YEAR OF TIGER IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE

El Tigre Hosts Ladies Mexico Classic

Famous for excellence in innovative design, von Hagge, Smelek and Baril’s El Tigre, located in Puerto Vallarta Mexico, hosted the 2010 LPGA's first international full-field event – the Ladies Mexico Classic – March 22 – 28. This event, developed by Duramed FUTURES Tour and Carri Sports Marketing, “showcased our very talented players outside the United States,” said Duramed CEO Zayra F. Calderon. “As the Tour continues to flourish, Mexico is a great platform to extend our reach and provide the citizens of Mexico the chance to see the LPGA stars of tomorrow and some of their own professionals compete for the largest purse on Tour.”      

The $150,000 tournament featured a field of 144 players, including special invitees from Mexico. Carri Sports president Hugo Rivero Laing, said, “We are pleased to be part of bringing the Duramed FUTURES Tour to Mexico for the first time. With this joint effort between the Tour, El Tigre Golf and Country Club, our sponsors, and the government of Nayarit, Mexico, help to to stimulate women's golf in Mexico and presented an enormous opportunity for Mexican players to compete alongside the Tour's great players.”

For golfers of any skill level, El Tigre proves memorable. The impressive stone archway resembling a Mayan temple beckons to all. Just inside are Bengal tigers, monkeys and an array of tropical birds secure in their habitat, leading to the 45,000 square foot clubhouse in the heart of El Tigre. All in all, this tropical paradise, surrounded by the Sierra Madre Mountains, boasts a 7,239 yard masterpiece of challenging fairways and fearsome beach bunkers that will test your skill time and time again.

 Read the complete news release published by the LPGA -LPGA.com

TROPICAL PARADISE: At the heart of El Tigre is the 45,000

square foot clubhouse. The course is rated one of the 10 Best

Golf Courses in Mexico.

Enjoying a playful bite                   Bottle feeding new cub

Taming the Tiger: Sr. Jesus Carmona, Director of Golf at El Tigre golf course in Puerto Vallarta, has a way with big cats. Known to take home sick cubs and hand-feed them back to vitality, Carmona is head of El Tigre’s thriving Bengal Program. It all started when a Guadalarajan veterinarian asked Carmona to rescue a sick cub (believed to have been retrieved on a narcotics raid). Since then, he has been the force behind the successful program which has helped raise and rescue more than 75 exotic cats since 1997. Recently, they donated three baby tigers to Puerto Vallarta Zoo.  They have fast become distinctive leaders in breeding and caring for Bengals.

To learn more or view slideshow go to: http://www.petergreenberg.com/2009/12/11/the-bengal-tiger-program-in-riviera-nayarit-mexico/)

Tres Vidas Chosen to Host LPGA Tourney

The LPGA recently announced that beginning in 2010 the Acapulco LPGA Classic will be held at our Tres Vidas Country Club in Acapulco, Mexico.  Five of the holes on the golf course front the Pacific Ocean.  “LPGA continues to generate significant fan interest in Mexico, and we’re pleased to work with a partner who understands the value and benefits that our golfers offer,” said LPGA Acting Commissioner Marty Evans.  “Acapulco is one of the world’s premier destination resort cities, attractive not only to national fans but those who love to travel to watch LPGA

Tour at its best.”

Designed by Robert von Hagge, founder of von Hagge, Smelek and Baril Texas design firm, the club is considered one of Mexico’s top venues.  Presently von Hagge, Smelek and Baril are in the process of designing the second 18-hole “Hotel” golf course for Tres Vidas that will open in late 2011.

 Read the complete news release published by the LPGA -LPGA.com

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: Five  holes at Tres Vidas

Country Club front the Pacific Ocean offering breathtaking

views at every stroke.

Von Hagge, Smelek & Baril Course Openings

Last 9 Holes to Open for Play May 8

LYNGBYGAARD GOLF CENTER, DENMARK

In the spring of 2007, Rick Baril of the von Hagge design team crossed the Danish threshold into Denmark's second largest city, Aarhus, when he began work on Lyngbygaard Golf Center, with plans to ultimately feature an exciting 27-hole course.

Eighteen months later when the first 18 holes opened, Lyngbygaard's manager Flemming Vennekilde said, “We have received so much praise for the course that it defies any description … layout, greens, you name it … everything has been praised.”

SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT: Flemming

Vennekilde and Rick Baril do a walk through

while under construction.

