January 25, 2016 – Abaco, The Bahamas — The Abaco Club on Winding Bay announced today that longtime member and resident, Darren Clarke, has agreed to serve as its World Ambassador, and to assist in promoting the Club both in its sales and marketing efforts and at special events.
Clarke has been a fixture at the Abaco Club since its opening in 2008 and was married to his wife, Alison, on the club’s extraordinary, 2.5-mile, white sand beach in 2012. “I love the relaxed atmosphere of this place and the enhancements that have been made to the award-winning course at The Abaco Club,” Clarke said, from his cottage overlooking Winding Bay. “It’s extraordinarily beautiful, and there’s no place I’d rather spend time, especially with my family. I’m also looking forward to the completion of the state-of-the-art practice facility at the Club,” he added. “I’ve always loved working on my game here prior to The Masters each year, and this new facility is going to be a Tour-quality practice area, the best in the islands.” In addition to enjoying his home at Abaco and being on the beach and golf course, Clarke also has a passion for the world-class bonefishing and sport-fishing opportunities in The Abacos. He recently competed in, and won, the Abaco Club’s bonefishing competition, which took place over the holidays.
The current European Ryder Cup Team Captain, Darren Clarke has had a long and successful professional career. Originally from Northern Ireland, Clarke plays in PGA Tour, European Tour and other major golf events all around the world. He has played on the European Ryder Cup team five times and has won 22 tournaments on major tours, including the PGA Tour, Sunshine Tour and Japan Tour. He won the 2011 Open Championship at Royal St. George’s, along with two World Golf Championships, most notably the 2000 WGC-Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship when he defeated Tiger Woods.
“We are thrilled to have Darren’s support for our efforts to spread the word about The Abaco Club,” said Casey Counseller, General Manager. “As a professional golfer, he appreciates what an outstanding course it is, but Darren also enjoys and makes use of the Club’s other amenities and seems to revel in its congenial atmosphere. The Abaco Club is a very special place, just as Darren is a very special golfer and person. We couldn’t be more pleased that he is going to help us tell the world more about Abaco.”
The Abaco Club on Winding Bay is one of the world’s most extraordinary clubs. It is a true, international sporting club, with members and residents who appreciate the very best in life and enjoy the ease with which they can have a relaxing and rejuvenating island vacation at Abaco. Southworth Development of Newton, Mass. acquired the Club in December 2014, and since then, members, homeowners and visitors to the Club have seen great improvements in many aspects of the property and club in the months since, including enhancements to its dining outlets, welcome center, the golf course and new practice area, the golf shop, and the beach and its associated water sports offerings.
Since its debut, the Abaco Club has been recognized perennially as the #1 course in The Bahamas by Golfweek magazine, and is a favorite of both professional and amateur golfers. The Club regularly receives glowing reviews from its visiting guests, who seem to enjoy sharing their experiences on websites like TripAdvisor, where they list all the things that make the Club so special.
“We’re very proud of what we’ve achieved since we took ownership of The Abaco Club. We spent more than $10 million on facility upgrades in 2015, and are investing even more in 2016,” said David Southworth, Founder of Southworth Development. “And we’re very grateful that Darren Clarke has agreed to help us share his impressions of what it’s like to live here and enjoy the Club. It’s wonderful to be able to spend time with him here and to see him enjoying his time here with his family.”
