![\"2023](\"https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/01/USATSI_19750544.jpg\")
A surfer rides a wave as Matt Fitzpatrick lines up his putt on the 11th hole during the final round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions golf tournament at Kapalua Resort – The Plantation Course. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
Good news for fans of Maui golf.
\nKapalua Golf will reopen its Bay Course on Wednesday, Sept. 20 and its Plantation Course on Wednesday, Oct. 18. Both golf courses have been closed since the Maui wildfires on Aug. 8. Located in West Maui, the golf courses and facilities at Kapalua Golf were spared from the fires, which devastated Lahaina, about 10 miles away.
\n\u201cOur team truly appreciates the outpouring of support from around the globe over the past six weeks,\u201d said Kapalua Golf & Tennis General Manager Alex Nakajima. \u201cOur staff was deeply impacted by the fires, with nearly a third losing their homes and possessions. As associates and the community work to heal, we continue to support them; welcoming back team members to work as they are ready. As we continue the recovery process, we are reopening our two golf courses for Kama\u02bb\u0101ina (local residents) on island and for those planning their return to Maui. As millions discovered during the pandemic, a round of golf can be good medicine for the mind, body and soul.\u201d
\nKapalua Golf\u2019s Plantation Course and Bay Course are open to resort guests and daily-fee play. Arnold Palmer designed The Bay Course first, in 1975, which is more forgiving than the Plantation, a Coore-Crenshaw design that the duo built in 1991 and renovated in 2019. The Sentry, the longtime PGA Tour stop, is played annually at the Plantation Course, which ranks No. 17 in Golfweek\u2019s Best Resort Courses list, in early January. The reopening of the course is an encouraging sign that the tournament can be staged there. In late August, Commissioner Jay Monahan addressed whether the tournament would be able to be held in its normal slot as the first event of the New Year.
\nA surfer rides a wave as Matt Fitzpatrick lines up his putt on the 11th hole during the final round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions golf tournament at Kapalua Resort – The Plantation Course. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
\u201cWe hope to be a source of inspiration for the great people of Maui and Lahaina by the time that we get to Maui in January,\u201d he said. \u201cI think at this point there\u2019s so many unknowns, and we want to be respectful of the challenges. We want to help be a part of the revitalization. There are a lot of considerations. We\u2019re committed, you know, if it makes \u2014 if we\u2019re allowed to, if we\u2019re invited, if we\u2019re embraced, given all that needs to be accomplished, we will be there 100 percent. But I think at this point right now that\u2019s outside of our hands.\u201d
\nFor more information on Kapalua Golf and for tee times, visit\u00a0www.GolfAtKapalua.com\u00a0or call 1-877-KAPALUA.
\n", "content_text": "Good news for fans of Maui golf.\nKapalua Golf will reopen its Bay Course on Wednesday, Sept. 20 and its Plantation Course on Wednesday, Oct. 18. Both golf courses have been closed since the Maui wildfires on Aug. 8. Located in West Maui, the golf courses and facilities at Kapalua Golf were spared from the fires, which devastated Lahaina, about 10 miles away.\n\u201cOur team truly appreciates the outpouring of support from around the globe over the past six weeks,\u201d said Kapalua Golf & Tennis General Manager Alex Nakajima. \u201cOur staff was deeply impacted by the fires, with nearly a third losing their homes and possessions. As associates and the community work to heal, we continue to support them; welcoming back team members to work as they are ready. As we continue the recovery process, we are reopening our two golf courses for Kama\u02bb\u0101ina (local residents) on island and for those planning their return to Maui. As millions discovered during the pandemic, a round of golf can be good medicine for the mind, body and soul.\u201d\nKapalua Golf\u2019s Plantation Course and Bay Course are open to resort guests and daily-fee play. Arnold Palmer designed The Bay Course first, in 1975, which is more forgiving than the Plantation, a Coore-Crenshaw design that the duo built in 1991 and renovated in 2019. The Sentry, the longtime PGA Tour stop, is played annually at the Plantation Course, which ranks No. 17 in Golfweek\u2019s Best Resort Courses list, in early January. The reopening of the course is an encouraging sign that the tournament can be staged there. In late August, Commissioner Jay Monahan addressed whether the tournament would be able to be held in its normal slot as the first event of the New Year.\nA surfer rides a wave as Matt Fitzpatrick lines up his putt on the 11th hole during the final round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions golf tournament at Kapalua Resort – The Plantation Course. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)\n\u201cWe hope to be a source of inspiration for the great people of Maui and Lahaina by the time that we get to Maui in January,\u201d he said. \u201cI think at this point there\u2019s so many unknowns, and we want to be respectful of the challenges. We want to help be a part of the revitalization. There are a lot of considerations. We\u2019re committed, you know, if it makes \u2014 if we\u2019re allowed to, if we\u2019re invited, if we\u2019re embraced, given all that needs to be accomplished, we will be there 100 percent. But I think at this point right now that\u2019s outside of our hands.\u201d\nFor more information on Kapalua Golf and for tee times, visit\u00a0www.GolfAtKapalua.com\u00a0or call 1-877-KAPALUA.", "date_published": "2023-09-19T16:00:07-04:00", "date_modified": "2023-09-19T15:56:51-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Adam Schupak", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/shoop007/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c770dcffbdb4a77bab2df2cc7e89690f?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "Adam Schupak", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/shoop007/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c770dcffbdb4a77bab2df2cc7e89690f?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" }, "image": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2022/01/1363697656.jpg", "tags": [ "Kapalua Resort", "Maui golf", "PGA Tour", "Plantation Course", "The Sentry", "Courses", "Golfweeks Best", "Travel" ], "summary": "\u201cWe hope to be a source of inspiration for the great people of Maui and Lahaina by the time that we get to Maui in January.\u201d " }, { "id": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/?p=778395776", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2023/09/14/ross-bridge-reopens-new-greens-robert-trent-jones-golf-trail-alabama/", "title": "Ross Bridge on Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail to reopen with new greens, other improvements", "content_html": "Ross Bridge, one of the highest-ranked golf courses on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama, will reopen Oct. 13 after a complete renovation of its greens and bunkers.
\nThe layout just outside Birmingham ranks No. 4 in Alabama on Golfweek\u2019s Best list of top public-access courses in each state. The course wraps around the Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa, a gorgeous AAA 4-Diamond Approved Hotel. With plenty of ground movement in its valley setting, Ross Bridge can be stretched to more than 8,100 yards off the back tee, making it one of the longest courses in the world.