Now, with the clubhouse and last nine holes which will actually constitute a separate 9-hole course, Vennekilde anticipates that Baril will again receive “plenty of praise for his course layout.” They expect to be fully open for play the weekend of May 8.

Danish business writer, Jens Christensen, describes the first 18 holes as “two different halves,” saying, “the first nine holes are in a flat, open area while the last nine run through a hilly wooded area. He adds that there are “giant greens … surrounded by large bunkers … and golfers must be sharp with different wedges to hold their score together.”

Opening day for the first 18 was a great success Vennekilde told Rick Baril, exclaiming, “No doubt we have the outlines of a championship course so thank you and your staff for the fantastic course you have made!”

Stensballegaard Golf Club Schedules

Grand Opening for Weekend of May 29

Will the final member of Denmark’s “Four Manors” golf cooperation live up to expectations and be touted as one of Europe’s best golf courses? Golfers will be able to decide for themselves as Stensballegaard Golf Club prepares for a Grand Opening celebration May 29. Built on a private farm as part of a succession plan for estate owners, Stensballegaard is situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty, surrounded by woods and with a view of Horsens Fjord. The course features 27- holes of championship golf as well as a 6 hole par-3 course and indoor practice arena.

Founding Chairman Count Henrik Ahlefeldt-Laurvig said, “Due to the fact that we have five tees, everybody can play at Stensballegaard Golf. Scratch golfers are challenged from the ‘black tee’, and golfers with larger handicaps get a golf experience for life from the front tees with their wide fairways.”  Members can also practice in the indoor facilities during the winter. Pro coach Claus Valter and the MD golf shop offer professional training and club fitting  all year round either at the driving range or at the indoor centre.

According to Chief Architect Rick Baril, “each hole has its own unique story. As an example of this, you can look forward to the challenging 9th hole at Guldbjerg loop where you have a view to the city of Horsens and Horsens Fjord with a height difference of 52 M between tee and green. This golf hole was created ages ago and was just waiting to be discovered.”

 Count Ahlefeldt-Laurvig, said “von Hagge, Smelek and Baril have done a magnificent job at Stensballegaard…" The design team at vHS&B anticipates that it will be one of Denmark’s if not one of Europe’s best golf course,”

Stensballegaard Golf is part of the cooperation ”The Four Manors” which consists of four of the most attractive golf clubs in Denmark – Ledreborg Palace Golf in Sealand, Gyldensteen Golf in Funen, Lyngbygaard Golf at Aarhus and Stensballegaard Golf.

Stillwater Golf Club Set to Open in June

“Exquisite innovation,” “challenging,” and “distinctive design” ... words often associated with many von Hagge, Smelek and Baril projects ... definitely describe the Stillwater Golf Club at Mystic Ridge, Franklin, Tennessee. In the heart of the country music world near Nashville, this 500-acre property provides rolling hills and dramatic ravines ideally suited for a great golf course.

Set to open for play in late June, the champion-style18-hole golf course and practice academy meanders through a 475-unit subdivision of upscale single-family residences. Sure to attract serious golfers who want to play an upscale course with country club qualities, the impressive use of sand, water and terrain variations creates a spectacular and memorable golf experience.

According to Executive Architect Mike Smelek, “this course is simply amazing; players will want to challenge themselves again and again. You won’t believe the playability and yet the challenge wrapped up in one on this really beautiful meandering course. I cannot wait to hear from players of every age and skill level. It is exciting to say the least.”

A 22,000 square foot Georgian Colonial style house, originally the home of country music’s own Tanya Tucker, has been renovated and serves as the clubhouse. Overlooking the entire community, the clubhouse includes a 1,500 square foot Pro Shop, locker rooms, restaurant and outdoor facilities.

Complementing the golf course are homes and estates. Residential lots include golf course, natural preserve, and waterfall lots, all offering an unparalleled lifestyle. Additional amenities will eventually include multipurpose courts and walking trails.

Six von Hagge Courses Land in Europe’s

Prestigious Top 100

Read Golf World Article news

Just what is it that makes a golf course the 'cream of the crop' … that creates an indelible impression in the heart of every golfer … that invites return time and time again?  

Design, visual appeal, challenge, location? A simple answer would be “yes” to all of the above.

To Robert von Hagge of the von Hagge, Smelek and Baril design team, “Every shot situation should be one where the golfer walks up to the ball and has his breath taken away!”

He adds, “Great golf courses are beautiful golf courses.” Ultimately, “The only eternal thing is ... the light of the day. You have to create the shadow, hour by hour, as the light moves east to west.”

