FACT: Florida has more golf courses than any other state— more than 1,250. The state is also home to many PGA tournaments as well, including the Honda Classic at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando and THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach.
Many of the state’s courses are undergoing upgrades and improvements, including the following:
Streamsong Resort will add the Streamsong Black golf course this fall, designed by renowned architect Gil Hanse, who designed the 2016 OIympic Course in Rio de Janeiro. Located about an hour from Tampa International Airport and 90 minutes from Orlando International Airport, the resort is built on about 16,000 acres of former phosphate mine land in rural Polk County. With the addition of Streamsong Black, the resort will become the only location in the world where guests can enjoy three distinct courses by four legendary architects: Tom Doak (Streamsong Blue), Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw (Streamsong Red) and Hanse (Streamsong Black).
The 18-hole golf course at the AAA Four Diamond Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando was recently redesigned by Arnold Palmer Design Company, overseen by senior golf course architect and vice president Thad Layton. Three holes were completely revamped and the balance of the course was updated with new hazards and extra-long par 4s and 5s. Fairway-cut surrounds and runoff areas were incorporated to give golfers of all levels more forgiveness and recovery options. The driving range areas were enlarged and the on-site Brad Brewer Golf Academy integrated state-of-the-art swing analysis and game improvement technology at the indoor hitting bays.
The course update also included the construction of a 2,000-square-foot covered pavilion with serene views of the natural grounds, perfect for tournaments, parties and other special events.
Boca Raton Resort and Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, debuted its renovated 18-hole Resort Course in December. The renovation restored the course’s classical beauty and playability while modernizing the golf experience in order to appeal to the game’s ever-changing demographic. In an effort to cater to golfers of all skill levels and those faced with limited time, the resort installed a family tee on every hole. These tees are featured in Barefoot Golf, a fun, laid-back experience intended toward families and those seeking a more casual golf environment. Highlights of the renovation include reconstructed TifEagle putting surfaces, a new putting practice green behind the clubhouse and larger tees to accommodate increased rounds.
The AAA Four Diamond Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club dramatically renovated its championship golf course. The course is being redesigned by golf icon and acclaimed course designer Jack Nicklaus. This major $9 million project follows $50 million in impressive renovations and enhancements at the resort over the last few years.
Naples Grande Golf Club, part of the 474-room Naples Grande Beach Resort, completed an $8 million enhancement that included a new clubhouse in June and renovated course, which was designed by Rees Jones. The club’s first-ever clubhouse features an on-site restaurant with a grill and bar area, a pro shop, men’s and women’s locker rooms and indoor-outdoor meeting and event space. The expansive glass folding doors merge the indoor portion of the grill (seating for 110 people) with the outdoor patio (seating for an additional 48 people). Notable renovation details include covering the course with Celebration Bermuda grass as well as leveling and expanding the tees.
Topgolf Jacksonville recently opened a 65,000-square-foot golf entertainment center near the St. Johns Town Center. Each bay has food service, and there are also three bars, a full-service restaurant and 230 TVs throughout the facility. There are private meeting spaces available throughout the venue and large groups can rent the entire space.
The World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine opened a new interactive exhibition, Major Moments: Celebrating Golf’s Greatest Championships. The exhibition tells the story of the four men’s Major Championships—The Masters, U.S. Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship—through colorful accounts and priceless Hall of Fame member artifacts.
The Major Moments exhibit includes new artifacts and interactive features, including technology that allows guests to put their name on top of a most-impressive leaderboard, take a photo and share with others. Also new is a digital touchscreen kiosk where guests learn details around the four Major Championships trophies, such as their history, height, weight and past winners, and even engrave their own name onto the Hall of Fame inductee crystal.
