The US headquartered Troon Golf, one of the bigger names in the development and management of championship golf courses, is conducting "due diligence" on new projects in Dubai, Oman and Qatar.
Its new office in Dubai will oversee over 600 associates working within the region on projects that have a developed value of over Dh2 billion.
In Qatar, Troon Golf has formed an alliance with Doha Golf Club, which is the base for the Qatar Masters Tournament, according to a senior official. It has also signed a consultancy agreement with the club.
In Kuwait, it has a contract with Kuwait International Golf Co to develop and manage the first grass 18-hole golf course in the country.
There have been a few enquiries for projects in Lebanon from UAE based investors.
Preliminary negotiations are also going on in Saudi Arabia.
On whether Dubai could accommodate more golf courses, David Spencer of Troon Golf, said: "For it to be an international golfing destination capable of holding major international tourneys, the requirement is for at least 12 championship ready courses. Dubai presently has seven, which leaves enough room to develop new courses." In Dubai, Troon Golf has been behind the Montgomerie course at Emirates Hills, its first venture, and developed the facility at Arabian Ranches, completed last October.
To cap it off, it has just picked up the ambitious project to develop and manage the Ernie Els course and Butch Harmon Golf Academy at Dubai Sports City, part of the Dh20 billion Dubailand venture. The golf course and academy are due to go operational in 2006.
"We have started the enabling works for the project, working very closely with the contractor," said Spencer. "The golf course and academy will be the centrepiece of Dubai Sports City's exclusive residential community."
Troon Golf has just opened its Middle East office in Dubai Media City.
"We have identified the Middle East, Africa and China as having very high potential in the near future," said Spencer.
"Our company, formed in 1990, first and foremost has its strengths in management of golf courses. Development of these was taken up at the specific request of the clients."
Dubai represents the fifth office in the company's network, the others being Tokyo, Brisbane, Milan and Scottsdale. Troon Golf began seeking an international profile actively since 1998.
The company manages the operation of over 143 courses in 14 countries, and has a global database of 2.8 million active golfers. In Dubai, it has over 15,000 names of either guests or corporate clients.
Source: Global News Wire - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire
