José María Olazábal introduces The New Golf Courses at Navarino Hills
Two-time Masters champion and Ryder Cup legend José María Olazábal, introduced the two new 18-hole courses he has designed at Costa Navarino, Greece’s premier golf destination.
The two new 18-hole courses are set high above the coastline offering panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and the Ionian Sea and are expected to open for play by 2021.
The courses at Navarino Hills will further enhance the golf offering at the destination, bringing the total number of signature golf courses at Costa Navarino to four, all within a 13km distance.
The two new courses will both play to Par 72 and measure 6,466m and 6,280m respectively. The longer course has been designed as the more challenging of the two and will be capable to host international competitions. The shorter course will provide a slightly more leisurely experience but will impress with its routing through the beautiful valleys and rolling hills. The courses stretch over 125 hectares (1,250,000sq.m.), overlooking the historic Bay of Navarino and the surrounding hills.
During a visit at the site where development is currently underway, José María Olazábal said about the project: “To have the opportunity to design two new courses on the spectacular Navarino Hills property fills me with pride. The landscape is simply breath-taking and we see it as our foremost responsibility to create courses that will fit seamlessly into the environment. We still have some way to go before Opening but I look forward to that day with great excitement”.
Stephanos Theodorides, Managing Director of Panorama, owners and developers of the Navarino Hills site, welcomed Olazábal back at Costa Navarino: “Today marks a milestone in the development of Navarino Hills. We are excited to introduce the new golf development that will firmly position Costa Navarino among the top sustainable golf destinations globally and introduce the region of Messinia to golf enthusiasts from around the world. We have a common vision with José María Olazábal, having placed sustainable practices at the heart of the project and we look forward to the next steps of what is shaping to be a unique project, reflecting the high standards and quality of Costa Navarino”.
The milestone moment at Navarino Hills came shortly after the recent announcement by TEMES – the developers of Costa Navarino, about the new partnership with Consillium S.A., in line with its strategy to further develop the golf component of the destination.
The agreement refers to a 50/50 joint venture between one of TEMES Group’s subsidiaries Panorama S.A., and one of investment companies managed by Consillium, for the ownership and development of the Navarino Hills site and the ownership and operation of The Dunes Course.
The destination already features two luxury hotels, private residences and two signature golf courses, along with five-star services and facilities and a range of authentic experiences, around the year.