\n\nThe work to the greens was necessitated by an accidental poisoning of many of the greens a year ago. The operators of the Trail opted to start from scratch, switching the putting surfaces from bent grass to a much more heat-tolerant TifEagle Bermuda grass. That switch should result in much firmer and smoother green surfaces.
\nEvery bunker on the course also was renovated with fresh drainage systems, and several cart paths were relocated. Architectural changes were also made to Nos. 1, 2, 10, 14 and 18, but details of those changes weren\u2019t specified in a media release announcing the opening date.
\nIn all, the Trail is made up of 26 courses at 11 sites around the state.
\n", "content_text": "Ross Bridge, one of the highest-ranked golf courses on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama, will reopen Oct. 13 after a complete renovation of its greens and bunkers.\nThe layout just outside Birmingham ranks No. 4 in Alabama on Golfweek\u2019s Best list of top public-access courses in each state. The course wraps around the Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa, a gorgeous AAA 4-Diamond Approved Hotel. With plenty of ground movement in its valley setting, Ross Bridge can be stretched to more than 8,100 yards off the back tee, making it one of the longest courses in the world.\n\n\nA tale of two idiots who didn’t come in from the rain on one of the world’s longest courses\n\n\n\n\n\nThe work to the greens was necessitated by an accidental poisoning of many of the greens a year ago. The operators of the Trail opted to start from scratch, switching the putting surfaces from bent grass to a much more heat-tolerant TifEagle Bermuda grass. That switch should result in much firmer and smoother green surfaces.\nEvery bunker on the course also was renovated with fresh drainage systems, and several cart paths were relocated. Architectural changes were also made to Nos. 1, 2, 10, 14 and 18, but details of those changes weren\u2019t specified in a media release announcing the opening date.\nIn all, the Trail is made up of 26 courses at 11 sites around the state.", "date_published": "2023-09-14T11:00:00-04:00", "date_modified": "2023-09-14T17:31:04-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" }, "image": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/Ross-Bridge-Main.jpg", "tags": [ "Alabama", "Birmingham", "Course renovation", "Renovation", "Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail", "Ross Bridge", "Architecture", "Courses", "Courses", "Golf", "Golfweeks Best", "Travel" ], "summary": "Ross Bridge near Birmingham, Alabama, is slated to reopen this fall with new putting surfaces. " }, { "id": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/?p=778395425", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2023/09/12/rees-jones-renovated-monster-golf-club-reopens-catskill-mountains-new-york/", "title": "Rees Jones-renovated Monster Golf Club reopens in Catskill Mountains of New York", "content_html": "The Rees Jones-renovated Monster Golf Club in Monticello, New York, has reopened with a new routing that incorporates parts of the old Concord Monster Course and the property\u2019s Old International Course. The new layout took nearly five years to reach completion and is part of a $40-million investment by Resorts World Catskills.
\nThe previous Monster layout, originally designed by Joe Finger and opened in 1963, had been closed since 2015. Jones used holes and corridors from the two former courses to create a 7,650-yard, par-72 new Monster Golf Club in the Catskill Mountains about a two-hour drive from Manhattan. The public-access course will be managed by Arizona-based Troon Golf.
\n\u201cThe opening of any golf course is a special time, but to do it in the picturesque Catskills and to be able to combine the elements of two celebrated golf courses makes this a truly remarkable occasion,\u201d Monster Golf Club director of golf Uri Jimenez said in a media release announcing the news. \u201cThe magic of Rees Jones is omnipresent throughout the course\u2019s 18 holes and the hospitality excellence of Troon Golf and Resorts World Catskills will offer golfers an unrivaled experience at the Monster Golf Club.\u201d
\nThe course features six sets of tees to accommodate any player. The club has a new fleet of carts and a golf shop located in The Alder, Resorts World Catskills\u2019 newest boutique lifestyle hotel adjacent to the property\u2019s casino and resort.
\n\u201cThe grand reopening of the Monster Golf Club is a milestone moment for Resorts World Catskills as it completes the vision we had for this amazing property,\u201d Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East, said in the media release. \u201cWe are proud to deliver on the commitment we made to the Catskills community to reimagine and reinvigorate this storied golf course in partnership with the legendary Rees Jones. We can\u2019t wait to welcome golfers from around the world to face the Monster.\u201d
\n", "content_text": "The Rees Jones-renovated Monster Golf Club in Monticello, New York, has reopened with a new routing that incorporates parts of the old Concord Monster Course and the property\u2019s Old International Course. The new layout took nearly five years to reach completion and is part of a $40-million investment by Resorts World Catskills.\nThe previous Monster layout, originally designed by Joe Finger and opened in 1963, had been closed since 2015. Jones used holes and corridors from the two former courses to create a 7,650-yard, par-72 new Monster Golf Club in the Catskill Mountains about a two-hour drive from Manhattan. The public-access course will be managed by Arizona-based Troon Golf.\n\u201cThe opening of any golf course is a special time, but to do it in the picturesque Catskills and to be able to combine the elements of two celebrated golf courses makes this a truly remarkable occasion,\u201d Monster Golf Club director of golf Uri Jimenez said in a media release announcing the news. \u201cThe magic of Rees Jones is omnipresent throughout the course\u2019s 18 holes and the hospitality excellence of Troon Golf and Resorts World Catskills will offer golfers an unrivaled experience at the Monster Golf Club.\u201d\nThe course features six sets of tees to accommodate any player. The club has a new fleet of carts and a golf shop located in The Alder, Resorts World Catskills\u2019 newest boutique lifestyle hotel adjacent to the property\u2019s casino and resort.\n\u201cThe grand reopening of the Monster Golf Club is a milestone moment for Resorts World Catskills as it completes the vision we had for this amazing property,\u201d Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East, said in the media release. \u201cWe are proud to deliver on the commitment we made to the Catskills community to reimagine and reinvigorate this storied golf course in partnership with the legendary Rees Jones. We can\u2019t wait to welcome golfers from around the world to face the Monster.\u201d", "date_published": "2023-09-12T15:00:16-04:00", "date_modified": "2023-09-12T13:06:23-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" }, "image": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/The-Monster-Golf-Club.jpg", "tags": [ "Course renovation", "Monster Golf Club", "New York", "Rees Jones", "Renovation", "Resorts World Catskills", "Troon", "Architecture", "Courses", "Courses", "Golf", "Travel" ], "summary": "The new Monster Golf Club routing takes land from two previous courses at Resorts World Catskills in New York. " }, { "id": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/?p=778395438", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2023/09/12/links-spanish-bay-gil-hanse-jim-wagner-pebble-beach/", "title": "Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner to redesign Links at Spanish Bay at Pebble Beach Resorts", "content_html": "Pebble Beach Company has hired the team of Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner to redesign The Links at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach, California.