Over the years, as vHS&B courses have spread around the world, top golfers have said they are “the industry's leading international course designers. ... their design style is 'resolutely modern.' The word that often comes to mind, though, is ‘artistry.'” Perhaps former managing editor of TravelGolf says it best, [they are] “the king of golf course design…”

When an architect has to literally take old, flat farmland with a sprinkling of trees in the middle and a drainage ditch and turn it into 18 holes of golf that are unique and distinct from one another, that 'artistry' takes over. And, numerous similar situations where they have had to create their own topography have challenged the vHS&B team and landed them in the top of the field.

It is no wonder, then, that in 2009, six of the firm's courses made the “Top 100” list from Golf World, including:

 #1 Les Bordes – Saint-Laurent-Nouan, France  – Rated the #1 course in all of Europe, Les Bordes is known as the ultimate in privacy and exclusivity … von Hagge's piece de resistance is the embodiment of the late Baron Bich's dream, often described as “the greatest sporting experience on the globe.” Golf Travel's Guide to the World's Greatest Golf Destinations says, “Of the many golf courses we have played, Les Bordes is … the most memorable.”

RATED #1: Les Bordes continues to land on top as best

course in Europe by most prestigious golf publications, this

time by Golf World. Pictured (L-R) Robert von Hagge,

Carlo Bonacci, Finance Director and Rick Baril.

#4 Golf National – Paris, France – Located in the flatland region of Guyancourt, there are three courses at Le Golf National, including the 18-hole links-target style L'Albatros Course, the 18-hole classical L'Aigle Course, and the 9-hole L'Oiselet Course. Le Golf National-Albatros is the venue for the oldest European professional tournament established in 1906, the prestigious French Open and the Albatross course. It is the official club of the French Golf Federation and is training center for French golf teams.

#41 Seignosse – Biarritz, France – Close to the Basque region of France, and a mere mile and a half from the Bay of Biscay, Seignosse  is known as “one of the most beautiful and most challenging courses … stunning … a true work of art.” Winding through a forest of majestic pines and oak trees, the Golf de Seignosse is regularly classed among the top golf courses in France and all of Europe, even being the only French course to have achieved the distinction of  the title “International Golf Venue of the Year in 1998” as well as “Best Golf Course in France” by the British Tour Operators of France.

#53 Bogogno – Navara, Italy – According to Golf Italia, Circolo Golf Bogogno provides 36 of the best holes to be found in Europe. “Combining the mastery of Robert von Hagge with the natural theatre provided by the backdrop of the Alps, and especially Monte Rosa, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the graphic beauty.” Two contrasting courses, Del Conte and Bonora, include 9 holes from the original 1997 course as well as 9 new holes built in 2000. Located less than an hour's drive northwest of Milan, Bogogno offers a challenging course set in the Lombardian countryside at the foothills of the Monte Rosa Massif mountain range. Just a year following the opening of the original course, it was chosen to host the International Golf Championships in Italy.

#84 Emporda – Gualta, Spain – Located in Costa Brava, just 90 minutes from Barcelona, the Emporda Golf Club marked the entry of the vHS&B design team into the Spanish golf market. The four 9-hole courses highlight two distinctive itineraries: Emporda Links and Emporda Forest featuring woods, waterways, dunes, bunkers and wide fairways. Renowned as one of the best resorts in Catalonia, Emporda is said to be “one of the most ambitious and creative projects of the region.”

#92 Royal Mougins – Cannes, France – “… melts into a masterpiece of design and routing.” Royal Mougins was acclaimed the nation's best new course at its opening in 1993 and was called “tantalizing, robust and fulfilling.” Mougins is a par-71 course of 6,600 yards of variety hills and flat forest landscape, and is said to have “devilish bunker shots.” With eight lakes, waterfalls and streams, the course has its own natural splendor. PoshGolfTravel editor Barry Ward says, “Big hitters who have breakfasted on red meat will relish a couple of the short par fours. The 12th and 14th are right-angled doglegs with hidden greens, but drivable for those capable of cutting the corner over towering trees. … You'll definitely have a round to remember in a lovely corner of France.”

CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION: Les Bordes staff celebrating #1 ranking with

a champagne toast.

Argentina’s Best Kept Golf Secret Might Just be Buenos Aries Golf Club 

Argentina … a land of spectacular beauty and passion! A land where the heart is foremost! A land where the aphorism “El tango no está en los pies. Está en el corazón” takes on a new twist in the world of golf ...

