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AUGUST 9, 2007 All England polo team representing Apes Hill Club has an impressive seasonIN THE 12 MONTHS since Sir Charles Williams and Gerry Barton decided to sponsor an all-professional, all-England polo team, it's been nothing short of a roller coaster ride. It was always an ambitious project--after all, what else would be expected of the partnership that is developing Apes Hill Club, Barbados? Anticipation of the team clearly grew with the naming of his four players -Luke and Mark Tomlinson, both on 7 goals, Tom Morley (5) and Ed Hitchman (3). A clever team--Luke and Mark, individually brilliant and in a league of their own together; Tom and Ed, exciting new talents with all the drive and determination youth brings. Sir Charles invited the players over to Apes Hill in the spring, Tom and Ed joining him in playing--and winning--the final of the Barbados Open. Then while Tom and Ed fulfilled their duties in the 14-goal England side at the European championships in Spain, it was Luke and Mark's turn to be wowed by the Apes Hill Club development. Having been formally unveiled in a glitzy launch at Wentworth Golf Club in May, members of the press then watched them practicing at home. Affable and dedicated to the game, the boys became media darlings and consequently the Apes Hill Club team became hot property and secured a six page feature in The Times magazine. At the Queen's Cup, the team defeated their first two opponents (Les Lions 2 and Broncos) and fought hard in their third this time, against Lora Piana. It went to extra time, but they missed victory by just a single goal. That Lora Piana went on to win the Queen's Cup in convincing style and that their match against Apes Hill was perhaps their most closely contested of the tournament was some consolation for the competitive side. But as the rain poured, lady luck appeared to be washed away--Mark Tomlinson injured tendons in his hand to put him out of the saddle for the rest of the season and then Ed Hitchman injured his shoulder during the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup. Reserves at short notice, mid-season, and with a good swing, are not so easy to find. Despite the hectic schedule, the team battled on, reaching the final of the Argentine Club Cup and with the help of HRH Prince William playing for the team, winning the Calcot Manor Hotel Cup and helping to raise £60,000 for the Countryside Foundation For Education. "Naturally it's been disappointing to have the two serious injury setbacks midway through the season and not progress as well as we had hoped in the Queen's and Gold Cup", says Luke Tomlinson, but adds, "We're still proud of what and who we represent and are looking forward to rewarding Sir Charles's faith more fully in the future." MAY 12, 2007 Arcos Gardens acclaimed as one of the World's top 50 golf resortsARCOS GARDENS, the exclusive second-home golf community located in Iberia's sun-drenched Andalucia region and developed by Landmark Spain, has been named to the prestigious "Top 50 Worldwide Golf Resorts" roster by the Telegraph, one of London's leading newspapers. The May 12, 2007 story, entitled "Proper Tee Hotspots," was the culmination of an extensive global search to identify the world's finest golf properties. According to the report, author Cheryl Markosky braved landmines (in Afghanistan) and headhunters (in Borneo) to select the world's top 50 golf resorts in various categories. "If you want good value for money, to brave the most mountainous course, or appease long-suffering golf widows who don't want to go anywhere near a fairway, the Telegraph's guide to the top 50 worldwide golf resorts is for you," she stated. Arcos Gardens was listed among five winners in the "Most Sustainable" category. Cited were the development's "sensitive relocation of olive trees at (the) edge of fairways, a special recycling plant which supplies the resort and local community, and central heating by solar panels." Other winners in the category hailed from South Africa, Canada and Almeria, Spain. Of particular note was the extensive tree transplantation program undertaken at Arcos Gardens. To adhere to the community's 'least-disturbance' philosophy and safeguard the environment, more than 2,000 century-old olive trees were carefully removed to create fairway corridors for the golf course. The trees were successfully replanted around the layout, which rambles over rolling countryside below Arcos de la Frontera, Andalucia's most beautiful "white town." The trees lend instant maturity to a versatile, strategic test laid out by Landmark Land Company's design team, its fifth course to date. Another key environmental component at Arcos Gardens is its course maintenance program. A state-of-the-art water treatment plant ensures that all water used to irrigate the championship-caliber golf course is continuously recycled, ensuring minimal environmental impact. Debuted in 2006, Arcos Gardens is one of the lowest density luxury residential communities in Europe, with only 6% of the site's 440 acres slated for development. (Density was cited in the story as the "most important factor" in the golf property market). In the property section of her story, Markosky quoted Gerald Larkin of Golf Homes Worldwide, who explained that investors who buy "off plan" will get a home (upon completion) at today's prices. He could have been describing Arcos Gardens when he said, "You will live in a protected environment with permanent views, excellent security and activities like horse riding..... on your doorstep." He might have added that Arcos Gardens can now stake a claim as one of the most eco-friendly golf resort communities in the world. Details: www.arcosgardens.com MARCH 15, 2007 Specimen tree finds a new home at Apes Hill Club in BarbadosA TREE GROWS IN BARBADOS. At Apes Hills Club, the new golf and residential community currently taking shape on the island's crest at nearly 1,000 feet above sea level, the golf design team for Landmark Land Company, a co-developer of the project, faced a dilemma. The original corridor for the par-four 14th hole ran through a dense jungle dotted with nearly 50 mature royal palms. According to Landmark CEO Gerald G. Barton, "We decided we couldn't destroy these beautiful trees, so we moved the 14th fairway to an adjacent corridor." The relocation created a new problem. Smack in the middle of the proposed new fairway stood a large mahogany tree, a magnificent 50-foot specimen with a huge spreading canopy. While mahogany trees are notoriously difficult to transplant, Landmark and partner Sir Charles Williams, owner of the largest construction company on Barbados and the progenitor of Apes Hill Club, made