Renovations

About the Renovations

In the summer of 2022, we kicked off our resort expansion project with the main event. A tee to green golf course renovation that included the creation of four entirely new holes, and significant design changes to the remaining fourteen holes. A new putting and chipping green complex, plus a members-only short game area perfect for honing your scoring shot skills. The clubhouse also received some freshening up inside and out. The major clubhouse renovation continues to be planned by our architect and contractor and will be timed in coordination with the construction of the resort hotel. This will allow for more cohesive design and décor elements to be brought to life between both buildings.

This summer was the first big step in a 3-year masterplan to achieve all that we want to with the course. Our goal is to provide players with a challenging and architecturally inviting course that features high quality turfgrasses maintained to excellent standards. Now that the heavy lifting is complete, grooming the new turf to meet expectations will take some time. Our agronomic team will work diligently on course conditioning.

Over 70 acres of totally new playing surfaces were carefully shaped, constructed and installed since May 2nd 2022.

Renovation Costs: $2.6M

Turfgrass varieties and Bunker materials used include the following:

 

  • Tee Surfaces: over 7 acres in total, are grassed with Celebration Bermuda. Celebration® is a deep blue-green bermudagrass variety that has finished best in numerous university research studies for wear tolerance and recovery, drought resistance and tolerance and bermudagrass shade tolerance. It has become the new standard across the U.S. over the past two decades.
  • Fairways and Green surrounds: over 45 acres of fairways and green surrounds were planted or sodded with Celebration®.
  • Greens and Green Collars: Putting surfaces and collars total roughly 4 acres.
  • GREENS: TifEagle – introduced in 1996 and continues to be the most consistent and dependable putting surface available for southern climates. Improved speed, consistency, and playability make this turfgrass a leader in the industry.
  • COLLARS: TifGrand™ – developed by the University of Georgia and provides a carpet like fringe around the putting surface.
  • Sand Bunkers and Native Areas: All 100% newly built and totaling over 5 acres, the bunkers and native areas will challenge players of all levels.
  • BUNKERS: G-Angle – sand’s angularity and larger particle size not only increases playability, but also significantly reduces occurrence of “fried-egg” lies.
  • NATIVE AREAS: Crushed Shell Screenings – create a firm and predictable playing surface albeit in a hazard.

Hole-by-Hole description of the NEW vs OLD layout

Below you will find a Hole-by-Hole description of the NEW vs OLD layout and the changes made to each. The following is a summary of the biggest changes:

  • Overall routing of the holes where most holes that were previously on the Back 9 are now on the Front 9 and vice versa. Old 18th hole is now #1
  • 4 new holes that were created from the original 11th (now 3 and 4) and 8th (now 11 and 12)
  • Replacement of a number of bunkers with “collection” areas around the greens.
  • Addition of a number of bunkers in strategic areas to collect balls that may have previously gone into hazards
  • Replacement of some native areas with crushed shells to make more playable.

Hole #1

Hole #1 was previously the 18th hole.

The main changes to this hole is the movement of the 2 bunkers that were in the middle of the fairway to a postion just short of the green to catch balls from the big hitters that try to drive the green. The bunkers around the green were replaced with collection areas so anything that misses the green will give the player options to chip or try to putt up the steep banks.

Hole #2

Hole #2 was previously the 10th hole.

No real changes to the overall hole other than a new tee box for the Pro Tees to add some length to the hole.

Hole #3

Hole #3 was previously the first part of the 11th hole.

This hole has been completely redesigned and will still play as a Par 5, but the tees have been moved back and the green has been moved to where the original dogleg was making it now a reachable Par 5. Crushed Shell waste area has been added along the left side to replace the bunker and a new bunker has been added into the landing area on the right side. A couple of bunkers have been added to the front approach area to the new green as well as a crushed shell waste area all down the right side of the approach. This will defintely be a risk/reward hole now.

Hole #4

Hole #4 was previously the approach shot for the 11th hole.

This will now play as a Par 3 over the lake with the tee shot coming from behind the new 3rd green. The green has been completely reshaped with a new bunker right in front of the green. New waste area with crushed shells will repace the old fairway and there is a collection area behind the green.

Hole #5

Hole #5 was previously the 12th hole.

Main changes to this hole is the replacement of the bunkers down the right side of the fairway with the crushed shell area and the addition of a new bunkers in front and behind the green that has been moved back a bit. Behind and to the side of the green are collection area giving players options to chip or putt when missing the green.

Hole #6

Hole #6 was previously the 13th hole.

The major changes to this hole are the complete redesign of the green and bunkering around the green. Hole still has the fairway bunkers that can catch your tee shot, but a larger, wider green with 3 new bunkers provide some challenging pin placements. Also some new collection areas behind the green that could result in balls finding the lake in the back that previously was not really in play. This will continue to be a monster of a hole.

Hole #7

Hole #5 was previously the 15th hole.

