37 INSIGHT development. In these destinations, short courses offer a flexible alternative to an 18-hole round, allowing guests to enjoy a high-quality golf experience in a shorter timeframe, often in a more social setting that can even extend into evening play. They also provide an attractive option for new resort and residential developments that may not have the land or scale required for a full championship layout. In these cases, a well-designed short course can deliver a compelling golf experience while requiring a smaller footprint and lower construction and maintenance investment. For developers, this creates an opportunity to enhance the value and appeal of a destination while introducing golf to a broader audience. Latin America is one of the most vibrant and dynamic markets for golf development. We continue to see strong demand for projects that range from new championship courses to renovations of historic clubs and the introduction of shorter formats that broaden the appeal of the game. Across the region, we are currently working on several new championship courses that reflect the diversity of landscapes and destinations where golf continues to grow. At the same time, we are also engaged in renovation work at some of the region’s most established clubs with these projects focus on modernising the courses while preserving their character and strengthening the overall playing experience. In addition, we are developing short format and nine-hole courses that reflect the evolving ways people engage with golf today. Projects like Tezcalame are designed to provide high-quality golf experiences in a more flexible format that complements resort destinations and emerging developments. There is a great diversity of golf developments across Latin America and there is continued momentum within the region as a global golf destination. Rogelio Abarca is a golf course architect at Greg Norman Golf Course Design Photo: Grupo Vidanta The Vidanta Vallarta course lies alongside the Ameca River, where the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range meet the Pacific Ocean “ Latin America is one of the most vibrant and dynamic markets for golf development”
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