Posted: 18 Jan 2011 10:52 AM PST

18 January 2011 Last updated at 13:29 ET

A controversial plan to build houses at a Belfast golf club has been shelved.

The houses were to be part of a development at Knock Golf Club, in Dundonald in the east of the city.

Local residents were angered by the intention to build hundreds of homes on what was supposed to be green belt land.

The Department of the Environment announced on Monday that the planning application had been withdrawn by the applicant.

The application involved reducing the current golf course to nine holes and building 300 houses, including some social housing, and using the clubhouse as a community centre.

Part of the land earmarked for the development was revealed to actually belong to the Ulster Hospital, which leased it to the club under a 100-year agreement.

The club wanted to keep five acres of the 12-acre plot in return for giving up the lease 50 years early, freeing the remaining land for hospital use.

Approval was originally granted on that basis, but the health trust later confirmed it had not been consulted by the planners and had never agreed to change the lease.

Agricultural land

The golf club had intended to relocate to a new 185 acre site in Greengraves in Newtownards.

However, permission to build a new course was turned down by Ards Borough Council in December.

Councillor Kieran McCarthy voted against the proposal. He said serious concerns about the impact on traffic and the environment were factors in his decision.

"We have good agricultural land being interfered with and I'm very content to see that the proposal has not been given permission," he said.

As far back as 2007, the development was supported by DUP MP Peter Robinson, who wrote to the then Environment Minister, Arlene Foster, asking if she could expedite the application.

Local residents, including Dundonald Green Belt Association, were angered at the MP's support for the project and it became an issue in last year's general election at which Mr Robinson lost his Westminster seat.

The issue then came before the Environment Committee at Stormont

The DUP wanted to rule out any more discussion about the planning decision.

Further discussion

However, the SDLP, Sinn Fein, Ulster Unionists and Alliance all agreed that there should be further discussion about the development.

The planners were eventually called to answer questions about how the application had been handled.

Earlier this month, independent east Belfast MLA Dawn Purvis said there were "too many questions" about the planning application for the development to proceed.

"I would encourage the environment minister to revisit and review the application and conduct a thorough investigation into the claims made in the application which are currently in dispute," she said.

The developers have declined to comment.

A DOE spokesperson said that all those who had been in contact with it regarding the Knock Golf Club development would be informed of the withdrawal.

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Best golf in Hawaii: Kauai

Posted: 18 Jan 2011 11:26 AM PST

By BRANDON TUCKER
TravelGolf.com

Posted: January 18, 2011

makai golf kauai
No. 7 at Makai Golf Club is as visually stunning as it is challenging. (Makai Golf Club)

When it comes to golf in Hawaii you can't go wrong with any of the four main islands – Maui, Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island. In fact, each island has such great golf that you could argue any one of them is best of the bunch. Former host of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, Kauai has Hawaii's highest concentration of amazing golf. Here's why it's arguably No. 1.

Of the four main islands of Hawaii, Kauai is the smallest and has the fewest golf courses.

So why should it be considered your best choice for a Hawaii golf vacation?

For what Kauai offers, it delivers in aces: a secluded island escape full of natural wonders like Waimea Canyon and the Napali Coast. Its treasures and backdrops are the darling of Hollywood site scouts, and the golf courses on Kaui make the most of their most unique environments.

In the eyes of professional golf, Kauai is the forgotten island, at least for the time being. Maui hosts the PGA Tour's Hyundai Tournament of Champions, Oahu hosts the Sony Open and the Big Island has the Champions Tour's Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.

Kauai hosted the PGA Grand Slam of Golf before it moved to Bermuda in 2006. It's difficult to believe Kauai would ever have the amount of beds and infrastructure needed to host an event as big as the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, and that's exactly the appeal to both residents and those who pick Kauai over Hawaii's busier islands.

The island doesn't boast much nightlife like Waikiki or even Maui's much smaller Kihei, and there are exactly zero high-rise buildings lining the beaches, as strict codes allow virtually no buildings to be built above the palm trees.

