Mid Ocean Club?s David Ezekiel has dismissed fears that the world?s best players will make the club?s 18 holes look like a pitch-and-putt course next year.

Speaking after yesterday?s anticipated announcement that the 2007 Grand Slam of Golf is coming to Bermuda, Mid Ocean?s vice-president insisted the prevailing winds and the fast, multi-tiered greens make the course a stiff test of golf for even the longest hitters.

He pointed out also that Mid Ocean had played host to professional events in the past ? such as the Merrill Lynch Shootout and the Gillette Tour Challenge Championship ? and none of the players ?had ever taken it apart?.

While the golfing community is abuzz with the news that such a high-profile event has been secured, there have been concerns that at only just over 6,500 yards long, Mid Ocean could be brought to its knees by the likes of Tiger Woods, who, like many other pros, drives the ball well over 300 yards.

All PGA events and virtually every professional tournament world-wide are played on courses of at least 7,000 yards ? a distance many see as the minimum required to combat the significant improvements in golf club technology.

?There is a lot you can do to a course when there are only four people playing on it ? things that you probably couldn?t do if you were hosting an event with a large number of players,? Ezekiel said.

?Long before the Grand Slam of Golf came up, we were in the process of establishing a Gold Tee Project where we would identify tee locations that would only be used for special events.

?There is an old tee box for the 12th behind the 11th green which has not been used for a very long time which would make what is already a monster (par-four) even longer.

?At the moment, nine, ten and 12 are driver holes but you?re right, we want to be able to get a driver in their hands as often as possible. From this point on our golf and agronomy group will be looking at the various options and hopefully we can come up with the right configuration.

?Saying that, I?ve got absolutely no doubts that the greens will be a real test for them, and if the wind blows, we are talking about a very challenging course.?

In terms of the cost, Ezekiel said that the club itself would have very little in the way of expenses, with the PGA of America picking up the bulk of the tab for staging the event.

He added, however, that both the course and the club itself would be undergoing a significant facelift in the run up to the event ? likening the situation to ?tidying up the house before a big party?.

?We?re thrilled to have the event coming to our course,? said Ezekiel.

?The negotiations have been going on for a very long time and we?re relieved that everything has been confirmed and we can get on with planning for it.

?The course is in absolutely fantastic shape at the moment ? all the Goodwill golfers are raving about it ? so if we can maintain that for next year it should be pretty special.

?We don?t anticipate having to close the course down at all ? visitor play will probably be restricted but member play will most likely right up until the practice rounds.

?The excitement among our membership is electric, particularly among our overseas members who have been ringing up booking tickets and organising somewhere to stay.

?There?s a lot of work to do still, but we?re very confident that we can put on an absolutely first-class event.?