“El golf no está en los pies. Está en el corazón Golf

is not in the feet. It is in the heart.”

And, Buenos Aires is the center of that heart. It is here that Golf Digest's #1 Argentine rated Buenos Aires Golf Club has hosted world class events including the Argentine Open and South American Amateur Championship in 1995, and the EMC Golf World Cup in 2000.

The Buenos Aires Golf Club, designed by von Hagge, Smelek and Baril is said to be not only the best course in the country, but enjoys Golf Digest's ranking among the Top 100 courses in the world. This 7000 yard, par 72 course has three different and challenging 9-hole courses: green, blue and yellow. The 27 holes are built around nine connected lakes and wetlands.The International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) avows “Argentina has always had its reputation as a cosmopolitan region for tango, gastronomy as well as its diverse landscapes; however, for over a century the world’s elite travelers have kept it a secret as a prestigious golf capital.”

Today, more than 100,000 amateur golfers play in Argentina. According to the IAGTO, "there are typical, classical British designs, modern ones similar to American courses, and there are also those with a very personal style adapted to a particular topography. ... Robert Von Hagge [is one of] the famous golf course architects that has left a stamp in the country.”

Von Hagge Courses Stand the Test of Time…

COLDSTREAM GOLF CLUB, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

The 18-hole "Coldstream" course at the Coldstream Country Club facility in Cincinnati, Ohio has endured the test of time. The course, originally designed in 1959 by Dick Wilson, along with Robert von Hagge, and then renovated by von Hagge , Smelek and Baril in 2009, features 7,081 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 71. Recently they celebrated a milestone.

Just the thought of a 'Golden Anniversary' brings visions of an elegant celebration filled with glamour and glitz. This past summer when Coldstream Golf Club near Cincinnati, Ohio, celebrated its 50th birthday, the gala event was definitely that and more, including a Membership Tournament on the newly renovated golf course, followed by a formal dinner and dance.

During the dinner, Robert von Hagge, the architect from Dick Wilson's office who was assigned to oversee the original construction translation of the Wilson golf course design, was the featured speaker. During the seven years he worked with Wilson, von Hagge contributed to 40 golf course projects.

“I met Dick at the opening of the NCR golf course in Dayton, Ohio,” von Hagge said. “He invited me into the press tent because I said I wanted to talk with him. I said I wanted to be a golf course architect someday and he said ‘When you get out of school, come see me.’” Thus began their relationship.

In July 2009, Joseph Detzel, Green Chairman for Coldstream, wrote the following letter to von Hagge:

“On behalf of all of us at Coldstream, I would like to thank both Mike Smelek and yourself for the outstanding job that you did with our recent renovation.

As a club that has taken a great deal of pride in its Dick Wilson golf course, your firm (I'm sure in large part due to your earlier experience with Dick Wilson) handled our renovations in an excellent manner. We felt that all the work is totally in line with the Wilson philosophy and complements our course well. If Mr. Wilson or Joe Lee were alive today we believe that they would be well pleased with the renovations."

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS: Greta and Robert von Hagge

enjoy the festivities at Coldstream's 50th Anniversary.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=96067&id=105386019785

First 18-Holes in Coastal Veracruz—Dosriberas Villa Rica Country Club

Deep in the Mexican “Outback” in coastal Veracruz, discriminating golfers will soon discover Dosriberas which – when completed – will be the first 18-hole golf course in this cosmopolitan port city on the Gulf of Mexico where lush mangrove trees shimmer in the moonlight, and the mysterious fragrance of the dense tropical air deceives the senses.

In characteristic fashion, von Hagge, Smelek and Baril has undertaken the completion of the finishing nine holes for the renowned Villa Rica Golf and Country Club which has just undergone a multi-million dollar clubhouse renovation in preparation for the new 9 holes. Along with the new course will be residential and commercial development including apartments, hotels, and single family home sites. Additionally, there will be five pristine lakes, three of which are currently under construction.

The course itself is located on the ocean next to the main tributary river, offering spectacular views. The site consists of 100 percent sand material that offers a unique ability in shaping a course, inviting innovative design and construction techniques to positively influence the maintenance and sustainability of the course.

To date, bulk earthmoving has begun on holes 14 through 17; feature shaping on holes 14 and 15 is also underway, moving this project toward achieving excellence in the creation of this beautiful golf course.

