Feb20 Newcourseclark
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Simon Cowell isn’t the only Brit making a name for himself on the other side of the pond.
Former GB & Ireland Ryder Cupper and TV commentator Clive Clark has proved himself a prolific, highly skilled golf course designer and a big hit in the states for the best part of two decades. In fact, America’s ‘Golf World’ magazine recently ranked him joint first in their “America’s 25 Hottest Architects” list: no mean feat when you consider all the talented and, to be honest, bigger names currently building courses all over Planet Golf…
But there’s no doubt Clark, who won five European titles and finished twice in the top ten in the British Open, is a class act, being responsible for 25 new layouts – plus five re-models in America and Europe – during his highly productive and successful 18-year design career.
Based in La Quinta, Palm Springs, Clark’s latest masterful creation was the breathtaking 18-hole, par 72 Celebrity Championship Course – the first of two new courses being built at the Indian Wells Resort. The course opened at the back end of last year and Clark is delighted with the outcome, saying: “Each hole has its own unique personality and with the stunning mountain backdrops, I sincerely hope the celebrity Course will give a lot of pleasure to golfers of all standards.” No doubt golfing celebs from nearby LA will flock there in droves…and will love it to bits.
Other Clark smash hits include The Hideaway in La Quinta which has forced its way into the “Top 100 courses where you can live and play in America” and Belgrade Lakes in Maine – one of only 12 daily fee and resort courses in the US to receive Golf Digest’s Five Star Award.
You don’t hear much about Clive Clark: he prefers to let his work and courses do the talking…
