Peterhof

“Peterhof is in a terrific location – out the busy St. Petersburg highway past the Constantine Palace in Strelna and just 3 kilometres before the Peterhof Palace and its fabulous fountains – which is definitely on par with Versailles.

The original owner of the project was Protcion, our client for Forest Hills. Greg Norman was hired as the architect for the St. Petersburg site and his team produced a spacious layout, complete with a full-size practice range/academy.

Construction started just prior to the economic collapse in 2008-2010 but a couple of years later, a new group bought the property – although the practice range/academy land was not included – and wanted to add a residential component.

We were approached to come on board and we took on the task of fitting 18 holes, a practice range and a residential development on land that had previously only accommodated 18 holes of golf.

Somehow, we were able to fit it all in, working with the Norman-plan lakes that had already begun to be excavated. It’s a links-style course with only a few trees along the St. Petersburg highway. It seems to have a lively membership and is still going strong.”

Highlight holes include a tough par five opening hole (rated stroke index 2), where golfers need to avoid a lake to the right of the fairway on their way to a heavily sand-protected green. The 13th and 14th play over and across the same small lake, while the short par three 16th plays to a peninsula green that’s also flanked by four bunkers.