The biggest change to this hole is the redesign of the green that has been flattened and the bunkers removed where you can now see the green on your appoach shot. The green has been moved back and collection areas added on all sides so don’t think it is going to be any easier with the bunkers removed. A crushed shell area has replaced the native area down the left hand side that can catch those trying to avoide the 3 bunkers on the right side of the fairway.

 

Hole #8

Hole #8 was previously the 15th hole.

Major changes to this hole to related to the bunkering as the 6 bunkers previously guarding the entire left side of this hole have been replaced by one on each side of the green and the creation of a large collection area surrounding the front and right side of the green. For the big hitters a new Pro Tee has been added that requires you to carry the entire pond that typically did not come into play before.

Hole #9

Hole #9 was previously the 16th hole.

The major changes to this hole are the movement of the fairway bunkers down the right hand side into the landing area of the tee shot and the addition of the crushed shell area all the way up both sides on the approach. A lot of the trees on the left hand side of the green were also removed creating a more open approach, however the one main tree still resides to block you out if you don’t position yourself properly. Should be a more reachable Par 5 to finish your front nine with a good shot a birdie.

 

Hole #10

Hole #10 was previously hole #17.

Minimal changes to this hole wtih the removal of the large bunkers guarding the front right so a little friendlier to miss on the safe side now, however this will still be a VERY difficult Par-3. One small bunker still protects the front of the green requiring you to carry it on in order to hit the green. Collection areas on the entire right side will give you options to putt rather than chipping toward the water. The Pro tee has bee moved back to make this even more challenging for those tournamenet players opting to challenge it all.

 

Hole #11

Hole #11 was previously part of the 8th hole.

This hole is a complete redesign that now plays the opposite direction that the 8th used to play with the tee box being shared with the 18th hole (old #9). This will be a risk reward Par 4 that provides a lot of different options to play it. Play it safe and lay it up to the right side or challenge the left side and get it up close to the green. Strategic bunkers will grab any shot not hit properly and turning this into a tough Par-4. Hit a good tee shot and a birdie could be in your future.

To get to this tee box, there will be a new bridge that players will cross the road and then go over to get to the tee box.

There will also be a halfway house and a new members only short game practice area just to the right of the tee here.

 

Hole #12

Hole #12 was previously part of hole #8.

This is another complete redesign where the green is where the tee box used to be for hole #8. You will basically be hitting a shot from just short of where the fairway bunker was on #8 back to the tee box. This will be yet another challenging Par-3 with the water lurking on the left and a couple of bunkers guarding the green. Crushed shell waste areas await shots trying to avoid the water with the runnoffs to the collection areas to the right and back of the green.

Hole #13

Hole #13 was previously hole #3.

Primary changes to this hole si the addition of the Crushed Shell waste area all down the right side and the addition of some new bunkers around the green and near the hazard that may help you avoid the water. Fairway bunkers on the left were move up and more into the fairway to create a narrow landing area for those that are trying to get into position to go for the green in 2.

Hole #14

Hole #14 was previously hole #4.

Main changes to this hole is the removal of the bunker in the front right of the green and the creation of the runnoff collection areas all around the green. Don’t hit the green here and you will have a difficult chip or you can chose to putt up the slopes.

Hole #15

Hole #15 was previously hole #5.

Main changes are the addition of new fairway bunkers on the left that may save you from the water off the tee, but present another challenge on the second shot. Green has been set back a bit making the approach a bit longer. Greenside bunkers have been reshaped and collection area will get those that bail out to the right of the green.

 

Hole #16

Hole #16 was previously hole #6.

This Par-5 has had the 5 fairway bunkers on the right hand side removed that tyipcally did not come into play. These were replace with 2 new bunkers in the driving area up the right hand side. Two new crushed shell waste areas protect the left side of both the drive and 2nd shot for those going for the green. Two new bunker have been added around the green which replaces the large bunker area that was previously in front left of the green.

 

Hole #17

Hole #17 was previously hole #7.

After being punished by the other 4 Par-3’s on the course, this hole remains as a short Par-3 now coming down the stretch. A new crushed shell waste area was added to the front and the bunkers on the right and back were replaced with runoff collection areas.

Hole #18

Hole #18 was previously hole #9.

This finishing hole will now provide a great place for you to show your skills to the other guests as the green has been moved back to where it will be adjacent to the Grill Outdoor patio. The left side has been replaced with a crushed shell waste area and two new bunkers have been placed in the driving area on the right hand side of the dogleg. Three new bunkers protect the front right and may save you from the water or give you an opportunity to show off your bunker skills to the patio guests if you are long.

The tee box shares a tee with the 11th hole and has been moved closer to the road so it is not as much of a dogleg off the tee as prior.

 

Practice Area Renovation

Expanded tee area on the range with larger putting and shortgame practice area. There will also be a members only short game practice area over to the right of the 11th hole where the halfway house will also be built.