Tseleevo Golf Polo Club, Moscow, Russia
“Best New Courses You Can Play.” Even before the course opened for play, the PGA of America announced that Harbor Shores would be the host to the Senior PGA Championship. The golf club has become the centerpiece of a major community revitalization project that is bringing new jobs and a new positive spotlight to Benton Harbor. A few weeks after Harbor Shores opened to national acclaim – celebrated with an exhibition between Nicklaus, Palmer, Watson and Johnny Miller – 6,500 miles away, the first-ever full-field PGA Tour event in Asia was played near Seoul, South Korea, at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea. This course was built totally on reclaimed land and has become the centerpiece to a burgeoning city that is positioning itself as the business hub of Northeast Asia. About 20 PGA Tour, LPGA and Champions Tour events are hosted every year at golf courses developed by Nicklaus Design. But, hundreds of communities have been positively impacted by the work of Nicklaus and Stringer.
While Stringer hasn’t had the opportunity to make it back to the EWU campus, he has been in Spokane several times on business. He does welcome the opportunity and traces his success back to the school. “I would like to see EWU golf return for the men’s team,” Stringer said. “It formed a basis and background that ultimately led to my decision to have a long-lasting and rewarding career in golf. I wish for other young men to have that same opportunity to learn the game and compete at a higher level. Golf is unlike any game, in that it develops lifelong skills such as honesty, commitment, respect and values.” So, while Eastern might be famous for its red turf, one of its former students is making an impact all over the world helping develop lush, green turf for a new generation of golfers. E Paul can be reached at paul.stringer@nicklaus.com and welcomes readers to visit their website at www.nicklaus.com.
Spring /Summer 2011
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