Shark Bytes is a monthly notes package featuring news of interest to Shark.com readers. Our intention is to keep you informed with the latest and most up to date events related to Greg Norman and Great White Shark Enterprises.

If you have a local, regional, national or international item you think other readers would be interested in, please submit it to sharkbytes@shark.com. Please include the publication, author and date with each submission.

A Mexican Tee Party

September 27, 2005

Move over, spring break. The so-called Mayan Riviera, the stretch of coastline between Cancun and Tulum, is under invasion by a new breed of traveler -- the golfer. Three new courses have opened since May, and the total number of fairways has more than doubled in the last two years, surpassing Cabo San Lucas. For five-star lodging, it will be hard to top the Fairmont hotel at the lagoon resort of Mayakoba, opening in December (800-441-1414, www.mayakoba.com, from $399) with a new Greg Norman-designed course.

Dubai Pushes Forward With Meteoric Growth

September 26, 2005

Dubai's phenomenal building boom has been given a further boost with the announcement of new projects worth USD$21.7 billion in just the last 10 days. As the emirate seeks to capitalize on the oil wealth it knows won't last forever, Dubai has become a building site, and not even the sea has escaped, with the building of the luxury Palm and World manmade island developments on reclaimed land.

Many new initiatives were announced at the three-day Cityscape property exhibition in Dubai, including a UAED$2 billion golf development, which investors said they hope will turn Dubai into the "world golf capital." The two golf course development features 1,000 homes and themed Fire, Earth, Water and Wind courses designed by golfing champion Greg Norman.

Day Wins Gary Player Classic

September 23, 2005

The 34th Gary Player Classic concluded at Pacific Golf Club and saw two of Queensland golf's bright young prospects in Eagle Chang (15 Years & Under) and Jason Day (16-17 Years) successfully defend their respective age groups.

Day's rounds of 67, 70, 71 and 70 totalled 10-under-par and was the best aggregate across all three age groups.

Day and Chang join Greg Norman, Peter Senior, Stephen Taylor (twice), Matthew King, Richard Backwell, Shane Tait, Luke Parkin, Andrew Buckle and Tom Davis as the only players to have defended an age-group title in the Gary Player Classic.

Luxury Travel Magazine Names Top 10 Caribbean Resorts

September 22, 2005

Secluded in the warm turquoise waters of the Caribbean, the 10 most exclusive new beach resorts have been selected by the editors of Luxury Travel Magazine online.

Fairmont Mayakoba (Riviera Maya, Mexico) Opening December 2005. The much-anticipated 1,605-acre Mayakoba resort village, with its many lagoons, spreads over a pristine stretch of the Caribbean coast's Riviera Maya. In the fall of 2005, the development's first luxury resort with golf, spa, and meeting facilities will open as The Fairmont Mayakoba at Playa del Carmen.

Ritz-Carlton (Grand Cayman) Opening November 2005. One of the most exciting announcements of the season, The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman unites the top names in every field to create "Seven Wonders on Seven Mile Beach" -- A Greg Norman designed golf course; Tennis by Nick Bollettieri; Ambassadors of the Environment by Jean-Michel Cousteau children's program; Two restaurants by Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin, NYC; The world's first spa inspired by La Prairie's Silver Rain and The Reserve condominiums.

Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes Adding Ballroom Space

September 22, 2005

Construction will begin this October on a second major addition to the meeting space at the Grande Lakes Resort in south Orlando.

A new $13 million, 27,000-square-foot building is being added to the Ritz-Carlton at Grande Lakes. It will include a 14,000-square-foot ballroom, bringing the 584-room Ritz's total meeting space to more than 47,000 square feet.

The Orlando property, located on a 500-acre site, includes two hotels, a 40,000-square-foot spa and a Greg Norman-designed golf course. It is operated by Washington, D.C.-based Marriott International Inc.

River Club To Host March of Dimes Event

September 7, 2005

SUWANEE, Ga. -- The March of Dimes is hosting its annual charity golf event, the Scramble to Save Babies on Tuesday, October 18, 2005 at The River Club, a new Greg Norman championship course developed by Crescent Resources, situated on the scenic Chattahoochee River in Suwanee, Ga.

Proceeds from the tournament, which last year topped $45,000, will help the March of Dimes campaign to prevent premature birth--the leading cause of death in newborns.

This problem has increased 29 percent since 1981, and affects one in eight babies. In the Atlanta metro area, 8,558 babies were born prematurely during 2002 alone. Many of these babies do not survive; those that do often face lifelong disabilities.

The March of Dimes is a national volunteer health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community service, education and advocacy for babies and in 2003, launched a five-year $75 million campaign to address the alarming increase in the rate of premature birth.

Collection Sponsors Special Olympics Golf Event

September 7, 2005

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Nearly 400 Special Olympics golfers, partner players, volunteers, coaches, staff and family members attending the 2005 Special Olympics Golf National Invitational Tournament, Sept. 16-19, will be invited to a special Play Golf America Clinic on Saturday, Sept. 17, at Ames (Iowa) Golf & Country Club.

Designed to showcase the game of golf in a fun and relaxed atmosphere, the Special Olympics Play Golf America Clinic will be hosted by Iowa Section PGA Professionals and will offer clinics and tune-up lessons to help athletes with their competition and enjoyment for the game of golf.

A roster of nearly 200 Special Olympics golfers, and for team play, their non-Special Olympics partners from 29 states, will compete in one of five levels of competition at the 6th Annual Special Olympics Golf National Invitational Tournament. Coldwater Golf Links will showcase competitors' abilities in the individual skills competition and nine-hole alternate shot team play, while the Ames Golf & County Club will host 18-hole alternate shot team play, in addition to nine-hole and 18-hole individual stroke play.

Greg Norman Collection is among the Silver Medal Sponsors.

Greg Norman California Estates Taps Ruder Finn for Launch

September 1, 2005

SAN FRANCISCO -- Golfer, real estate developer, clothing designer and restaurateur Greg Norman has another title to add to the list: California winemaker.

After winning numerous awards for his Australian wines, Norman is expanding his portfolio to include five new California varietals, called Greg Norman California Estates.

His partner, Foster's Wine Estates Americas, has selected Ruder Finn to promote the new varietals, which include Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Chardonnay.

Greg Norman California Estates wines are rolling out to stores now and will be available for a suggested retail price of between $13 and $15 per bottle. For more information, please visit the official Greg Norman Estates Website.