\nOpened in 1987, the original layout was designed by the trio of architects Robert Trent Jones Jr., former USGA president Sandy Tatum and PGA Tour player Tom Watson. Situated between the Inn at Spanish Bay and the Pacific Ocean, the course was built on the site of a former sand mine with ocean views on nearly every hole.
\n\nHanse and Wagner have become one of the most in-demand architecture teams in recent years, with original designs such as Ohoopee Match Club in Georgia and the Black Course at Streamsong in Florida. They also have completed historic restorations to many highly ranked courses including Los Angeles Country Club, site of the 2023 U.S. Open.
\n\n![\"Links](\"https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/Spanish-Bay-Hole-Credit-Sherman-Chu.jpg\")
The Links at Spanish Bay at Pebble Beach Resorts in California (Courtesy of Pebble Beach Company)
Details on the timing of the renovation were not included in a media release announcing the news.
\n\u201cThe Links at Spanish Bay possesses nearly every raw element you\u2019d want in a golf course, from expansive ocean views to rolling, sandy terrain,\u201d Hanse said in the media release.\u00a0\u201cWith these natural attributes already in place, our team will have a significant head start on delivering a final product that will be in the top echelon of \u2018must-play\u2019 courses.\u201d
\nThe Links at Spanish Bay tied for No. 198 on Golfweek\u2019s Best 2023 ranking of top modern courses built since 1960 in the U.S. It tied for No. 8 among all public-access courses in California, and it tied for No. 55 the list of top resort courses in the U.S.
\nPebble Beach Company also operates Pebble Beach Golf Links, which ranks No. 10 on Golfweek\u2019s Best list of classic courses in the U.S., and Spyglass Hill, which tied for 26th on the list of top modern courses in the U.S. The company\u2019s Pebble Beach Resorts also operates Del Monte Golf Course and The Hay, a par-3 course designed by Tiger Woods.
\n\n\n\n", "content_text": "Pebble Beach Company has hired the team of Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner to redesign The Links at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach, California.\nOpened in 1987, the original layout was designed by the trio of architects Robert Trent Jones Jr., former USGA president Sandy Tatum and PGA Tour player Tom Watson. Situated between the Inn at Spanish Bay and the Pacific Ocean, the course was built on the site of a former sand mine with ocean views on nearly every hole.\n\nHanse and Wagner have become one of the most in-demand architecture teams in recent years, with original designs such as Ohoopee Match Club in Georgia and the Black Course at Streamsong in Florida. They also have completed historic restorations to many highly ranked courses including Los Angeles Country Club, site of the 2023 U.S. Open.\n\nMORE: 10 U.S. destinations with three or more top resort courses\n\nThe Links at Spanish Bay at Pebble Beach Resorts in California (Courtesy of Pebble Beach Company)\nDetails on the timing of the renovation were not included in a media release announcing the news.\n\u201cThe Links at Spanish Bay possesses nearly every raw element you\u2019d want in a golf course, from expansive ocean views to rolling, sandy terrain,\u201d Hanse said in the media release.\u00a0\u201cWith these natural attributes already in place, our team will have a significant head start on delivering a final product that will be in the top echelon of \u2018must-play\u2019 courses.\u201d\nThe Links at Spanish Bay tied for No. 198 on Golfweek\u2019s Best 2023 ranking of top modern courses built since 1960 in the U.S. It tied for No. 8 among all public-access courses in California, and it tied for No. 55 the list of top resort courses in the U.S.\nPebble Beach Company also operates Pebble Beach Golf Links, which ranks No. 10 on Golfweek\u2019s Best list of classic courses in the U.S., and Spyglass Hill, which tied for 26th on the list of top modern courses in the U.S. The company\u2019s Pebble Beach Resorts also operates Del Monte Golf Course and The Hay, a par-3 course designed by Tiger Woods.\n\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tMore\t\t\tCourses\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\tGolf courses in Maui are slowly reopening after the historic fires\n\n\t\t\t\n\tNew Jersey's first new municipal golf course in a decade has its soft opening\n\n\t\t\t\n\tAs Tom Weiskopf's last design opens in Utah, his first is hosting USGA event in Arizona\n\n\t\t\t\n\tPhotos: Arena already under construction at famed 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale", "date_published": "2023-09-12T13:46:04-04:00", "date_modified": "2023-09-12T13:46:04-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" }, "image": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/Spanish-Bay-Hole1-Pebble-Beach-Company.jpg", "tags": [ "California", "Course renovation", "Gil Hanse", "Jim Wagner", "Links at Spanish Bay", "Pebble Beach", "Pebble Beach Company", "Pebble Beach Resorts", "Renovation", "Robert Trent Jones Jr.", "Architecture", "Courses", "Courses", "Golfweeks Best", "Travel" ], "summary": "Two of the hottest designers in golf will rework one of the main layouts at Pebble Beach Resorts. " }, { "id": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/?post_type=listicle&p=778395208", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/lists/2023-golfweeks-best-top-50-casino-golf-courses-u-s-shadow-creek-fallen-oak-we-ko-pa-french-lick-nemacolin/", "title": "Golfweek's Best 2023: Top 50 casino golf courses in the U.S.", "content_html": "Welcome to Golfweek\u2019s Best 2023 Casino Courses in the United States.\u00a0This list focuses on courses owned and/or operated by or in conjunction with casinos, with data pulled from\u00a0Golfweek‘s massive database of course rankings.
\nThe hundreds of members of\u00a0Golfweek‘s course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final rating for each that is then used to compile the Golfweek\u2019s Best course rankings.
\n\nListed with each course below is its average rating, location, designer(s) and whether the course is modern (m, built in or after 1960) or classic (c, built before 1960).
