Hanoi, Vietnam: Four-time Major champion Ernie Els’ passion for growing the game in Asia has been underlined with the unveiling of the Els Performance Golf Academy.
The South African, whose Ernie Els Design company is a Full Business Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation, said: “Great partnerships are at the heart of our ethos at Ernie Els Design and just recently we’ve had the official opening of our first ever Els Performance Golf Academy in Hanoi.
“It’s already been announced as the home of the Vietnam National Golf Team and only last month it hosted a successful summit in association with the Asian Golf Industry Federation.
“We’re really excited about the facility that we’ve created there, with our partners at Ecopark and Troon, and it’s wonderful that we’re able to demonstrate through events such as that our passion for growing golf in the region and introducing new people to the game. The guys are doing a wonderful job there.”
Els is also excited at the prospects for the Valley Course at The Els Club Desaru Coast in Malaysia.
Els said: “This is another partnership, this time between myself and my old sparring partner Vijay Singh. We had some great battles on the golf course, but here we’re united in our shared passion for a wonderful project.
“We’re thrilled with the results. It lies adjacent to the existing Ocean Course, which we opened last year, and has been crafted around a series of undulations, providing impressive vistas around the Desaru Coast. Strong bunkering is a major factor, placing the onus on a well-planned course strategy.
“This is another major step forward in realising the vision of Desaru Coast and brings the total number of holes on offer under the umbrella of our Els Club Malaysia brand to 72. That’s 18 at The Els Club Teluk Datai and 45 (27-hole Ocean Course and 18-hole Valley Course) at The Els Club Desaru Coast, plus another nine holes at the site’s Els Performance Golf Academy, our second such facility.
“To have The Els Club brand as the first in a long-line of major developments at this special destination is a real privilege. This is now a special destination for golf, one that we feel will boost tourism and attract golf aficionados from around the world, while also hopefully inspiring others to get involved in golf.”