The master developers of the Zimbali Lakes development on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast have clinched a deal with South African golfing great Ernie Els that is set to boost the golf tourism industry in the province.

The deal between IFA Hotels & Resorts, the master developers of Zimbali Lakes Resort, and four-time major champion Els was launched at the resort on Tuesday.

The event was attended by Els, CEO IFA HR South Africa Werner Burger, and IFA HR director Elliott Nkosi, among others.

As part of the deal the resort will have an Ernie Els signature golf course, an Els Performance Golf Academy, accommodation for academy students called Ernie Els Suites and will also have a Big Easy Pub and Grill restaurant with a wine cellar.

Speaking at the event, Els said the golf course had a wonderful design.

“It's something that’s really going to stand the test of time with the quality that they are putting in.”

Els said the partnership had come a long way as it had initially started out with just a golf academy.

“We are now putting our brand and our name behind this project. It is really a dream come true for us as a company,” he said.

Els, who is also involved in the Ernie Els Centre for Autism based in Gauteng, said there was an opportunity to help people in KZN.

“We raised money and built an autism centre in the US, who knows what we can do here. We are only starting with the possibilities and with the help of everybody here we can really get something going right here at Zimbali Lakes,” he said.

Wayne Krambeck, who is the senior vice-president of operations at Zimbali Lakes and a PGA golfer, said there are only two Els Performance Golf Academies in the world and this will be the third.

“That’s going to bring an international clientele to us because there are going to be juniors from all over the world who will want to come here. We know that there is a huge interest in that,” he said.

Speaking on Zimbali hosting the restaurant, Krambeck said: “The Big Easy Pub and Grill in the clubhouse, nobody else has got that. It’s different, it’s new, it’s family oriented,” he said.

He said he was excited to create something at the golf course with grass from the US that is usually found at inland courses.

“We are the very first golf course on the coast to put down bent grass green on their golf course.

“This is a strain called super 7 and it comes from Florida. It’s genetically modified bent grass that handles humidity and the salt content in the air. This will change how people play golf in KZN,” said Krambeck.

Els, who lives overseas, will also be visiting the province more as he and his wife Liezl have chosen a plot to design and build a house at Zimbali.

Krambeck said Els was looking at a piece of land in Tatali Views, which is a 2 000m2 site that has 360-degree views.

“We are not getting any younger, so my wife Liezl and I, we are starting to look around where we are going to maybe start retiring, so although we’ve been living in Europe and the US, South Africa is where we want to be. At the end of the day we love this country,” said Els.

The Mercury

#ernie-els

Ernie Els to boost SA golf tourism industry at KZN’s Zimbali Lakes Resort