Shameless Self-Promotion, may 2011

What's new in international golf development and construction this month?

Let's start in Central America and the Caribbean, where

1. construction has finally begun on Gary Player's first golf course in Honduras;

2. a Cyprus-based developer has written the prescription for its makeover of the Playa Grande resort in the Dominican Republic; and

3. a Las Vegas-based hotel company plans to build an eco-friendly resort community, complete with a golf course capable of hosting international tournaments, on the northern coast of Costa Rica.

Now let's head to Europe, where

1. an aging Swedish beauty is about to get major surgery, with a familiar face holding the scalpel;

2. a trio of U.S. architects is about to commence work on the first golf course in Russia's premier resort city; and

3. a not-yet-opened, David Krause-designed layout has already been named Germany's best new course for 2011.

From Europe, it's just a short jump to the U.K., where

1. a golf course in Wallsend, England -- the birthplace of Sting, the rock star -- plans to build a lighted, par-3 track; and

2. a James Braid-designed course in Lancaster, England is about to get a makeover.

You're looking live at Australia, where

1. an Italian company is looking for a place to build what's been called “one of the biggest family resort and theme park operations on the planet”; and

2. Tom Doak has locked up what just might be his dream job.

Let's not forget Asia, where

1. an Ohio-based designer and an Indiana-based shaper have staked out several claims in Kazakhstan;

2. China Golf Group has added another item to its to-do list; and

3. one of Phil Mickelson's collaborators has been tapped to design a new course at a big resort community in Yunnan Province, China.

I'd be remiss if I didn't shine the spotlight on Africa, where

1. the oldest golf club in Morocco, looking to land an event on the European PGA Tour, has hired a “signature” designer to overhaul its course; and

2. a pair of golf clubs in Ghana -- Achimota Golf Club in Accra and Royal Golf Club in Kumasi -- have hired British architects to oversee renovations.

And finally, I'm contractually obligated to mention Southeast Asia, where

1. a fast-growing Vietnamese golf developer aims to build an 18-hole golf course at a resort community in Quang Ngai Province.

If you haven't already guessed, those are among the stories in this month's World Edition of the Golf Course Report.

If you'd like to size up the World Edition for yourself, give me a call at 301/680-9460 or send an e-mail to me at WorldEdition@aol.com.