Contact:
Theresa Martin
Doonbeg Golf Club
PO Box 12001
Charleston, SC 29422
O: 843-768-5220
F: 843-768-5727
theresa_martin@doonbeggolfclub.com

PRESS KIT

Course Designer - Greg Norman

When the Great White Shark first saw Doonbeg in 1997, he was visibly stunned.

"If I spent the rest of my life building courses, I don't think I'd find a comparable site anywhere," Norman told reporters. "It's spectacular, land made by God. I'm the happiest man in the world. This is a course I want to be identified with, one I'll be able to say with pride, 'I did that one'."

He visited Doonbeg Golf Club on 23 occasions leading up to the course opening on July 9, 2002. Each trip was a working visit out in the field, regardless of the vagaries of Irish weather. Norman didn't design Doonbeg from a distance. He designed it by walking more than 200 miles amidst the virgin dunes, personally testing how each hole would play, and he returned at every critical stage to be sure his vision was carried out.

Norman, who has been inspired by the likes of Alister Mackenzie and A.W. Tillinghast, began designing golf courses in 1987. Today he is one of the most sought-after designers in the world, with about 35 golf course designs to his name. Among them are the TPC at Sugarloaf (Atlanta), home to the PGA Tour's BellSouth Classic since 1997; Tiburon Golf Club (Naples), home of the Franklin Templeton Shootout; and the Grand Golf Club (Queensland), site of the 2001 Australian Open. Doonbeg is his first course in Ireland.

Beyond his impressive design resume, Norman was selected for his "least disturbance" approach to golf course architecture - a commitment to find at Doonbeg the best holes provided by nature, in true links fashion, rather than the best holes that could be contrived by machine.

Norman learned the game playing links courses on the Australian coast, and has been an advocate of links play ever since. "I love links golf," he said during one visit to Doonbeg. "The ball is round and designed to roll. I like the opportunity to use the elements and conditions. Landing the ball beside the flagstick from 187 yards and having it come back to six inches doesn't do much for me. Landing it at the front edge, calculating there's another 150 feet of green to go and wondering if I can keep it on - that's a challenge."

Fittingly, his crowning achievements in golf came on links courses - a pair of British Open Championships. The first was in 1986 at Turnberry, highlighted by a tournament-record round of 63; the second was at Royal St. George's, where he shot a final-round 64 to overtake Nick Faldo. He has won 86 professional events around the world, along with 29 top-10 finishes in the four majors. He was named PGA Tour player of the year in 1995, is a three-time winner of both the Vardon Trophy and the Arnold Palmer Award, has lifetime membership on the PGA Tour and European Tour, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2001. He maintained an active touring schedule in 2002, competing in both PGA Tour and European Tour events.

A native of Australia who now resides in Florida, Norman is equally successful beyond the tour. He is chairman and CEO of Great White Shark Enterprises, a multinational corporation that includes Greg Norman Golf Course Design, Medallist Golf Developments, Greg Norman Turf Company, Greg Norman Interactive, and Greg Norman Production Company. He has also launched successful clothing, wine, restaurant, and yacht lines. The Franklin Templeton Shootout, which he founded in 1989, has raised more than $8 million for children's charities.

Doonbeg Golf Club is a private club with limited visitor access to golf and accommodation upon availability. Membership is by invitation only; inquiries are entertained. Contact Theresa Martin at 843-768-5220 or email theresa_martin@doonbeggolfclub.com for additional information.

KDP is the master developer of Kiawah Island, a 10,000-acre sea island located 21 miles south of Charleston, South Carolina. In addition to Doonbeg Golf Club, the company's affiliates include Kiawah Island Real Estate; The Kiawah Island Club, which encompasses the Tom Fazio-designed River Course, the Tom Watson-designed Cassique Golf Course, the Beach Club, and Sasanqua, the members-only spa; and Freshfields Village.