Six-time Major champion, Nick Faldo has an eye on India. The booming
Indian golf market has lured the legendary Englishman to India, where he
is expected to start a signature golf course project next year.
"We are very close to selecting a property in India. The course will be in Delhi, which is the hub of golfing in India, and we are hopeful that construction work will start by early next year," Nick Edmund, managing director of Faldo Design, told IANS.
Faldo Design is a leading international golf course design company that was founded by Faldo more than two decades back.
Edmund said Faldo was yet to see any property in India but would obviously come down to inaugurate the project once the deal was finalised.
Edmund, who was on a two-day tour to India, visited some of the properties in and around Delhi and has also had talks with some leading developers. The project, expected to start early in 2008, will be inaugurated by Faldo himself.
"I haven't seen many golf courses in India. But I did see a few to have a feel of the business in India. It is very important to have a feel of the business before taking the final plunge," said Edmund.
The company has designed 21 courses in Asia, including in China, the Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea and Thailand. Besides Asia, Faldo Design has also completed projects in 20 different countries in Europe and the US.
"We have 21 completed projects in Asia. In three weeks' time we will have a course in Cambodia very near to the historical Angkor Vat temple. We made our entry in Asia in the early 90s with China, which has been a very busy market for us. India is now a key market for Faldo Design," said Edmund.
When asked why it took long for Faldo Design to venture into the Indian market, Edmund said: "There wasn't a market in India 10-15 years ago. If we had started a project then it would have suffered a fate similar to what happened to our project in Russia. We are building a world class golf course in Russia but it has already taken five years and is still not complete.
"Golf is no more a minority game in India now. With the capital market growing, the sport has also grown and we are confident that we will have a world-class project in India soon. It will take three years for the course to come up and will come at a cost of $10-15 million," he revealed.
On the conditions required for a course, Edmund said, "You have to be very conscious of the climate, right grass, water supply, right equipment, developer. These things are the basic ingredients for a good golf course. A country like Thailand is much ahead of India in terms of golf course business.
"But these skills are gradually emerging in India also and I think in the next five years this country will become a significant golf destination."
Edmund also said that the course would be very typical to Faldo's own style of play, which always lays emphasis on strategy.
Faldo, who won the British Open and Augusta Masters three times each, is the most successful British golfer. Now 50, he divides his time between commentating, golf course designing and promoting the Faldo Series of golf events for juniors - one of which is held in India - and also plays on Seniors Tour.
But for now, Faldo Design has one ace - read golf course - in the works for India. And if things go the way Faldo and Edmund visualise, there's a lot more to come.
"We are very close to selecting a property in India. The course will be in Delhi, which is the hub of golfing in India, and we are hopeful that construction work will start by early next year," Nick Edmund, managing director of Faldo Design, told IANS.
Faldo Design is a leading international golf course design company that was founded by Faldo more than two decades back.
Edmund said Faldo was yet to see any property in India but would obviously come down to inaugurate the project once the deal was finalised.
Edmund, who was on a two-day tour to India, visited some of the properties in and around Delhi and has also had talks with some leading developers. The project, expected to start early in 2008, will be inaugurated by Faldo himself.
"I haven't seen many golf courses in India. But I did see a few to have a feel of the business in India. It is very important to have a feel of the business before taking the final plunge," said Edmund.
The company has designed 21 courses in Asia, including in China, the Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea and Thailand. Besides Asia, Faldo Design has also completed projects in 20 different countries in Europe and the US.
"We have 21 completed projects in Asia. In three weeks' time we will have a course in Cambodia very near to the historical Angkor Vat temple. We made our entry in Asia in the early 90s with China, which has been a very busy market for us. India is now a key market for Faldo Design," said Edmund.
When asked why it took long for Faldo Design to venture into the Indian market, Edmund said: "There wasn't a market in India 10-15 years ago. If we had started a project then it would have suffered a fate similar to what happened to our project in Russia. We are building a world class golf course in Russia but it has already taken five years and is still not complete.
"Golf is no more a minority game in India now. With the capital market growing, the sport has also grown and we are confident that we will have a world-class project in India soon. It will take three years for the course to come up and will come at a cost of $10-15 million," he revealed.
On the conditions required for a course, Edmund said, "You have to be very conscious of the climate, right grass, water supply, right equipment, developer. These things are the basic ingredients for a good golf course. A country like Thailand is much ahead of India in terms of golf course business.
"But these skills are gradually emerging in India also and I think in the next five years this country will become a significant golf destination."
Edmund also said that the course would be very typical to Faldo's own style of play, which always lays emphasis on strategy.
Faldo, who won the British Open and Augusta Masters three times each, is the most successful British golfer. Now 50, he divides his time between commentating, golf course designing and promoting the Faldo Series of golf events for juniors - one of which is held in India - and also plays on Seniors Tour.
But for now, Faldo Design has one ace - read golf course - in the works for India. And if things go the way Faldo and Edmund visualise, there's a lot more to come.
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