![]() There was much to do, but with a shared vision, hard graft and endless determination, this canny Scotsman and his team have created what is now known as Centurion Club, and today has been heralded as one of the best courses in England. Evans saw an opportunity and he and his business partners Bert Pronk and Andre Hendriks made a play for a large area of land on the outskirts of St Albans, and in 2010 soon became theproud owners of 190 acres of undulating countryside interspersed with pine woodland. Many questioned his decision to create such a club in the middle of a recession, but the belief was there and it never wavered through all the highs and lows. The way HH Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum was transforming Dubai through the vision of his father Sheikh Rashid gave an understanding of a ‘can do’ attitude and that the dream of creating a championship course around London might become a reality. In the early days of Dubai’s emergence, Evans soon learned that dreams could become a reality. So if I told you Scott Evans, a former PGA professional from the early days of Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club in the UAE, has masterminded one of the most talked about golf clubs in the London area, you might be blown away, especially when you find out how he did it. **If you’d like to reach the Federation’s 10,000+ global audience via newsletter, website, Facebook and LinkedIn, become an AGIF member.Building a championship golf club normally requires deep pockets and the dreams of billionaires. The PGA of GB&I is an Executive Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation. ![]() As a club we’re constantly striving to create an even better and even more special golfing experience.” With the changing winds, it plays differently every day, and I can’t think of another course that has actually become better over the years. In an interview with HK Golfer magazine, Downie said: “Clearwater Bay is extremely special to me. I spent seven years there until I came back to Clearwater Bay … and I’ve been here happily ever since.” He said: “We did six Singapore Opens and two HSBC Women’s Champions. “Talk about being out of your comfort zone! I went on to shoot 75 and 78 and quickly realised I’d leave tournament golf to professional golfers, not golf professionals like me,” recalled Downie, who moved to Hong Kong in 2002 to take up the post as Director of Golf at Clearwater Bay.Īs well as being responsible for the golf operation at the private, members-owned club, Downie was instrumental in the installation of the first open seawater Reverse Osmosis Desalination Plant in Southeast Asia, for the purpose of irrigation.įrom Hong Kong he moved to Singapore and the Sentosa Golf Club where he was involved in the rebuilding of the Serapong Course, home to the Singapore Open. In the third round of the event in 1999, he played in the final group alongside David Howell, the eventual champion. He was also heavily involved with the Creek club’s staging of the Dubai Desert Classic. In his 10 years there (1992 to 2002), Downie oversaw the set-up and pre-opening of the 27-hole course and academy, the first of its kind in the Middle East. He then took on a similar position at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. “To say I’m in shock to receive this award is something of an understatement! Forty years as a PGA Professional and I still can’t wait to get to the office in the morning,” said Downie, General Manager at Hong Kong’s Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club, a Facility Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.ĭownie graduated from the PGA of GB&I at The Belfry in 1984 before spending six years (1986-1992) as the Director of Golf at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman in the West Indies. ![]() Scotsman Downie, whose well-travelled career has seen him work in the Cayman Islands, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong, has been honoured with the PGA of Great Britain & Ireland (GB&I) International Manager of the Year Award.ĭownie was presented with a plaque during the PGA of GB&I Members’ International Conference at Laguna Phuket. Phuket, Thailand: Peter Downie, a veteran of the golf industry in the region, has been recognised for his achievements over the course of more than three decades. Peter Downie has been named PGA of Great Britain & Ireland International Manager of the Year. ![]()
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