\n* New or returning to the list
\n", "content_text": "Welcome to Golfweek\u2019s Best 2023 Casino Courses in the United States.\u00a0This list focuses on courses owned and/or operated by or in conjunction with casinos, with data pulled from\u00a0Golfweek‘s massive database of course rankings.\nThe hundreds of members of\u00a0Golfweek‘s course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final rating for each that is then used to compile the Golfweek\u2019s Best course rankings.\n\nBest public-access courses in each state\nBest private courses in each state\n\nListed with each course below is its average rating, location, designer(s) and whether the course is modern (m, built in or after 1960) or classic (c, built before 1960).\n* New or returning to the list", "date_published": "2023-09-12T07:01:20-04:00", "date_modified": "2023-09-11T22:32:58-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" }, "image": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2022/09/French-Lick-20190506_FLR_PeteDye-2-1.jpeg", "tags": [ "2023 Casino Courses", "2023 evergreen", "Ak-Chin Southern Dunes", "Barona Creek", "Beau Rivage", "Best Casino Courses", "Biloxi", "Casino Courses", "Evergreen", "evergreen 2023", "Fallen Oak", "French Lick", "French Lick Resort", "Golfweek\u2019s Best Casino Courses", "MGM", "Mississippi", "Nemacolin", "Phoenix", "Scottsdale", "Shadow Creek", "Talking Stick", "Turning Stone", "Yocha Dehe", "Architecture", "Courses", "Courses", "Golfweeks Best", "Travel" ], "summary": "Up for a great mix of casino fun and golf? " }, { "id": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/?post_type=listicle&p=778395222", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/lists/fallen-oak-golf-course-beau-rivage-biloxi-mississippi/", "title": "Fallen Oak at the Beau Rivage makes you feel like a member of a private club in Mississippi", "content_html": "SAUCIER, Miss. \u2013\u00a0Golf architect Tom Fazio is a heavyweight in the private club world. His designs pepper the Golfweek\u2019s Best list of top private courses across the U.S., with dozens of such facilities among the top modern courses in the country.
\nWade Hampton Club in North Carolina, Congaree in South Carolina, Estancia in Arizona \u2014 those and more than 50 others rank highly, and they\u2019re all private. His courses tend to be part of clubs that excel in catering to their memberships\u2019 every whim.
\n\nFazio also has excelled in building courses for another segment of golf: casinos. Fazio either designed or collaborated on seven of the top 50 casino courses in the U.S. Best of all, these highly ranked layouts are open to the public, albeit sometimes only to guests staying at the affiliated casino resort.
\nFazio\u2019s Shadow Creek in Las Vegas has topped the Golfweek\u2019s Best rankings of casino courses in the U.S. for years. The over-the-top desert layout in North Las Vegas is a testament to what might be accomplished when money is no issue, and the layout\u2019s $1,000-plus green fee is aligned with that. The amount of play at Shadow Creek is also limited \u2014 stay at the MGM, take a limo to the course, be treated like a star.
\nBut there\u2019s another way to experience the best of Fazio casino golf that shouldn\u2019t be missed, and it\u2019s much more attainable.
\n![\"Fallen](\"https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/Fallen-Oak-No.-18-lusk-DJI_0718.jpg\")
No. 18 at Fallen Oak in Mississippi (Jason Lusk/Golfweek)
Fallen Oak near Biloxi, Mississippi, is a much more natural layout than Shadow Creek. And the course \u2013 operated in conjunction with MGM\u2019s Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, a AAA Four Diamond award winner \u2014 might offer the best opportunity for public golfers to experience a top Fazio layout and all the first-rate trappings that generally come with it. Fallen Oak is No. 2 on the Golfweek\u2019s Best list of top casino courses in the U.S.
\nFrom the gated entrance and long drive past live oaks and ponds to the stately clubhouse, all the way to the personalized lockers and frozen watermelon served at the turn on a hot day, Fallen Oak makes a public-access player feel like a member of an elite club. The service is second to none in the public-access golf world.
\nDirector of golf Mark Powell makes sure of it.
\n\u201cWe want it to feel special, that, \u2018Hey, I\u2019m at a great golf course,\u2019 \u201d said the longtime PGA of America pro who took the helm at Fallen Oak in 2021. \u201cWe want to be there every step of the way. We want everyone on staff to know your name.\u201d
\n![\"Fallen](\"https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/Fallen-Oak-No.-17-lusk-DJI_0744.jpg\")
No. 17 at Fallen Oak in Mississippi (Jason Lusk/Golfweek)
Guests of the Beau Rivage gain access to all this on a course that\u2019s never crowded, hosting just 14,000 or so rounds a year. Counting the several weeks a year Fallen Oak is closed for maintenance \u2013 a luxury most public-access layouts can\u2019t afford \u2014 it works out to about 40 players a day.
\nGo ahead, stretch out. Enjoy the quiet. It\u2019s rare these days.
\nFazio\u2019s layout at Fallen Oak opened in 2006, and for a decade it hosted the PGA Tour Champions event in Mississippi. And unlike the heavily manufactured Shadow Creek, Fallen Oak sits on a tremendous Southern site that seems entirely natural for golf. Aside from its high ranking among casino courses, Fallen Oak is the top-rated public-access course in Mississippi. The green fee tops out at $275 \u2014 you could play four rounds at Fallen Oak for not much more than one round at Shadow Creek \u2014 and the resort runs stay-and-play specials.
\nFallen Oak also is No. 24 on Golfweek’s Best list of all resort courses in the United States, and it comes in at No. 74 on Golfweek’s Best list of top modern courses built since 1960 in the U.S.
\nFallen Oak\u2019s rolling terrain is dotted with wetlands and specimen trees, some of which were relocated during construction. Conditioning is top notch, equal to elite private clubs even in the heat of a Mississippi summer. The greens have plenty of motion without ever crossing a line into too-difficult territory.
\nBest of all: the bunkering.
\nMany resort courses slash bunkers across their countrysides, threatening players of all levels and distance. Fallen Oak, by contrast, offers restrained bunkering, one well-placed trap often serving the job. Fallen Oak underwent a major bunker renovation in 2014 in which numerous traps were removed, and the remaining bunkers were given a face-lift again in 2022.
\n![\"Fallen](\"https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/Fallen-Oak-No.-3-lusk-DJI_0752.jpg\")
No. 3 at Fallen Oak in Mississippi (Jason Lusk/Golfweek)
Many holes feature only one fairway bunker. No. 2 is a long par 4, and there is just one fairway bunker on the left side \u2013 the hole doesn\u2019t need any more protection. It\u2019s similar at Nos. 4 and 9 on the front side. No. 11 has no fairway traps, and the rest of the back nine is similarly restrained. The ground moves enough through the wide corridors to provide challenge without every stray shot splashing into sand.
\nSame goes around most of the greens. Play a round at Fallen Oak and you\u2019ll face more chips and pitches than bunker splash-outs. The entire layout, since the bunker renovations, shows a lovely level of understatement married to an extremely comfortable Gulf Coast motif. The terrain and the trees, the ponds and the greens are free to shine without too much sand in your face. You can always head to the beach if you want more sand.
