PEZULA, KNYSNA, SOUTHAFRICA
Women's professional golf is capturing international TV audiences at a phenomenal rate. Pezula, by sponsoring and hosting the Women's World Cup of Golf in Knysna, have linked themselves to this glamorous and prestigious sport in an effort to promote women's golf and our beautiful coastline.
Pezula, the international benchmark in environmentally sensitive property development, will sponsor and host the $1 million Women's World Cup of Golf, along with leading information technology company, Acer, for three consecutive years from February 2005. The event will attract 40 of the world's leading women golfers from 20 countries. Pezula, situated on the cliffs above the eastern head of Knysna's Lagoon is, according to people who have already bought property on the estate, "a place that simply defies description, a stunning blend of coastal cliffs, forest, beaches and lagoons; nature at its very best." It is in this setting, on the Pezula Championship Golf Course, that the Ladies European Tour (LET) and the USA Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) have, for the first time ever, agreed to jointly sanction this event.
Pezula boasts three kilometres of Indian Ocean waterfront and is set in coastal forest and "fynbos" (natural scrub) bordered by the Sinclair Nature Reserve, the sea and the Noetzie River. Its superb golf course and clubhouse have won many awards. Construction of The Pezula Hotel and Spa, scheduled to open in November 2004 and which will consist of a five-star, all suite hotel and luxury health spa, commenced in October this year and plans are far advanced for the estate's golf institute, tennis academy and equestrian centre.
It is not surprising says Keith Stewart, Chairman of Pezula, that women's professional golf is on the rise and breaking all television audience viewing records. "In Europe more than two million women are registered golfers. Events are watched in over 250 million households. Together with Acer we will take the pristine beauty of Pezula, where manicured fairways blend into bush and forest, and greens perch on cliffs high above the sea, on a television trip around the world." Women's golf is appealing to television broadcasters. The once staid image has been replaced by high fashion. As with women's tennis, which is also growing, many of the emerging players would be as comfortable on the catwalk as in the heat of competition. One repercussion is that many men are now women's golf fans, as well as non-golfers who merely appreciate the attractive golf locations.
The women's tours in America and Europe visit some of the most beautiful destinations in the world, and Pezula is likely to surpass all of them. "I have been very fortunate to play on many of the world's most scenic courses. I can honestly say that none match Pezula. It's a sentiment shared by all the overseas visitors that play our golf course." Stewart predicts that with the television interest, the Garden Route will soon become the world's most popular golfing holiday destination. "We are only four highway hours from Cape Town, and the George and Plettenberg Bay airports service all the major SA cities," says Stewart. "In addition we have many other fabulous courses besides Pezula. The Garden Route will also host the Presidents Cup, scheduled for November this year, with a dozen top Americans, including Tiger Woods, going up against the rest of the world, excluding Europe. To my mind our women's event will ensure intense golf focus on South Africa for another four years, at least."