Watch video on the art of golf course masterplanning
For any golf project that is dependent on other amenities – housing, hotels and the like – for its success, the overall site masterplan is crucial, according to Lobb + Partners principal Tim Lobb. And, he adds, collaboration between everyone involved in the project is the best way to get a good result.
Lobb is in a good position to know – he has been involved in masterplanning golf developments for over twenty years, starting in Malaysia and after his move to Europe – working on projects in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
“An effective masterplan must take into account the needs of every part of a development,” Lobb said. “That’s why collaboration between the owner, the project architect, the golf designer and any other stakeholders is so important. If anyone is missing it is likely that some part of the project will not get enough attention and will suffer. Different people have different ideas and priorities. People often think ‘Oh, we can change this as we go through the project’, but in fact, the decisions taken early on tend to endure. The initial pen strokes that hit the paper are defining for the project – they create the footprint.
As discussed above, Lobb is currently working on the masterplan for the new golf course project at Soma Bay in Egypt. He says it is a process that must not be rushed. “It does take time – often several months – to develop a plan that allows every element of the project to be complementary to each other. It’s easy to rush, but you generally regret it later.”
Watch video here:
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