\n\u201cThe first re-do they did, I tell ya, I was really impressed,\u201d said Powell, who was working at another Mississippi club at the time. \u201cI had played here before, back in the early days, and that was always kind of a knock on the course, too many bunkers. After the re-do, when I saw the course, I said this is even better. It\u2019s awesome.\u201d
\nThe par-72 layout can be stretched beyond 7,500 yards, but from the proper tees it\u2019s a treat of attempted shotmaking into smooth putting surfaces. Good shots are rewarded, and the roll-offs around several greens require strategic approaches to the proper sides of the hole. There\u2019s not a thoughtless approach on the 510-acre property, and at the same time there\u2019s not one that\u2019s unattainable.
\n![\"\"](\"https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/Beau-Rivage-Fallen-Oak-exterior-night.jpg\")
The Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi (Courtesy of The Beau Rivage)
It\u2019s a perfect attribute to the Beau Rivage, which is packed with highly rated dining and other curated experiences besides the golf. A word of advice: Plan your visit during baseball season, and take in a Biloxi Shuckers minor-league game at MGM Park across the street from the casino resort. It\u2019s an intimate ballpark that provides a great break from the gaming tables.
\nThe golf club is open to any guests of the Beau Rivage, with Powell and his staff hosting frequent special events for VIPs of the casino. Put in enough time at the tables and you might be invited to play in a sponsored tournament for casino credit that can run into the thousands of dollars. The club also has a small membership of invited casino regulars, and Powell hosts all kinds of interesting events for them, too.
\n\u201cWe just want to make it fun for everybody,\u201d Powell said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got member tournaments, a great club championship, all kinds of games during the week.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re constantly looking to do every little thing we can to improve the guest experience. Sometimes a little thing goes a long way.\u201d
\nSound like a public-access private club? That\u2019s the idea, executed perfectly.
\n", "content_text": "SAUCIER, Miss. \u2013\u00a0Golf architect Tom Fazio is a heavyweight in the private club world. His designs pepper the Golfweek\u2019s Best list of top private courses across the U.S., with dozens of such facilities among the top modern courses in the country.\nWade Hampton Club in North Carolina, Congaree in South Carolina, Estancia in Arizona \u2014 those and more than 50 others rank highly, and they\u2019re all private. His courses tend to be part of clubs that excel in catering to their memberships\u2019 every whim.\n\nGolfweek’s Best Top 50 Casino Courses for 2023\n\nFazio also has excelled in building courses for another segment of golf: casinos. Fazio either designed or collaborated on seven of the top 50 casino courses in the U.S. Best of all, these highly ranked layouts are open to the public, albeit sometimes only to guests staying at the affiliated casino resort.\nFazio\u2019s Shadow Creek in Las Vegas has topped the Golfweek\u2019s Best rankings of casino courses in the U.S. for years. The over-the-top desert layout in North Las Vegas is a testament to what might be accomplished when money is no issue, and the layout\u2019s $1,000-plus green fee is aligned with that. The amount of play at Shadow Creek is also limited \u2014 stay at the MGM, take a limo to the course, be treated like a star.\nBut there\u2019s another way to experience the best of Fazio casino golf that shouldn\u2019t be missed, and it\u2019s much more attainable.\nNo. 18 at Fallen Oak in Mississippi (Jason Lusk/Golfweek)\nFallen Oak near Biloxi, Mississippi, is a much more natural layout than Shadow Creek. And the course \u2013 operated in conjunction with MGM\u2019s Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, a AAA Four Diamond award winner \u2014 might offer the best opportunity for public golfers to experience a top Fazio layout and all the first-rate trappings that generally come with it. Fallen Oak is No. 2 on the Golfweek\u2019s Best list of top casino courses in the U.S.\nFrom the gated entrance and long drive past live oaks and ponds to the stately clubhouse, all the way to the personalized lockers and frozen watermelon served at the turn on a hot day, Fallen Oak makes a public-access player feel like a member of an elite club. The service is second to none in the public-access golf world.\nDirector of golf Mark Powell makes sure of it.\n\u201cWe want it to feel special, that, \u2018Hey, I\u2019m at a great golf course,\u2019 \u201d said the longtime PGA of America pro who took the helm at Fallen Oak in 2021. \u201cWe want to be there every step of the way. We want everyone on staff to know your name.\u201d\nNo. 17 at Fallen Oak in Mississippi (Jason Lusk/Golfweek)\nGuests of the Beau Rivage gain access to all this on a course that\u2019s never crowded, hosting just 14,000 or so rounds a year. Counting the several weeks a year Fallen Oak is closed for maintenance \u2013 a luxury most public-access layouts can\u2019t afford \u2014 it works out to about 40 players a day.\nGo ahead, stretch out. Enjoy the quiet. It\u2019s rare these days.\nFazio\u2019s layout at Fallen Oak opened in 2006, and for a decade it hosted the PGA Tour Champions event in Mississippi. And unlike the heavily manufactured Shadow Creek, Fallen Oak sits on a tremendous Southern site that seems entirely natural for golf. Aside from its high ranking among casino courses, Fallen Oak is the top-rated public-access course in Mississippi. The green fee tops out at $275 \u2014 you could play four rounds at Fallen Oak for not much more than one round at Shadow Creek \u2014 and the resort runs stay-and-play specials.\nFallen Oak also is No. 24 on Golfweek’s Best list of all resort courses in the United States, and it comes in at No. 74 on Golfweek’s Best list of top modern courses built since 1960 in the U.S.\nFallen Oak\u2019s rolling terrain is dotted with wetlands and specimen trees, some of which were relocated during construction. Conditioning is top notch, equal to elite private clubs even in the heat of a Mississippi summer. The greens have plenty of motion without ever crossing a line into too-difficult territory.\nBest of all: the bunkering.\nMany resort courses slash bunkers across their countrysides, threatening players of all levels and distance. Fallen Oak, by contrast, offers restrained bunkering, one well-placed trap often serving the job. Fallen Oak underwent a major bunker renovation in 2014 in which numerous traps were removed, and the remaining bunkers were given a face-lift again in 2022.\nNo. 3 at Fallen Oak in Mississippi (Jason Lusk/Golfweek)\nMany holes feature only one fairway bunker. No. 2 is a long par 4, and there is just one fairway bunker on the left side \u2013 the hole doesn\u2019t need any more protection. It\u2019s similar at Nos. 4 and 9 on the front side. No. 11 has no fairway traps, and the rest of the back nine is similarly restrained. The ground moves enough through the wide corridors to provide challenge without every stray shot splashing into sand.\nSame goes around most of the greens. Play a round at Fallen Oak and you\u2019ll face more chips and pitches than bunker splash-outs. The entire layout, since the bunker renovations, shows a lovely level of understatement married to an extremely comfortable Gulf Coast motif. The terrain and the trees, the ponds and the greens are free to shine without too much sand in your face. You can always head to the beach if you want more sand.