m PHILIPPINE RfPORT nents and the title of senior de- signer. "Ron and Denis are two Wright launches solo career in people who really taught me a By HAL PHILLIPS site will play a key role in the incorporating outcrops into the lot," said Wright. "They know TAGAYTAY, The Philippines layout of Tanay Mountain Spa design and using them in the this business inside and out." — Architect Rodney Wright, Resort. construction o•f •retainin • g walls." In 1987, Wright moved to Ha- principal of the newly formed 'This is an excellent piece of waii, met Nelson and formed Wright Golf Design, has been ground," said Wright. "It's fairly A native of Atlanta, Wright got Nelson and Wright Golf Course retained to design a pair of golf open but rolling, and there 300 his start in golf course design Architects, a division of the Ho- facilities here in Asia-Pacific's meters of elevation change with Ron Kirby and Denis nolulu-based land planning firm hottest development market. which provide beautiful views of Griffiths. Twelve years with the Belt, Collins and Associates. The first course, Batulao Golf the lake. We will definitely make Atlanta-based firm left Wright Wright soon started a Singapore & Nature Resort, will break use of these boulder-type rocks, with experience on four conti- Continued on page 40 Rodney Wright on site in Tanay. ground here this month, said Wright from his Singapore of- fice. The second, Tanay Moun- tain Spa & Resort, will begin con- struction shortly thereafter in Tanay, overlooking de Bay. Both will be constructed by NATURE SAFE® Singapore-based Pacific Golf. During his eight-year partner- ship with Robin Nelson, Wright took seriously the marriage of THE NATURAL CHOICE golf courses to their surround- ing environment and culture. Singapore-based Wright Golf FOR TURF MANAGEMENT Design will continue this tradi- tion, he said. "I enjoy integrating the cul- tural aspects of a site with the golf course itself," Wright ex- plained. "I think Bali Golf & Re- An excellent stress guard product sort Club [1991] is a good ex- for use on a wide range of soil types, ample of a course that looks like pH and weather conditions it belongs there.... My philoso- phy has always been to make the course enjoyable and memo- An 85% slow-release natural and rable. Every architect says that, organic fertilizer which promotes but that is the goal: To design something that people walk away excellent color and density from but remember every hole. without excessive growth They may not like every hole, but they remember them all." ááÁááiánáÁááÁÁáiáiiiááÁÁÁ While Wright's new firm has Ideal for sand based greens an eye on the U.S. market, it will where color retention has debut here in Asia's hottest de- velopment region. Both projects been a problem occupy sites at significant eleva- tion, thus sparing future golfers An excellent source of food the full brunt of Manila's heat and humidity. energy to stimulate the soil "The developer [Universal microorganism system Rightfield Property Holdings] has planned a family of resorts," Wright explained. 'There will be Non-burning fertilizer for five to seven of them, each with year-round use its own theme or identity unique from the others. One member- ship will provide you access to Beneficial in applications after all of them. There is so much aerification or prior to seeding development there [in The Phil- and sodding to promote turf ippines], you must have a differentiator and Universal growth and recovery Richfield has a really good feel for this market. These develop- ments are really geared for the Excellent to use when establishing upper middle income bracket, color beds, spring bulbs and woody ornamentals as opposed to the uppermost bracket. It's a good niche." Batulao Golf & Nature Resort will occupy a dramatic piece of ground here in the shadow of A DIVISION OF Mt. Batulao. The clubhouse and resort are located at the edge of GRIFFIN INDUSTRIES, INC. a giant gorge, Wright said, while COLD SPRING, KY 41076 the course will take up residence between the gorge and the sur- rounding foothills. FOR A DISTRIBUTOR NEAR YOU At Tanay, on the northeast Natural & Organic Fertilizers CALL (800)252-4727 shore of , large rocks strewn about the virgin M PHILIPPINE REPORT "It really was an amicable split," Wright While his first two solo projects are here Rodney Wright said. "Robin and I did some very good work in Asia-Pacific, Wright said his practice is a Palmer Design Continued from page 39 together, but we realized a while back that global ont. office and the partnership resulted in sev- we were going in different directions. "I'd like work in the States, even though signs 5/ breaks eral acclaimed courses, including Bali Maybe it was the distance, but it made I'm concentrating my efforts in Asia right G&RC, Mangilao Golf Club on Guam sense for me to try my own thing. At times now. In the year I've been on my own, I've ground on 5 (1992), and Maui's Mauna Lani Resort it's been a bit scary, but I've been doing this seen the business grow and that's been , The Philippines — (1994), home to the Senior Skins Game. for more than 23 years. It's just a question extremely satisfying. Things are falling into The first two months of 1997 have In 1995, Nelson and Wright accepted of using that experience. I still learn some- place — but I've learned you have to put seen an extraordinary amount of senior designer Neil Haworth as a full part- thing new every day. them into place." activity for the Florida, USA- ner. However, a market slowdown soon Wright Golf Design can be reached in "Anyone who's serious about this busi- based Palmer Course Design Co. thereafter convinced Wright it was time to Singapore by phone at (65) 732-5715, or by ness does, too. If you thirik you know it all, Always active in the Pacific Rim, strike out on his own. fax at (65) 734-7812. you're in trouble." Palmer has announced five new project signings for this period and seen construction com- mence on five other projects. New projects include Cavite New Town Development, a 36- hole project undertaken here with St. Lucia Development. Palmer Course Design Co. (PCDC) will do the first 18 holes. The architect for the second 18 holes has yet to be determined. H-O-K, San Francisco and Hong Kong are the master planners. Construction is expected to com- mence later this year. Also signed with Sta. Lucia were 18-hole projects in Lian and Bacalod in the Philippines. Both developments will feature resi- dential real-estate components. Palmer Design also signed its first project in China in several years, The Sanya Golf Club, an 18-hole destination resort lo- cated on the south tip of Hainan Island. Fronting the South China Sea, the resort will also include two marinas, a hotel, and other amenities. The client, Hiro Plan- ning Co., is based in Tokyo, Ja- pan. Construction is expected to begin late this year. PCDC also signed its first project in India. The DLF Quatab project has already commenced construction and should be open for play in early 1998. The client is DLF Universal, the flagship company of the RS. 1000 Crores DLF Group. Outside the U.S., five PCDC projects have started preliminary When you have a full day of work, the last thing you need h earth work. These include Caliraya Springs, a 36-hole a vehicle that quit* at noon Which U a good reason to consider project on Lake Caliraya, The Philippines and Forest Hills, a 36-hole project outside Manila. Carryall turf utility vehicle* Coif couw superintendent* rated Carryaff Both projects are residential de- velopments, with Palmer design- ing 18 holes on each project. Lo- in reliability, overall performance, and service/support among major brands. cated near Subic, The Philip- pines, preliminary site work has commenced on the Alta Vista So your workday will end with a sundown, not a breakdown, To learn more about Royale Project, also a residential development with an 18-hole Palmer course. In Japan, preliminary site work CARRYALL has commenced at the 36-hole DRIVE IT TOWORK . ciubCar Furano Kogen Golf Club. Full construction will begin this spring with an anticipated sum- mer 1999 opening. The close of 1996 saw com- mencement of construction of the Muju Resort Golf Course near Muju, Korea. The 18-hole course should be open in the spring of 1998. CLUB CAR *B<^ed on r^wp o( Club Car, E 7 Co? CmbmPPi CtRCLf #126 INGERSOLL-RAND 'm the survey of supcrtemíerttí, conducted by