 – hello 2012.
Good golfing.
Get TPL RSS Updates