The Wave, Muscat, has appointed design and engineering consultancy Atkins to provide specialist landscaping advice for Oman’s first Professional Golfers Association (PGA) standard golf course.

The play areas – including fairways, greens, lakes and bunkers – for the sea-facing course are being designed by Greg Norman Golf Course Design.

Atkins is designing all the native areas of the 827,000 sqm course and its surrounds, landscaped fringe, wadis, rough areas and dunes.

Located along a coastal band as part of The Wave, Muscat development, this links course stands out for the high number of holes that will be water butting. Most links golf courses have only a couple of coast-skirting holes, whereas The Wave will have five.

“Walking the course with Greg Norman highlighted how involved professional golfers need to be in the design of a championship course. This is someone who has played at the highest level and it was incredibly interesting to witness his design approach first-hand. It helped our own landscaping team to understand the expectations of a professional player and it was fantastic to be able to spend time with someone of that calibre,” stated Atkins’ technical director of landscape Jim Carless.

On completion in mid-2011, The Wave is expected to become the first PGA standard course in Oman.
 
In addition to its landscaping services, Atkins’ role on the course includes marine works consultancy.-TradeArabia News Service