Braemar Nass, the Scottish-Bahraini golf course construction company, is close to completing the Montgomerie Championship Course at Royal Golf Club, Riffa Views.

Although, the Colin Montgomerie-design is expected to open to members and guests in November, the completion of the fully-grassed golf course will only become official in October when it is handed over by Braemar Nass to the management team responsible for ongoing maintenance and care.
Braemar Nass secured the construction contract for the 27-hole golf facility in December 2006 and work commenced soon after. The joint venture, combining the golf expertise of Braemar Golf Developments with the construction experience of Nass Contracting, was formed to respond to the demand for high-quality golf course construction services in the Middle East and other countries. The company considers its contribution to be integral to the overall objectives of the project and its vision to bring a comprehensive suite of amenities to the Riffa Views community, including a championship golf course by an internationally recognised designer in Colin Montgomerie. Montgomerie is not only recognised for his accomplishments as a professional golfer but is highly respected as a designer of golf courses that combine the traditions of his Scottish heritage with contemporary innovation.
David Anthony, director of Braemar Nass says the company “responded to both the client’s vision to build a superior golf course and their desire to complete it by the year-end. We set ourselves an aggressive schedule and have completed construction of the golf course at a record pace.”
The facility at Riffa Views features a nine-hole short course, and an 18-hole championship course styled as a classic inland links course while incorporating the desert features which are unique to the Gulf.
The desert landscape and its dry windy climate is not an environment conducive to creating lush green golf courses. Braemar Nass’ Jonathan Pendry, a trained agronomist, was responsible for the choice of grass and selected Paspalum vaginatum (Sea Isle Supreme) for its adaptability to the saline environment, greater cold tolerance, capacity to be cut at a range of heights and environmental credentials as a plant that requires less water and fertiliser. Paspalum can be irrigated with lower quality water after the initial grow-in and this was a big consideration, given the limited resources of a small island.
A large amount of time was spent in land preparation which involved moving hundreds of thousands of tonnes of fill to give the course the shape and style dictated by Mongomerie’s design. This was followed by the meticulous and time-consuming exercise of planning hundreds of thousands of square meters of the special variety of grass chosen for the project.
The golf course requires 900,000 cu m of water per year for full irrigation. Given the geographic location, water sourcing became another challenge as a variety of water sources were skilfully engineered to feed the complex and highly sophisticated irrigation system.
During a routine course inspection earlier this year, Montgomerie expressed his delight with Braemar Nass and how well its construction team performed to bring his design and vision to fruition: “Being the first of its kind in Bahrain, Riffa Views golf course will add a new dimension to golf in the Middle East. I am positive it will become a popular destination for the residents of Riffa Views, local players and golf tourists. The course is shaping up well and I am impressed by the attention to detail and expert input from the team on the ground.”
After initially teaming together in 2006, Braemar Nass recently became incorporated and registered as a company in Bahrain. The company has an executive board of directors, supported by project-based personnel. On a project-by-project basis, the company’s management team selects and recruits core staff to form a customised team that is project-driven. Project specialists include experienced project and construction managers, shapers, finishing shapers, agronomists, and experts in irrigation and grow-in.
Braemar Golf is a specialist golf services company based in St Andrews, Scotland, with management and technical specialists delivering business, operational and construction solutions. It is currently involved in projects in the Pacific Rim, Africa, Europe and the UK.
Nass Contracting is a subsidiary of the Nass Group, a major diversified construction and trading organisation comprising more than 30 companies. The group is primarily engaged in contracting, manufacturing, marine services and related trading activities throughout the Gulf region.
As Braemar Nass, these two companies blend their experience and expertise to become a single enterprise poised to deliver exceptional golf course construction. Following the success of Riffa Views, Braemar Nass feels it is now well positioned to take on new projects throughout the region.
 “Based on the strength of our current team and our imminent completion of the Royal Club Course at Riffa Views, Braemar Nass will become recognised as a premier golf course construction company,” Anthony concludes.