ALL THE PROMISE of the shimmering steel, grandiose construction projects and high-living clientele, both native-born and expatriate, living in the baking heat of the Middle Eastern emirate of Dubai isn’t worth expected financial losses for golfer/developer Tiger Woods’ Tiger Woods Dubai.
Tiger Woods Dubai, a $1.1. billion golf resort, had planned to include 200 $11 million villas, $16 million mansions and “palaces,” spa, boutique hotel, Michelin-starred restaurant and the 18-hole Al Ruwaya Golf Club, the first course ever designed by Tiger Woods.
First announced in 2006 during what would become the tail-end of the big-money boom times that made Dubai a financial, architectural and social marvel, the project faltered, with only a handful of villas and six holes completed.
Even with a portion of the project finished, management was still using over one million gallons of water per month to keep desertification at bay.
After his final round at Torrey Pines on Sunday, Woods divulged what many had come to suspect, his investment in Tiger Woods Dubai had paused, if not completely ended.
A press release from the golf course developer, a government-owned firm called Dubai Properties Group, confirmed the hiatus on Monday.
Woods is alleged to have received $10 to $25 million upfront for his services, with more money coming in the back end of the deal off of royalties, which apparently will not be forthcoming.
Woods will travel to Dubai next week for the Dubai Desert Classic.
That could be awkward!
Lawrence Donegan of The Guardian UK wrote an interesting insight to the project’s woes back in late November.
He took the point of view that the stalled construction project has ominous parallels for the state of Woods’ golf career and Tiger Woods the brand.
A quote from Woods from when the project was announced appears in the article: “Dubai is basically the biggest, greatest and newest of everything.”
It used to be that you could insert Tiger Woods in place of Dubai in that sentence and it would have rang true.
That may not be the case anymore.
You can read Donegan’s take on http://tinyurl.com/2uvvw4y.
Builders tourney set
The North Peninsula Builders Association will hold its 12th annual golf tournament at Sequim’s Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course on Friday, Aug. 26.
The tournament is $90 per person and includes cart, dinner, prizes and one drink ticket.
Tournament sponsors are wanted for the event.
Sponsors from year’s past get first crack at it this year, with sponsorships opening to the public on April 1.
Registration forms are available at http://tinyurl.com/4c5g7gc.
For more information, phone the association at 360-452-8160 or e-mail info@npba.info.
SkyRidge Winter Links
SkyRidge Golf Course in Sequim will host its annual 27-gole Winter Links Open this Saturday.
The four-person team event has some special rules.
Players will play with a partner for nine holes of scramble golf, switch to a different partner for nine holes of two-person best ball and then play alternate shot with the last partner for the final nine holes.
Each team must have a total handicap index of 24.0 or greater.
Handicap will be determined by giving each two-person team 15 percent of its added total for the scramble, 25 percent of its full handicap for the better ball and 20 percent of its added total for the alternate shot format.
Tee time is set for 8:30 a.m. (barring frost).
Cost is $160 per team and includes all that golf, food, range balls, four KPs, an LP and competition money.
An optional honey pot is available for $80 per team.
Cart seats are going for $15 for the 27 holes.
SkyRidge is an easy course to walk, but I think most will take advantage of the cart. It would be a wise choice.
Arctic Open set
Port Townsend Golf Club’s next tournament is the always popular Arctic Open on Feb. 12-13.
The past couple of months have given golfers a good chance to practice in many types of weather: snow, rain, freezing cold, etc.
Players who went out in the winter conditions should have a leg up experience-wise for the Arctic Open, which is played in any type of weather.
The golf course also holds an all-day $10 skins game on Saturdays.
It’s $10 for the game and $10 for greens fees.
The course’s three-month long Winter Eclectic began on New Year’s Day.
For more information on any Port Townsend Golf Club event, phone the course at 360-385-4547.
Golf Expos in NW
Sequim’s 7 Cedars Casino, and by extension, Cedars at Dungeness, is one of five presenting sponsors for the annual Seattle Golf and Travel Show at the Qwest Field Event Center on Feb. 11-13.
All the big names in the world of golf equipment and apparel will be on hand for the event.
Call it a coincidence, call it poor planning, but the Portland Golf Show is the same weekend at the Oregon Convention Center.
If you are headed south, stop on by for some deals.
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Michael Carman is the golf columnist for the Peninsula Daily News. He can be reached at 360-417-3527 or at pdngolf@gmail.com.