And while you can count all the island's golf courses on your hand, nearly all of them are eligible of becoming your personal favorite. Most, along with the many luxury hotel properties, have also gone through extensive upgrades in recent years. So there's never been a better time to tee it up on Kauai.

It's difficult to pinpoint Kauai's "best" course, because each fit a niche.

Along Kauai's south shore is Poipu Bay Golf Course, which is perhaps the most recognizable golf course on the island because it hosted the PGA Grand Slam of Golf for 13 years. It's impossible to forget the cliff views on holes 15-17, while the remainder of the course boasts historic lava rock walls and virtually no homes or development in sight.

Poipu's best days may be ahead of us, too, now that the greens have been reseeded with a faster paspalum turf, and the adjacent Grand Hyatt Hotel has renovated each of its guest rooms.

Poipu Bay was host to Phil Mickelson's 59 in the Grand Slam in 2004, but it's safe to say no pro could ever score that low on Kauai's toughest course, the Prince Course at Princeville Hanelei Bay. Set on the dramatic north shore, the Prince is as bold of a golf course as there is on earth. It's tough, gorgeous, and set on severe, mountainous jungle terrain.

The shiniest new course of Kauai's bunch is next door at the Makai Golf Club at St. Regis Princeville. The course originally opened in 1971, but when Starwood chose to upgrade the Princeville resort to a St. Regis in 2007, they decided the property needed a golf course suitable to the luxury brand. The result was an entirely rebuilt and enhanced course at the hands of the original architect (and Princeville resident), Robert Trent Jones Jr. The rehab made every hole better, especially the holes on the ocean. Like Poipu Bay, Makai now features Paspalum greens.

With Poipu Bay and the Makai Golf Club freshly built, Kauai Lagoons Golf Club will be the last of Kauai's resort courses to emerge with a brand new look. Originally a 36-hole Jack Nicklaus facility, some economic issues resulted in the closure of 18 holes and later just nine holes, plus renovations of others. They've opened up the infamous closing stretch, including a short par-4 16th hole that plays entirely along the cliffs. And when the remainder of the course reopens, it will have the longest oceanfront stretch in Hawaii.

But Kauai isn't all resort golf. The island's daily fees are remarkable in their own right.

Bargain hunters will call Wailua Golf Course their pick. Many Kauai natives call this Hawaii's best municipal course. Just a few minutes from the heart of Lihue, many holes play right along the ocean. Wailua is a stern enough test to have once hosted the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. These days it serves as the workhorse for the island's locals, as well as the occasional curious visitor passing by on the coastal road from Lihue to Princeville.

Lastly, there is the course that has wedged itself between municipal Wailua and the resort course of Kauai Lagoons, both geographically and stylistically: Puakea Golf Course. This bargain daily-fee's pro shop and restaurant is set in a double-wide trailer, and the first few holes play alongside the town. But by the back nine, playing in open land beside the mountains, you'll think you're long gone from civilization. It's pretty easy to break away from any trace of development on the Garden Isle.

GOLF Magazine Interview: Lee Westwood

Posted: 17 Jan 2011 03:01 PM PST

Never mind being World No.1, you seem to be the new King of Twitter, too.
It's a British cultural thing. We have always been able to laugh at ourselves more than Americans have. I never take myself too seriously. Sometimes Americans don't quite get my sense of humor. My good ol' British sarcasm seems to go over their heads. They'll have to learn to spot it coming [smiles].

Tiger's on Twitter but not he's not joining in much is he?
He's been pretty guarded all his life so I don't see how he's now naturally going to suddenly open up on Twitter. Golf is difficult to get your personality over because you are such a bottle of concentration. People always say golfers don't smile. But there is so much psychology in golf so we have to be a bit robotic. It's important we let fans know what we are like. Let them know the human being behind the golfer.

Being No.1, is it a dream come true?
I never holed a putt as a kid to be World No.1. It was always to win the Open or the Masters. When I started I didn't really have any ideas about where I wanted to go. I just wanted to play golf every day. I knew I didn't want to have a proper job [smiles].

