australia Home on the Grange

Greg Norman has been hired to redesign the golf course that launched his professional career and set him on the road to fame and fortune.

It's the East course at Grange Golf Club, where Norman, at the age of 21, won his first professional tournament, way back in 1976. Norman set a course record during the event and became, virtually overnight, a star.

“This course will always be special to me,” the West Palm Beach, Florida-based designer said earlier this year.

Grange’s East course was designed by Vern Morcom, an Australian architect, and opened in 1967. Late last month Norman spelled out his plans for the club's members, and afterwards the club's president said the presentation “went off very, very well, probably even better than we expected.” Norman is said to be confident that his work will “boost the profile of the course.”

The construction is expected to begin in July 2011 and conclude in 2013. The club figures to work on six holes each year.

The club -– it’s located in Grange, a western suburb of Adelaide –- also has a second Morcom-designed 18-hole course.