61 The par-four seventh, which can be played from 283-374 yards, provides golfers with two options: hit a daring tee shot over a valley to leave a wedge into the green, or choose a safer route right that leaves a longer approach. A short par three, which maxes out at 125 yards, follows. Bunkers (featuring EcoBunker’s EcoTec liner) defending the left side of the undulating green, while the front-right is open. The final hole, a right-to-left dogleg requires players to negotiate a fairway bunker in the landing area to leave a short iron to the green. The hole plays downhill to the approach before climbing back to a long green defended by sand on the left. “Holes seven and eight were always there and fit the terrain well for dramatic and beautiful golf. If we could have, I probably would have cut a few more trees back to the left of eight to expand the view.” When played twice to form an 18-hole round, the layout can play from approximately 5,000-6,500 yards. By modern standards that is not long, suiting golf tourists as well as local Georgians who may take up the game. It can still pose a challenge though, especially on the greens. “Greens design is one of the most creative and fun aspects of what we do,” says Ramsey. “This was always going to be a resort course and therefore needed to be fun, exciting and beautiful. I believe green speeds are overrated and driven by televised golf and what they hear pros saying. Faster greens result in flatter greens (Augusta being the exception). To get some fun and strategic movement in the greens, they need to be large. We know there will always be green speed pressure, but we have learned over the years that developing golf countries are limited in their resources and expertise, so green health is more important than speed.” Creating a visually striking and playable course was only part of the challenge. Ensuring it could attract new golfers, and thrive in Georgia’s unique environment required experienced operational and agronomic support. In 2023, IMG was brought in to provide the resources and expertise required. “Our main focus has been to ensure the course is as playable as possible for a wide range of golfers, particularly with golf being a newer sport in the country,” says Russell Hannah, vice president of IMG. “We expect this to be the first golf course that many people will step foot on, so it’s important that the fairways are wide; The approach to the opening hole of the hilltop layout
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