LOS CABOS, Mexico — In 2003, Ken Jowdy was driving to the airport on a Thursday afternoon when his dealer referred to as and stated there was a bit of property he needed to see. The proprietor was 89 years previous and he’d turned down each provide anybody had ever made.
Jowdy’s dealer was his first name and he stated, “you might be my first name. I stated, ‘OK, I’ll be again on Tuesday.’ He stated, ‘You don’t perceive. In case you don’t come proper now, this property received’t be right here on Tuesday,’” Jowdy recounted on Saturday because the third spherical of the World Huge Know-how Championship was getting underway at El Cardonal at Diamante, one in every of two present programs he constructed on the land with a 3rd underneath building.
“I turned my automotive round and met him at what basically was a ranch. I hopped in his Jeep Liberty and we went flying round and inside half-hour we had a deal.”
Now the golf members and householders embody the likes of former baseball stars Roger Clemens and Larry Walker. “Isn’t this place superior?” Jowdy stated to Walker, making an attempt to steer the witness. Nevertheless it wasn’t essential as Walker’s affection for Diamante was palpable.
“I visited one time and purchased a home and I’m right here half the yr,” Walker stated. “I’m not right here as a result of it’s a (awful) place. The meals, the climate, the folks. That might be in a special order on daily basis.”
Kramer Hickok and Chesson Hadley stroll up the 14th gap throughout the third spherical of the World Huge Know-how Championship at El Cardonal at Diamante on November 04, 2023 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Mexico. (Photograph by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Photos)
KJ: When it was decided the event wouldn’t be in Mayakoba round this time of the yr, they had been going into the RSM Traditional in November and had a dialog with Mark Love, (Davis’s brother), and advised him they had been trying to find one other place in Mexico. Mark and Davis constructed the Dunes and gave me a name to see if I’d have an interest.
About 10 days later, the Tour got here right here. It occurred to be throughout our member visitor and (Tiger Woods) was right here – he’s in all probability been to 4 of the final six, I’m guessing – so I used to be busy and by no means even bought to see them throughout that journey. Nevertheless it piqued the Tour’s curiosity and once they got here again I walked all 36 holes with them. There have been too many modifications that wanted to be made to the Dunes. After they bought to El Cardonal, it was the apparent alternative. All we did was add a tee field to No. 1, however they didn’t ask for that. I simply thought it made sense. Credit score goes to Mark Love.
El Cardonal at Diamante in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. (Photograph: Todd Kelly/Golfweek)
KJ: I had an present relationship with Davis so he was a pure alternative for me to do the primary course. Three years later, somebody requested me if I’d be excited about speaking with TGR Design and right here we’re.
Tiger Woods on the land the place he constructed his first golf course. (Photograph: Diamante)
KJ: It didn’t need to be his first course; it simply turned out that approach. In any stroll of life, in case you have the chance to work with any person who’s the most effective in that discipline, I say at all times take that chance. Individuals don’t get to be within the dialog for the all time finest in the event that they don’t deliver an entire lot extra to the desk than expertise. Lots of people have expertise. You don’t get to be Tiger on expertise alone. You want all the opposite issues that go into it.
All people asks what he’s like. He’s into it. He is aware of precisely the place he’s going and precisely what he desires to do. Even with this event, he was very cognizant of the truth that this was the primary PGA Tour occasion to be performed on one in every of his programs and he needed to ensure we did the whole lot we had been speculated to do. There have been messages going forwards and backwards. I advised him I toured the course with the superintendent and the whole lot regarded good. He stated, “Ship me footage. I need to see it.” I cherished that.
The professional store at El Cardonal at Diamante in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, is stuffed with Tiger Woods Nike merchandise. (Photograph: Todd Kelly/Golfweek)
KJ: Once we signed a take care of Tiger in 2012, we did a long-term take care of him. We knew that he was going to do one other course and the deal tied him to the event over the long term.
We’re constructing a home for him now. He’s bought the restaurant (Woods Cabo) now so there are numerous causes for him to come back right here. We opened it for the event this week after which Roger Clemens’s son is getting married right here subsequent weekend after which the restaurant will formally be open. It will likely be open to the general public. We now have a separate gate the place folks can drive in and eat there.
We’re full-blown building proper now on the third course. We in all probability moved 200,000 cubic meters of grime for the primary course. We in all probability moved 350,000 on El Cardonal and we’ll in all probability transfer 3 million on the membership. The timeline is predicated on how briskly we are able to transfer the grime. We now have six holes practically formed and hoping to have them grassed within the subsequent six months. Subsequent yr we received’t be enjoying the golf course however in my excellent world we’ll be there in 2025 but it surely’s not my determination which of the programs they’ll play. It’s going to be a course for householders and we in all probability are going to shut the course in August and September anyway as a result of most householders aren’t right here these months. So to shut it yet one more month shouldn’t be that massive of a deal. Then once more, it’s not my determination.
The Davis Love III-designed Dunes Golf Course at Diamante Cabo San Lucas (Photograph: Diamante)
KJ: If you wish to go on the Dunes Course proper now, there’s in all probability 230 gamers at the moment. It’s meant to have 120. It’s nearly demand. I’m simply making an attempt to meet their wants.
The Davis Love III-designed Dunes Golf Course at Diamante Cabo San Lucas (Photograph: Diamante)
KJ: Davis was first. It was his alternative. The dunes there are so placing.
On the third course, we’re shifting a lot grime. We’re constructing lakes and streams and bringing in 5,000 timber. Lots of people say it’s going to be one other Shadow Creek however there’s just one Shadow Creek.
Dunes will get numerous consideration as a result of it’s fairly placing. El Cardonal is a little more delicate but it surely’s a 50-50 cut up which one they’d slightly play. Legacy Membership goes to be manufactured however it’ll be a really placing course with water options – waterfalls and streams. You’re not going to really feel such as you’re on this space. You’re not going to see desert. I’ve been on this enterprise a very long time and you would have three work and everybody goes to have a special opinion.
The Tiger Woods-designed El Cardonal Golf Course at Diamante Cabo San Lucas (Photograph: Diamante)
KJ: We’ll cap membership at 250. It’s a vertical household membership so your children, your grandparents, your dad and mom, your grandkids may also be members. On this enterprise, particularly with what we try to perform, exclusivity and entry and repair need to be set at a excessive normal so as to have the ability to promote the true property on the value we wish.
The folks we get right here have labored their entire life to have the ability to get pleasure from this era of their life they usually need to keep energetic and golf is among the issues they need to do.
Former MLB pitcher Roger Clemens hits a tee shot on the seventh gap throughout the first spherical of the Invited Superstar Traditional at Las Colinas Nation Membership on April 21, 2023 in Irving, Texas. (Photograph by Tim Heitman/Getty Photos)
KJ: I’m extra confused concerning the marriage ceremony going as deliberate than this golf event. I met Roger in 1987. I went to Wake Forest and have become buddies with Billy Andrade and Roger and Billy bought attached at a pro-am occasion and that’s how I met Roger.
I’ve performed all around the world with Roger Clemens. We now have in all probability performed a thousand rounds collectively. When he was enjoying, he would ship me his group’s schedule and he’d circle his fifth day when he was pitching. He wouldn’t play on that day however the different 4 days had been open. The one drawback was when he performed for the Yankees, George Steinbrenner wouldn’t let golf equipment go on the group airplane so I needed to journey together with his golf equipment too. I hate touring with golf equipment.
He’s a few 5 or 6 handicap and he offers me three a aspect. He was right here 20 years in the past and we drove ATV’s all over and I’d level and say that is going to be the fifth gap and now it’s.