\n\u201cThe first re-do they did, I tell ya, I was really impressed,\u201d said Powell, who was working at another Mississippi club at the time. \u201cI had played here before, back in the early days, and that was always kind of a knock on the course, too many bunkers. After the re-do, when I saw the course, I said this is even better. It\u2019s awesome.\u201d\nThe par-72 layout can be stretched beyond 7,500 yards, but from the proper tees it\u2019s a treat of attempted shotmaking into smooth putting surfaces. Good shots are rewarded, and the roll-offs around several greens require strategic approaches to the proper sides of the hole. There\u2019s not a thoughtless approach on the 510-acre property, and at the same time there\u2019s not one that\u2019s unattainable.\nThe Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi (Courtesy of The Beau Rivage)\nIt\u2019s a perfect attribute to the Beau Rivage, which is packed with highly rated dining and other curated experiences besides the golf. A word of advice: Plan your visit during baseball season, and take in a Biloxi Shuckers minor-league game at MGM Park across the street from the casino resort. It\u2019s an intimate ballpark that provides a great break from the gaming tables.\nThe golf club is open to any guests of the Beau Rivage, with Powell and his staff hosting frequent special events for VIPs of the casino. Put in enough time at the tables and you might be invited to play in a sponsored tournament for casino credit that can run into the thousands of dollars. The club also has a small membership of invited casino regulars, and Powell hosts all kinds of interesting events for them, too.\n\u201cWe just want to make it fun for everybody,\u201d Powell said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got member tournaments, a great club championship, all kinds of games during the week.\n\u201cWe\u2019re constantly looking to do every little thing we can to improve the guest experience. Sometimes a little thing goes a long way.\u201d\nSound like a public-access private club? That\u2019s the idea, executed perfectly.", "date_published": "2023-09-12T07:00:16-04:00", "date_modified": "2023-09-12T11:48:05-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" }, "image": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/Fallen-Oak-No.-8-lusk-DJI_0708.jpg", "tags": [ "2023 Casino Courses", "Beau Rivage", "Best Casino Courses", "Biloxi", "Casino Courses", "Fallen Oak", "Mississippi", "Preserve Golf Club", "The Preserve", "Tom Fazio", "Architecture", "Courses", "Courses", "Golfweeks Best", "Travel" ], "summary": "From the gated entrance to the 18th green, Fallen Oak rolls out the welcome mat in Mississippi. " }, { "id": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/?p=778394890", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2023/09/08/calmwater-capital-banyan-cay-jack-nicklaus-course-west-palm-beach-florida/", "title": "Calmwater Capital takes control of troubled Banyan Cay project and its Jack Nicklaus course in West Palm Beach", "content_html": "Calmwater Capital, the lender to the troubled\u00a0Banyan Cay Resort & Club, took control of the\u00a0West Palm Beach\u00a0project late last month. The move followed a failed bid to sell the property to an outside buyer\u00a0in Banyan Cay’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.
\nIn a brief statement issued Wednesday, Calmwater Capital pledged to complete the unfinished hotel.
\nThe Los Angeles-based lender said it has hired crews to complete the 150-room hotel and resort, which will feature three restaurants, a spa and fitness complex, wedding venue, meeting space and banquet facilities for up to 200 people. Calmwater said the resort also will include a resort-style pool and pickleball courts.
\nIn addition to finishing the hotel, Calmwater Capital said the 18-hole, 130-acre Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course will reopen Sept. 30. The course closed in August after a would-be suitor, Westside Capital of Denver, failed to follow through on a $102.1 million purchase of the hotel and golf course.
\n![\"\"](\"https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/Banyan-Cay-Golf-Course-PC-Banyan-Cay-1.jpg\")
The Jack Nicklaus-designed Banyan Cay Golf Club, part of a larger development in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Courtesy of Banyan Cay Resort & Club)
Westside’s decision not to close on the purchase left Banyan Cay with no choice but to let the lender’s $96.5 million credit bid stand. The amount reflects the debt extended to the hotel and golf club.
\nOn Aug. 31, U.S. Banktrupcty Court Judge Erik Kimball approved the property’s\u00a0transfer\u00a0to a Calmwater Capital affiliate, U.S. Real Estate Holdings III.
\nThe hotel was supposed to open as a Destination by Hyatt property, the company’s only Destination brand in Florida. Now it’s not certain the Hyatt brand will remain. In its statement, Calmwater said the brand and timeline for completion will be announced at a later date.
\nThe ownership change marks the latest twist for the troubled resort and golf club, which is located just east of Interstate 95 off Congress Avenue and north of Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard.
\nThe property previously was the site of the President Country Club, but the club fell into financial trouble and was sold to an investor group for $11 million in 2011. That investor group then flipped the property to\u00a0Banyan Cay Dev LLC, led by Domenic Gatto Jr., for $26 million in 2015.
\nConstruction of a resort hotel was beset by delays, to the dismay of The Lands of the President community, which overlooks Banyan Cay. In addition, residents in an adjacent new single-family community, the Residences at Banyan Cay by SobelCo, were supposed to be able to use the hotel’s club as part of the purchase of their homes.
\nBanyan Cay Resort was\u00a0slated to be completed last fall after years of\u00a0construction stoppages, a switch in\u00a0hotel brands\u00a0and\u00a0legal woes\u00a0for its developer, Gatto. In 2022, as Banyan Cay was hoping to finish construction and open in the fall, the project\u2019s lender filed\u00a0a foreclosure lawsuit.
\nIn a July 16 complaint in Palm Beach County circuit court, U.S. Real Estate Credit Holdings III-A L.P., the Calmwater Capital affiliate, claimed Banyan Cay missed deadlines to open the hotel by April 30.
\nCalmwater Capital also sought repayment of two loans. One was a $61 million construction loan to build the Banyan Cay hotel. The other was a $24 million loan for construction of nearly two dozen unbuilt villas on the property.
\nBy February, Banyan Cay had lost the lawsuit, and a judge issued two final judgments in favor of Calmwater Capital. The judgments totaled more than $95 million, an amount that includes the loans plus interest.
\nBanyan Cay filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in March in hopes of finding a buyer willing to pay a premium above the loan amount for the large, rare site.
\nThe Jack Nicklaus-designed Banyan Cay Golf Club, part of a larger development in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Courtesy of Banyan Cay Resort & Club)
Westside was the sole bidder at a bankruptcy auction and was scheduled to close on the\u00a0West Palm Beach\u00a0project before July 31. In June, an enthusiastic Westside official said the project needed about $5 million more to finish construction, including completion of exterior amenities such as the pool deck.