How has being No. 1 changed you?
People say I am walking with more of a swagger, but I don't think so. I think it's an indication of how other people's opinion of you changes and how they look at you. I'm not walking with my chest puffed out.

Do you enjoy the celebrity?
Yes. It's easier getting table at restaurants now [smiles]. But I've never been fame-driven. You'll never see me doing Strictly Come Dancing [the British take on Dancing with the Stars] or celebrity magazines.

How much extra pressure to you feel?
There is more responsibility. The eyes of the world are on you more. I can see already that whenever I say anything, how much it gets picked up on. I'm representing golf now rather than just myself. Experiencing how much extra work is involved; I can see why Tiger pulled down the shutters.

But you are quite happy to voice your opinions, right?
If you have things to say, you should say them. Sportsmen sometimes open their mouths and haven't got foundation for what they say. Other times, it's like they are airbrushing and sugar-coating and just saying what everybody wants to hear and what's politically correct rather than the truth.

Do you detect American media not giving you credit for being No. 1 and a rift between the European Tour and PGA Tour?
It's unfortunate because I do see it as, "Us versus Them." And we are almost as guilty as they are of being too guarded about our own tour. We are both increasing the amount of events you have to play, both fighting for the same dates by putting tournaments on during the same weeks.

What would you like to see?
We are all in a tough financial situation. All the tours and federations should be pulling together for the good of golf. Getting all the best players together on the same week. Not going up against each other. If nobody does anything about it, golf will struggle, sponsors will drop out. Think of the big picture.

Should golf become more like tennis?
Well, yeah. Greg Norman made a valid point 15 years ago when he tried to get a World Tour going. Whether that's having 25 massive tournaments a year with smaller ones on the same week in other parts of the world. There has to be a change or people will get bored with it and golf will get stale. Golf is so slow now. Maybe it should be like the NFL where they have the clock just to keep everything going. Just to jazz it up a bit to attract a different crowd.

Anything to declare from the Ryder Cup celebrations?
I was emcee at the party. Too many vodka and tonics. Too much champagne. Massive headache next morning. I was playing with Phil [Mickelson] in Shanghai in November and I told him about how I did an interview during which they asked me what I was doing after the Ryder Cup and I told them I ended up in the U.S. team room playing table tennis and I lost to Mickelson. And they said, "Was he a pretty decent player?" And I said, "No, not Phil — Amy!" And she gave me a right thumping [laughs].

Any surprise party animals?
Martin Kaymer came right out of his shell. He doesn't normally drink but he had quite a few and hit the karaoke machine. Even Padraig [Harrington] cracked open the Jack Daniels. The nice thing now is that both teams get together. I was sat in the locker room having a drink with Arnold Palmer a few years ago with Ernie [Els] after Ernie had just won the Bay Hill Invitational and Arnold said that this is the way it should be. Guys beat each other's brains out on the golf course and then sit down and have a drink, talk about it, and be mates.

The Ryder Cup is in the bag but the search for that elusive major continues.
It wouldn't be the end of the world if I never won a major, but careers of top players are defined by how many they win. Certainly the careers of World No.1s are highlighted even more.

Colin Montgomerie says you are the favorite to win the Masters. But you have had a love/hate relationship with the Masters lately, right?
I didn't fall out of love with the Masters, it was with Augusta. But what they have done to the course in the past two years has vindicated what I said. One of the great things about the Masters when I was growing up was those back-nine charges and hearing the roars on 13 and 15 when people made eagles. I just thought the course was getting so severe, that we were losing that. The Masters to me isn't about level par winning; it's about the beautiful course and those late charges and seeing those long bending putts going in. You know, being able to shoot 5-, 6-under and get into contention. I grew up watching Jack Nicklaus shoot 30 in 1986.

A final world on Monty, please.
I just found out Monty changed all our beds the week before the Ryder Cup. How's that for attention to detail? But he needn't have bothered on my behalf; I can sleep on a table. They call me half man, half mattress [laughs].

Golf Zone

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

“Golf club houses plan withdrawn” plus 2 more

“Golf club houses plan withdrawn” plus 2 more

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