Venue's bid to host Ryder Cup with £170m upgrade

European Ryder Cup player Justin Rose is helping with the design of the golf course at Luton Hoo

A golf resort is to undergo a £170m upgrade in a bid to host the prestigious Ryder Cup tournament in 2035.

Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf and Spa has closed to allow for a two-and-a-half-year refurbishment project by owners Arora Group.

The championship golf course on the site is being developed with the help of professional golfers Justin Rose - who has played seven times for Europe in the Ryder Cup - and retired South African golfer Gary Player.

Speaking at a ground-breaking ceremony on Thursday, the group's founder and chairman Surinder Arora said: "We are very excited about the whole project."

Mr Arora said he wants to "create the Augusta of Europe" at Luton Hoo

The golf course layout is being carried out by European Golf Design which is the design company of Ryder Cup Europe.

It was behind the designs of Marco Simone golf club in Rome which staged the Ryder Cup in 2023 and Le Golf National near Paris which staged the prestigious tournament in 2018.

"If you want the best you have to bring the best team on board," said Mr Arora.

"Work has started [on the golf course] and we have chosen contractors Atlantic Golf Construction from Ireland and they also built Adare Manor which is where the next Ryder Cup is (in 2027) so we are not skimping anywhere."

He said working with Justin Rose and Gary Player and going round in golf buggies on the planned course was "absolutely amazing" and "it was always my dream to create the Augusta of Europe".

Mr Johnston (seated left) said Gary Player (seated centre) and Justin Rose (seated right) were able to draw on their experiences and that Luton Hoo could "easily be a championship venue"

Gary Johnston, 47, designer with European Golf Design, said his company was also behind the design of Celtic Manor in Wales which hosted the Ryder Cup in 2010.

He said they were partly owned by the European Tour, "so we know exactly what is needed for a championship golf course".

He described Luton Hoo as "a truly special landscape" where they would be "working with some of the features Capability Brown created".

He said designing a golf course for it "was beyond your wildest dreams really" and it was "very conceivable" the venue could host a Ryder Cup in 10 years' time.

"This site has the space and the access and everything else you would need," he added.

Mr Arora said it was "full steam ahead" for work on the new golf course

Mr Arora welcomed the competition from other venues in England which were also vying to host the Ryder Cup in 2035.

The decision is made by the PGA and the European Tour but will also require government backing.

The tournament was last held in England in 2002 at The Belfry in Warwickshire and Mr Arora said: "It is more than about time we bring it home."