\nBut Westside did not close the deal. At the last minute, it left\u00a0Banyan Cay\u00a0in the lurch and unable to pay its insurance, maintain the property or pay employees, according to a 130-page court filing submitted Aug. 9 by the lender.
\nWestside’s failure to complete its $102.1 million acquisition means Banyan Cay lost millions when the property went back to its lender for the loan amount, said Joseph Pack, a Miami attorney representing Banyan Cay. Court documents indicate Banyan Cay believes Westside engaged in fraud and intentional misrepresentations.
\n", "content_text": "Calmwater Capital, the lender to the troubled\u00a0Banyan Cay Resort & Club, took control of the\u00a0West Palm Beach\u00a0project late last month. The move followed a failed bid to sell the property to an outside buyer\u00a0in Banyan Cay’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.\nIn a brief statement issued Wednesday, Calmwater Capital pledged to complete the unfinished hotel.\nThe Los Angeles-based lender said it has hired crews to complete the 150-room hotel and resort, which will feature three restaurants, a spa and fitness complex, wedding venue, meeting space and banquet facilities for up to 200 people. Calmwater said the resort also will include a resort-style pool and pickleball courts.\nIn addition to finishing the hotel, Calmwater Capital said the 18-hole, 130-acre Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course will reopen Sept. 30. The course closed in August after a would-be suitor, Westside Capital of Denver, failed to follow through on a $102.1 million purchase of the hotel and golf course.\nThe Jack Nicklaus-designed Banyan Cay Golf Club, part of a larger development in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Courtesy of Banyan Cay Resort & Club)\nWestside’s decision not to close on the purchase left Banyan Cay with no choice but to let the lender’s $96.5 million credit bid stand. The amount reflects the debt extended to the hotel and golf club.\nOn Aug. 31, U.S. Banktrupcty Court Judge Erik Kimball approved the property’s\u00a0transfer\u00a0to a Calmwater Capital affiliate, U.S. Real Estate Holdings III.\nThe hotel was supposed to open as a Destination by Hyatt property, the company’s only Destination brand in Florida. Now it’s not certain the Hyatt brand will remain. In its statement, Calmwater said the brand and timeline for completion will be announced at a later date.\nThe ownership change marks the latest twist for the troubled resort and golf club, which is located just east of Interstate 95 off Congress Avenue and north of Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard.\nThe property previously was the site of the President Country Club, but the club fell into financial trouble and was sold to an investor group for $11 million in 2011. That investor group then flipped the property to\u00a0Banyan Cay Dev LLC, led by Domenic Gatto Jr., for $26 million in 2015.\nConstruction of a resort hotel was beset by delays, to the dismay of The Lands of the President community, which overlooks Banyan Cay. In addition, residents in an adjacent new single-family community, the Residences at Banyan Cay by SobelCo, were supposed to be able to use the hotel’s club as part of the purchase of their homes.\nBanyan Cay Resort was\u00a0slated to be completed last fall after years of\u00a0construction stoppages, a switch in\u00a0hotel brands\u00a0and\u00a0legal woes\u00a0for its developer, Gatto. In 2022, as Banyan Cay was hoping to finish construction and open in the fall, the project\u2019s lender filed\u00a0a foreclosure lawsuit.\nIn a July 16 complaint in Palm Beach County circuit court, U.S. Real Estate Credit Holdings III-A L.P., the Calmwater Capital affiliate, claimed Banyan Cay missed deadlines to open the hotel by April 30.\nCalmwater Capital also sought repayment of two loans. One was a $61 million construction loan to build the Banyan Cay hotel. The other was a $24 million loan for construction of nearly two dozen unbuilt villas on the property.\nBy February, Banyan Cay had lost the lawsuit, and a judge issued two final judgments in favor of Calmwater Capital. The judgments totaled more than $95 million, an amount that includes the loans plus interest.\nBanyan Cay filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in March in hopes of finding a buyer willing to pay a premium above the loan amount for the large, rare site.\nThe Jack Nicklaus-designed Banyan Cay Golf Club, part of a larger development in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Courtesy of Banyan Cay Resort & Club)\nWestside was the sole bidder at a bankruptcy auction and was scheduled to close on the\u00a0West Palm Beach\u00a0project before July 31. In June, an enthusiastic Westside official said the project needed about $5 million more to finish construction, including completion of exterior amenities such as the pool deck.\nBut Westside did not close the deal. At the last minute, it left\u00a0Banyan Cay\u00a0in the lurch and unable to pay its insurance, maintain the property or pay employees, according to a 130-page court filing submitted Aug. 9 by the lender.\nWestside’s failure to complete its $102.1 million acquisition means Banyan Cay lost millions when the property went back to its lender for the loan amount, said Joseph Pack, a Miami attorney representing Banyan Cay. Court documents indicate Banyan Cay believes Westside engaged in fraud and intentional misrepresentations.", "date_published": "2023-09-08T16:30:16-04:00", "date_modified": "2023-09-08T15:43:14-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" }, "image": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/Banyan-Cay-Property-PC-Banyan-Cay.jpeg", "tags": [ "Banyan Cay", "Business", "Florida", "Jack Nicklaus", "Resorts", "West Palm Beach", "Courses", "Golf", "Travel" ], "summary": "New owner vows to complete Banyan Cay Resort & Club in West Palm Beach. " }, { "id": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/?post_type=fishburn_gallery&p=778394516", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/gallery/photos-belvedere-golf-club-all-18-michigan/", "title": "Photos: Feast your eyes on every hole at Belvedere, a step back in time in Michigan", "content_html": "CHARLEVOIX, Mich. \u2013 The past several weeks at home in still-steamy Florida have me dreaming of golf in different climates and some of the cooler places, both literally and figuratively, I have visited in recent months. In my mind, I keep hitting on the spots that offer a classic vibe, a great course and just a perfect atmosphere for golf.
\nBelvedere Golf Club in northern Michigan ticks all those boxes. Nestled inland between Lake Michigan and Lake Charlevoix, its nines divided by a two-lane road, Belvedere is a step back in time with a central ridge that keeps balls rolling up and down hills the entire round.
\nBuilt by William Watson and opened in 1927, the layout was restored by Bruce Hepner starting in 2016. Hepner and longtime course superintendent Rick Grunch (who has since retired) received a blessing when Watson\u2019s original drawings were uncovered in an old building nearby, giving them the blueprint for a restoration. The greens were returned to their original dimensions, their internal contours paired with frequent runoffs to keep players on their toes.