a commitment to preserve the tree by moving it approximately 150 feet to the east of its original location. This move was accomplished, said Barton, by digging a long, deep trench, filling it with water, and slowly sliding the 3.5-ton tree through the mud to its new home. The transplantation process, completed in March, 2007, has been judged a success. The mahogany tree now frames the left side of the new 14th fairway. The club's 18-hole, championship-caliber golf course has been designed to take full advantage of an expansive site that transitions from rolling meadows and thick jungle to small lakes and old quarries. Elevated tees on the eco-sensitive layout offer magnificent views of the island's east and west coasts. Multiple sets of tees, ranging from 7,049 yards for low handicappers to 5,131 yards for women, seniors, juniors and beginners, will present an enjoyable test to players at all ability levels. Set on an historic plantation circa 1686, the 470-acre development is a short downhill drive to the Platinum Coast, its white sandy beaches washed by the Caribbean Sea. Four miles to the east is the windward coast, which fronts the wave-tossed Atlantic Ocean. Apes Hill Club has panoramic sea views in all directions and is cooled by pleasant trade winds. Due to the exceptional natural beauty of the former plantation, two-thirds of the club's acreage will remain as open space, ensuring that each resident may take maximum advantage of the exquisite tropical setting. At completion, the low-density community will comprise a Bajan-themed collection of single-family homes and cluster units. The original partnership between Sir Charles Williams and Landmark was recently expanded to include Wentworth Club, the renowned golf and country club in the Surrey heathlands outside London. The development, slated to open in late 2008, will be identified as Apes Hill Club, a Wentworth Landmark Community. For more information, please visit www.apeshillclub.com. MARCH 6, 2007 Wentworth joins management team at Hill Club in BarbadosAPES HILL CLUB, an upscale golf and residential community currently taking shape in St. James, Barbados, has welcomed a new member to its management team. The original partnership between Sir Charles Williams, owner of the largest construction company in Barbados, and Landmark Land Company, one of the world's most successful resort and residential developers, has been expanded to include Wentworth Club, the renowned golf and country club in the Surrey heathlands outside London. The development, slated to open in late 2008, will be identified as Apes Hill Club, a Wentworth Landmark Community. According to Sir Charles Williams, "I realized that to fulfill my dream of preserving Apes Hill, I had to have experienced, sympathetic partners to create a world-class lifestyle and sporting development. Landmark and now Wentworth have been chosen because both are the best in their respective businesses." Gerald G. Barton, Landmark's chairman, said, "We are thrilled and humbled to be involved in the development of real estate so beautiful and so precious as Apes Hill in Barbados. We are especially proud to be partnering with Wentworth, one of the finest and most prestigious clubs in Europe." Julian Small, managing director of Wentworth, noted that his team "will bring our expertise to ensure that Apes Hill delivers a level of hospitality excellence that is synonymous with Wentworth. Essentially, we've been brought in to create a sense of community in keeping with the standards set by Wentworth and enjoyed by our members. We are delighted to be working with partners who are as committed as we are to achieving the highest level of service. Our goal is to become nothing less than the finest resort community in the Caribbean." Small added that with its two-way views of the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, the site is "without question one of the finest pieces of land for a real estate and golf development in the islands." Barbados itself is one of the premier destinations in the West Indies and enjoys a strong British patronage. This is the first time that Wentworth, revered for its golf and country club facilities, has attached its name to another venture. Wentworth will train staff, manage all aspects of the club's amenity program and ensure that member expectations are exceeded. Set on an historic plantation circa 1686, Apes Hills Club is located on the island's crest at nearly 1,000 feet above sea level. The 470-acre development is a short downhill drive to the Platinum Coast, its white sandy beaches washed by the Caribbean Sea. Four miles to the east is the windward coast, which fronts the wave-tossed Atlantic Ocean. Apes Hill Club has panoramic sea views in all directions and is cooled by pleasant trade winds. The club's 18-hole, championship-caliber golf course has been designed to take full advantage of an expansive site that transitions from rolling meadows and thick jungle to small lakes and old quarries. Elevated tees offer magnificent views of the island's east and west coasts. Multiple sets of tees, ranging from 7,049 yards for low handicappers to 5,131 yards for women, seniors, juniors and beginners, will present an enjoyable test to players at all ability levels. A spacious practice facility is also in the works. The land at Apes Hills Club has been divided into eight neighborhoods, with each neighborhood named after a plantation field name, including Moonshine Ridge, Garden Wall, Great Hill and Cabbage Tree Green. The community's entrance, road layouts, lot configurations and landscaping take their cue from nature and are designed to blend with the site's ecology. Due to the exceptional natural beauty of the former plantation, two-thirds of the club's acreage will remain as open space, ensuring that each resident may take maximum advantage of the exquisite tropical setting. At completion, the low-density community will comprise a Bajan-themed collection of single-family homes and cluster units. Apes Hill Club will feature a relaxed lifestyle focused on indoor/outdoor living and an array of activities to entertain the entire family. A nature garden will invite residents to walk, sit and read, or simply observe and study indigenous plants and flowers, each of which will be clearly identified. A lavish spa facility will be integrated into this natural environment. The tennis center will offer instruction and a variety of playing surfaces. A facility designed to entertain children is also planned. In addition, the club's world-class Waterhall Polo Centre will include a full-sized polo field with resident coach. Construction at Apes Hills Club has been underway since summer, 2005. Lots are currently for sale or pre-sale. |
