Golf Course

The Mena House Oberoi Golf Course is the only golf course in the world directly adjacent to one of the Great Wonders of the World. The Great Pyramid of Cheops is towering over the golf course and has mesmerized golfers for more than 100 years. With the renovation of the Mena House Oberoi Hotel, the demand for a complete makeover of the golf course became apparent as well. Following an international design competition, Mena House appointed international golf course architect Bettina Schrickel and her long-term mentor, Robert Trent Jones Jr., to create a new golf course on the old site. Egyptian contractor Civil Homes in collaboration with the Turkish firm Golf International are currently completing the architects’ vision very skillfully.

The original scheme of a golf course with 9 fairways yet 18 greens and tees for 18 different golf holes to be played on the relatively small site was supposed to be preserved. The new routing includes 11 fairways and 4 lakes to offer a much greater variety and diversity for 18 unique golf holes. Hundreds of magnificent old trees have been preserved during the redesign of the golf course and frame the new fairways and greens with their lush foliage. Interest of play due to thoughtfully placed hazards, high aesthetics, safety and short walks between greens and tees were the leading factors for the new golf course. All hazards are placed in appropriate and fair distances from tees and turning points yet in well thought-out locations to challenge golfer’ strategic thinking. Fairways and greens are shaped in a visually attractive ways and incorporate the reward for good shots and punishment for less successfully hit golf balls. Golf holes leading towards the pyramids are less challenging to allow golfers to enjoy the beautiful view without too much distraction. Paspallum grass varieties throughout the whole golf course provide very smooth and enjoyable playing conditions.

Bettina Schrickel is a certified golf course architect and registered landscape architect with 15 years of professional experience in creating golf courses, golf resorts and championship venues in Europe, the United States and Northern Africa. She began her career as a Design Associate with Golfplan – The Ronald Fream Design Group and Robert Trent Jones II. Bettina Schrickel opened her own office in 2001 when asked to design the Golf Club Donau-Riss in Germany under her own name. The German-born golf course architect resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She is also principle designer for Schrickel + Partner with headquarters in Berlin, Germany.

California-based Robert Trent Jones Jr. has been practicing golf course architecture since 1963. He has designed more than 220 golf courses in 35 countries on 5 continents. Numerous of his golf courses have received awards for the quality of their design in international ranking lists. Many of those courses have hosted major PGA and World Cup tournaments. Schrickel and Jones have been collaborating on various selected projects. Mena House Oberoi Golf Course is the latest project on their agenda. The collaboration offers unique joint expertise of long-term experience in successful golf course design and the long-overdue female approach to high aesthetics and equal consideration of the younger, senior and female players.