Greg Norman has hinted golf fans can expect a larger, louder and even more boisterous Party Hole when LIV Golf Adelaide returns to the South Australian capital in the new year.
LIV Golf Adelaide garnered worldwide attention when Chase Koepka aced the par-3 12th hole at The Grange Golf Club to send the crowd into a frenzy. Hundreds of fans joined in the celebration by sending beer cups into the air at the so-called ‘Watering Hole’. Video of Koepka’s hole-in-one went viral on social media.
In an exclusive interview with Australian Golf Digest, Norman was bullish about the par 3’s potential. “I think the success of the watering hole could be expanded because of the popularity of it. I think you can get more spectators around there,” he said.
And it’s not just Norman who wants a more lively experience for LIV Golf Adelaide.
“I work very closely with the SATC, the South Australian Tourism Commission. They have got the bit between the teeth and are wanting to improve it for next year. We’re under contract with them for multiple years. We want to make what we did last year as the minimum benchmark with what we can do going forward.
“We used LIV Adelaide as the benchmark for all our other 13 events around the world. Because it created the true culture of what LIV is all about: the energy, the lifestyle, the integration of entertainment fandom. All that stuff was there and Adelaide was the one that stepped up to it.
“That type of thought process and working in collaboration with the premier’s office and his people, I think that could be very achievable.”
Norman said new data revealed the inaugural event contributed $65 million to South Australia’s economy. The analysis also revealed that of the 77,076 attendees across the three-day event, more than 40 per cent were from out-of-state.
The merchandise tent sold $2.5 million of team gear. And in 22 tournaments with LIV Golf, 60 percent of viewers are aged 43 or younger compared to 67.5 for traditional golf broadcasts.
The record-breaking tournament was named World’s Best Golf Event of the Year 2023 at the World Golf Awards last month.
A date for LIV Golf Adelaide may be announced as early as tomorrow, prior to the release of the full 2024 schedule for the LIV Golf League.
The Shark was speaking from south-western Sydney to promote Norman Estates, a residential community at Gledswood Hills being developed by Sekisui House Australia. He officially launched Dress Circle in the premium estate where 190 homes will adjoin Norman’s nine-hole, par-3 course that is set to open once Wests Group Macarthur can establish a clubhouse facility.
The opulent SHAWOOD designed homes feature a distinctive Japanese style of architecture along with contemporary furnishings. The entry price for the mix of terrace and freestanding homes is $1.2 million (normanestates.com.au).