NEW COURSE CONSTRUCTION UPDATES

El Molino

The 'Festival Internactional del Globo' exhibit of hot air balloons and 'Corona World Rally Mexico' will soon be vying with a world class golf facility for top billing in Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico, a region known for its festivities and great archeological finds.

Construction of the 18-hole El Molino Residencial & Golf facility, a creation of the von Hagge design team, began in April 2008. After a three-month delay due to the rainy season, construction renewed in October 2009. Bulk earthmoving has been completed for all but five holes, while drainage, irrigation, bunker construction, and grassing has been completed for three of the holes. Construction superintendent Chip Caswell anticipates completion in the summer of 2011. 

El Molino is expected to be a “stunning development” in this historic city, once home to the Chichimecans (semi-nomadic peoples also known as barbarians), as well as Spaniards, Frenchmen, and briefly, even Maximilian I, Emperor of Mexico. Despite the antiquity of its five-century heritage, the city of Leon welcomes the ultra-modern facilities El Molino will bring to the area. The top-level technology will boast underground power, telephone, internet, cable TV and security communication lines, and other municipal services.

El Paraiso

A mere five-hour drive south of the border from Brownsville, Texas, transports tourists of all ages to the exclusive country development project of El Paraiso, where plans are underway for exquisite homesites, an 18-hole golf course, boutique hotel and facilities for a variety of water and land sports. Additional amenities will include a gymnasium and spa, soccer field, tennis court and boat dock.

Surrounded by the majestic San Rafael River with more than three miles of river front, El Paraiso offers magnificent views, an equestrian track, a lush tropical reserve, and even a landing strip – a contemporary, avant-garde concept in northeastern Mexico.

The golf club will be a world-class championship, par-72 course, and will join the ranks of other famous clubs in Mexico designed by von Hagge, Smelek and Baril. “The property designated for El Paraiso,” Robert von Hagge said, “is easily among the finest quality I have ever had the pleasure to work with. … [It] has been gifted with magnificent, long and majestic vistas of heavily treed hills and distant mountains.” When completed, El Paraiso will go through forested valleys, over hilltops and around lakes and wetlands.

In June 2009, owner Gabriel Maldonado, James Boorman of vHS&B, architect Carlos Castroparedes, and the governor of Tamaulipas, Eugenio Hernandez Flores, celebrated the grand opening of the new River Clubhouse Palapa, the practice range, and the island green hole number 8, along with 1500 guests and friends.

Construction of the first nine holes began in January, and the course is scheduled to open in the fall of this year.

TIP FROM THE PRO

 That’s not where I was aimed, right?

By Bill Craig, PGA Head Golf Pofessional

Northgate Country Club, Houston Texas

We’ve all stood by and watched one of our playing partners tee one up and proceed to hit it dead straight, right into trouble. Proper aim is critical to navigating your way around the course in a reasonable amount of swings. One of the best ways to ensure you are aimed correctly is to use a reference point, or “intermediate target” to help line yourself, and the club square to your target.

The first step is to practice correct alignment. Even the pros use alignment aides to avoid developing bad habits. The simplest way to groove proper alignment habits is to setup a station consisting of three clubs on the range. One club aimed straight from the ball to the target, the second club along your foot line, parallel to the first club, and the third club in-between your stance, perpendicular to the target line. The first two clubs help form “railroad tracks” straight towards the intended target, and the third club allows you to make sure the ball is in the correct position between your feet.

After you’ve gotten used to hitting balls with a station setup to help your alignment, it’s time to learn how to take it to the course. The best way to setup square each time is to replicate the following routine on the range and the course. Stand behind the ball looking down your target line and find a spot no more than five feet in front of the ball that lies directly on your target line. Often times there are old divots or off-color blades of grass that stand out. Good tip – use old divots on tees to help line up your tee shot. After you’ve found something, approach the ball and sole your club with the face aimed at this “intermediate target”.  Most new irons have the bottom grooved painted white to help, and you would be amazed how much easier it is to aim the club if the grooves are clean. Once you have the club head aimed at the target, simply step in to your stance with both feet perpendicular to the target line and fire away.

If you’ve been to a tour event and watched the pro’s hit balls you will see most of them going through a similar routine. It takes a lot longer to go through a pyramid of balls this way, but it sure makes for an easier transition from the range to the course. Give this a try and I guarantee your alignment problems will improve. If you have questions or need help, come visit myself, Bill Wening, or Kellen Kochwelp, we would be glad to help straighten out your game.