Released on = July 3, 2007, 1:34 pm

Press Release Author = GolfPublisher Syndications

Industry = Media

Press Release Summary = Golf architect Brian Curley on building China\'s Mission
Hills. Course-design profiles at WorldGolf.com

Press Release Body = By Brandon Tucker,
Staff Writer,
Golf Publisher Syndications

Norman, Sorenstam, Couples and Singh are some of the names on the 12 courses at
China\'s Mission Hills, but behind the Tour pro credits is respected course-design
firm Schmidt-Curley. Partner Brian Curley talks about his golf journey from Pebble
Beach caddy to architect on the world\'s biggest golf resort.

It\'s easy to fall for golf when you grow up on the Monterey peninsula.

Golf course architect Brian Curley saw the writing on the wall working as a caddie
on the hallowed grounds of Cypress Point and Pebble Beach. He knew as a youth that
golf would be his profession.

But he also knew he didn\'t to have the game to make it on the PGA Tour. And he\'d
\"worked around enough disgruntled head and assistant pros in the pro shop to know
that wasn\'t for me.\" Curley took instead to the design side of the game.

This was the \'70s, before the age of celebrity course architects.

\"There were a lot of [clubs] back then that had Donald Ross courses and didn\'t even
know it,\" Curley recalls. \"The designer wasn\'t mentioned anywhere. Now every course
is showcasing their designer.\"

Curley and partner Lee Schmidt have become part of that phenomenon, collaborating on
courses with the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman and Pete Dye, with whom Curley
studied.

Schmidt-Curley\'s portfolio includes the biggest brand-name design job in golf, the
12-course Mission Hills mega-resort in China - the world\'s largest golf resort, per
The Guinness Book of World Records. WorldGolf.com caught up with Curley between his
regular treks to Asia to talk about the state of course design.

WorldGolf.com: When you\'ve got 12 golf courses, all with a different name but built
by the same firm on the same property, how different is a Norman course going to be
compared to a Sorenstam?

Brian Curley: The most obvious differences would be in the bunker styles. The Norman
course is very Australian, like Royal Melbourne. It has tall grasses, rugged,
traditional bunker styles. It\'s not manicured. The Vijay Singh course is more of a
Pete Dye, TPC Sawgrass-type course. The Leadbetter and Annika\'s course are more
user-friendly.

WG: There aren\'t many female names in women\'s design. Are men going to want to play
an \"Annika Sorenstam\" course?


For more details visit -
http://www.worldgolf.com/features/brian-curley-golf-course-designer-mission-hills-resort-china-5608.htm

July 3, 2007
Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily
represent the views of the management.

Author/Company
GolfPublisher Syndications
Email - golfpublisherusa@gmail.com
Website - http:///www.worldgolf.com

Web Site = http://www.worldgolf.com

Contact Details = Email - golfpublisherusa@gmail.com