PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., Oct. 19, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PGA National Resort & Spa announced today that it has broken ground on an exciting plan to completely renovate The Squire Course, with a new design by Scottsdale based golf course architect, Andy Staples, ASGCA, Owner of Staples Golf Design.
The Squire, originally designed in 1983 by the renowned design duo of Tom and George Fazio, one of five distinct 18-hole courses at PGA National, has not had any significant updates since opening nearly three decades ago. The Re-Imagination Plan envisioned by Staples looks to upgrade the facility, while looking for ways to expand its appeal to the avid golfer, the casual player looking to improve their game, as well as beginners and even non-golfers.
“I intend to take The Squire to another level in terms of strategy, playability, and most importantly, the fun factor,” says Staples. “I’m focusing on the three most innovative trends in the industry: 1) reducing the time it takes to play; 2) increasing player enjoyment, and 3) instilling classic design principles that spur interest in the game of golf.”
The project is broken into two scopes of work. First, the existing parallel holes #1 and #18 will be converted to a 9-hole par 3 practice course, and second, the remaining 16 holes will be renovated to create 18 heroic holes inspired by some of the greatest strategic concepts in golf from across the globe.
The design philosophy of the new course revolves around creating golf holes that foster the match-play style of golf design harnesses a player’s emotion of attempting heroic shots on each hole – take a risk, and hopefully the player will reap the rewards of a bold, and courageous shot.
The hazards will be kept to a minimum, focusing on the expansion of short grass fairways, chipping swales, and grassy hollows. All teeing grounds will be modified to accommodate all skill levels of players, and located based on appropriate swing speeds to allow for a more friendly entry to the game.
It’s also anticipated the course will undertake a rebranding, including a name change, to ensure the most dramatic impact once the facility reopens to the golf community.
The plan focuses on expanding the current user group of the course, while providing long-term sustainability for the future. All greens will be generous in size, rebuilt to increase drainage, and planted with Tif Eagle Bermudagrass. The fairways and tees will be modified to improve drainage, and planted with Celebration Bermudagrass. The approaches to the greens will be planted with Tif Grande Bermudagrass.
Various areas of existing turf will be converted to a coquina-styled material to provide a contrast of textures and definition, while reducing overall maintenance. Additionally, all cart paths will be converted to a coquina-style surface to blend into the new course surrounding. A pallet of native plants and grasses will increase the aesthetics surrounding the course, while providing the necessary buffers to the nearby home sites.
The reimagination of the Squire Course will be overseen by Nick Mazzella of Mazzella Partnership, a Charlotte based golf course renovation management firm. Other partners include irrigation designer Sean Hyduk of Aqua Turf International, local landscape architects Insite Studio, Pennsylvania-based Total Turf Golf Services as general contractor, and Nutt Irrigation for irrigation installation.
Jeremiah Lockhart, the Resort’s Director of Agronomy, will oversee the maintenance planning and grow-in.
Owner’s representative Nick Mazzella is happy to see the project get underway; “We’re excited to finally get started on this re-imagination of the Squire Course at PGA National. These have been particularly challenging times, but this entire team is committed to making something great.” Mazzella continued, “Andy’s unique vision coupled with the industry leaders in construction and irrigation we’ve assembled is second to none and we expect great results.”
The project is expected to be completed in early 2021, and debut when both courses are fully grown in and ready for play.
About PGA National Resort & Spa
PGA National Resort & Spa is a world-class vacation and meetings destination, with a private membership club. It presents 90 holes of championship golf on five courses, including the famed Champion Course, home to the popular PGA TOUR’s Honda Classic and legendary “Bear Trap” three-hole stretch, three golf academies and a state-of-the-art Sports & Racquet Club, featuring 19 tennis courts.
Luxury suites are ideal for business, leisure, golf and weddings, as well as in-room spa treatments. The resort’s versatility includes: a lakeside wedding and event setting with stunning vistas; the panoramic iDeck terrace for indoor / outdoor dining and entertaining; “Bar 91” 19th hole grill; 40,000 square feet of self-contained conference and event space; and eight on-site restaurants and lounges, including the acclaimed Ironwood Steak & Seafood. The Spa at PGA National is a 40,000-square-foot oasis of tranquility with 32 treatment rooms and relaxation lounges, 100 diverse pampering options, the exclusive “Waters of the World” outdoor mineral pools and full-service salon. PGA National is located in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and located within close proximity to three international airports. Visit PGAResort.com for more information.
About Mazzella Partnership
The Mazzella Partnership provides planning, procurement and project management services to the golf course construction and renovation industry. Mazzella offers golf course owners and operators an alternative to traditional renovation pathways through collaborative efforts of specialists. For more information visit https://mazzellapartnership.com/
About Staples Golf Design
Founded in 2002, Staples Golf is a nationally renowned golf course architecture firm based in Scottsdale, AZ. Staples Golf implements sustainable, efficient designs and management practices on golf courses throughout the U.S., and is known for its signature development vision, Community Links; a paradigm shifting approach for community golf integration.
Andy Staples’ projects have won national awards from numerous major golf publications which continue to be listed on the “Best Places to Play” in their respective States. He is currently working on projects throughout North America including Olympia Fields Country Club near Chicago, Mount Bruno Country Club in Montreal, Quebec, as well as a couple close-to-home projects at Pinnacle Peak Country Club and the Arizona Country Club.
For more information on Staples Golf Design, visit www.StaplesGolfDesign.com
About ClubLife Management
ClubLife Management, an affiliate of ClubCorp, provides full-service management and management consulting to private clubs, premier resort and daily-fee golf courses, and city clubs. Services, with a hands-on focus and a dedicated team of senior executives, include access to ClubCorp's supplier purchasing power, leading technology platform and cutting-edge digital marketing. ClubLife Management clients include River Run Country Club (Davidson, NC); Engineers Country Club (Roslyn, NY); Crystal Lake Country Club (Crystal Lake, IL) and PGA National Members Club (Palm Beach Gardens, FL). In addition, members can enjoy access to a worldwide network of over 300+ country clubs, city and stadium clubs. To request services or find out more about ClubLife Management, visit www.clublifemanagement.com or contact Billy Knight at 678.859.5497 or billy.knight@clubcorp.com.
About ClubCorp
Since its founding in 1957, Dallas-based ClubCorp has operated with the central purpose of Building Relationships and Enriching Lives®. The leading owner-operator of private golf and country clubs, city and stadium clubs in North America, ClubCorp is relentless in its pursuit of providing extraordinary experiences, meaningful connections, shared passions and memorable moments for its more than 430,000 members. With approximately 20,000 peak-season employees and a portfolio of over 200 owned or operated golf and country clubs, city clubs, sports clubs, and stadium clubs in 27 states, the District of Columbia and two foreign countries, ClubCorp creates communities and a lifestyle through its championship golf courses, work spaces, handcrafted cuisine, resort-style pools, tennis facilities, golf lounges, fitness centers and robust programming.
ClubCorp properties include: Firestone Country Club (Akron, Ohio); Mission Hills Country Club (Rancho Mirage, California); The Woodlands Country Club (The Woodlands, Texas); Capital Club Beijing; and The Metropolitan in Chicago. You can find ClubCorp on Facebook at facebook.com/clubcorp and on Twitter at @ClubCorp.