\n![\"Belvedere\"](\"https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/Back-nine-DJI_0631.jpg\")
The back nine at Belvedere Golf Club in Charlevoix, Mich. (Golfweek)
Belvedere ranks No. 6 in a very stacked Michigan on Golfweek\u2019s Best list of top public-access courses in each state, and it also ties for No. 192 among all classic courses built before 1960 in the U.S.
\nRankings aside, it\u2019s just a very cool place to spend a day. There\u2019s the right-sized clubhouse, its pro shop lined with photos of top professionals who have ambled through. It\u2019s a private club that accepts some outside play, and it\u2019s the type of course that surely makes every guest ponder a membership application. The peak guest green fee for walkers is listed as $125 in 2023, and the offseason rate is half that \u2013 a bargain for the experience.
\nI was lucky enough to play it for the third time this summer, and the experience was too good not to share. So here goes: photos of every hole at Belvedere, with multiple shots of some holes.
\n", "content_text": "CHARLEVOIX, Mich. \u2013 The past several weeks at home in still-steamy Florida have me dreaming of golf in different climates and some of the cooler places, both literally and figuratively, I have visited in recent months. In my mind, I keep hitting on the spots that offer a classic vibe, a great course and just a perfect atmosphere for golf.\nBelvedere Golf Club in northern Michigan ticks all those boxes. Nestled inland between Lake Michigan and Lake Charlevoix, its nines divided by a two-lane road, Belvedere is a step back in time with a central ridge that keeps balls rolling up and down hills the entire round.\nBuilt by William Watson and opened in 1927, the layout was restored by Bruce Hepner starting in 2016. Hepner and longtime course superintendent Rick Grunch (who has since retired) received a blessing when Watson\u2019s original drawings were uncovered in an old building nearby, giving them the blueprint for a restoration. The greens were returned to their original dimensions, their internal contours paired with frequent runoffs to keep players on their toes.\nThe back nine at Belvedere Golf Club in Charlevoix, Mich. (Golfweek)\nBelvedere ranks No. 6 in a very stacked Michigan on Golfweek\u2019s Best list of top public-access courses in each state, and it also ties for No. 192 among all classic courses built before 1960 in the U.S.\nRankings aside, it\u2019s just a very cool place to spend a day. There\u2019s the right-sized clubhouse, its pro shop lined with photos of top professionals who have ambled through. It\u2019s a private club that accepts some outside play, and it\u2019s the type of course that surely makes every guest ponder a membership application. The peak guest green fee for walkers is listed as $125 in 2023, and the offseason rate is half that \u2013 a bargain for the experience.\nI was lucky enough to play it for the third time this summer, and the experience was too good not to share. So here goes: photos of every hole at Belvedere, with multiple shots of some holes.", "date_published": "2023-09-08T08:00:00-04:00", "date_modified": "2023-09-09T13:30:50-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" }, "image": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/Belvedere-1-DJI_0471.jpg", "tags": [ "2023 evergreen", "Belvedere", "Belvedere Golf Club", "Classic Courses", "Evergreen", "evergreen 2023", "Golfweek's Best Classic Courses", "Michigan", "photo gallery", "Photos", "Public", "Architecture", "Courses", "Courses", "Golfweeks Best", "Travel" ], "summary": "Come along for the full 18 at Belvedere Golf Club in Michigan. " }, { "id": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/?post_type=listicle&p=778392987", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/lists/10-golf-resorts-three-or-more-top-ranked-courses-u-s-bandon-dunes-pinehurst-streamsong-kohler-big-cedar-pebble-beach-reynolds/", "title": "10 U.S. destinations with three or more top-ranked resort courses", "content_html": "What do you really want in a golf trip? If your answer is golf, golf, then more golf in one spot, sometimes followed by a wee bit of extra golf, we have you covered.
\nGolfweek\u2019s Best ranks courses around the world by various categories, ranging from modern courses to the best in each state. One of our most popular rankings is the top 200 resort courses in the U.S.
\nAny of the layouts on the list would make for a great getaway. More than three dozen resorts have two courses on the list, always begging for a comparison between layouts over a nice cold drink and dinner after a full day of golf.
\nBut if you\u2019re looking for more, keep reading. Because 10 resorts are home to three or more courses on Golfweek\u2019s Best ranking of top resorts in the U.S. From coastal Oregon to inland Florida, these destinations have the holes \u2014 and the pedigrees \u2014 to keep golfers swinging for days.
\n![\"Pinehurst](\"https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/Pinehurst-No.-4-6th-Hole.jpg\")
Pinehurst No. 4 (Courtesy of Pinehurst Resort)
Six of these resorts have three courses ranked among the top 200. They are Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri, Firestone Country Club in Ohio, Pebble Beach Resorts in California, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama, Sea Pines in South Carolina and Streamsong in Florida.
\nTwo of these are not traditional resorts. The first is Firestone, which for the most part is a private members club. But Firestone offers stay-and-play packages open to the public. That qualifies it as a resort based on Golfweek\u2019s Best standards in which any course that offers tee times to the public, even if the club is mostly a private facility, is deemed to be public-access.
\nThe other in question is the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, which offers golf at 11 sites around the state. Because all the facilities are managed under one umbrella and offer great opportunities to bounce from one site to another with relative ease, we opted to include the Trail on this list.
\nNext up are the resorts with four courses ranked among the top 200 \u2014 rarefied air. They are Destination Kohler in Wisconsin (Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run are two clubs, each with two courses, that are part of one resort) and Reynolds Lake Oconee in Georgia, which is a sprawling resort and residential community.
\nOnly two resorts in the U.S. have five courses among the top 200 in the U.S.: Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon and Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. Both of them are bucket-list destinations that every golfer should see, hopefully more than once. They offer all the golf most players would ever want on one vacation \u2014 playing one round on each course would take days, and one round on each course is never enough.
\nThe resorts with three or more ranked courses have gone about their development in multiple ways. Some were established more than a century ago and have added courses through the decades \u2014 these resorts often feature courses designed by multiple architects, offering an array of styles and architectural features. Others feature several courses by one designer, with the resorts sticking with the architects who proved to work best for them.
\nEither way, you can\u2019t go wrong with a trip to any of these locations listed on the following pages. Included for each resort are its top-200 courses listed with their average rating on a scale of 1 to 10 as assigned by Golfweek\u2019s Best rater program, their designers, the years they opened and their rankings on various Golfweek\u2019s Best lists. We hope you enjoy perusing these elite resorts, both on these pages and in real life.
\nAnd it’s worth noting, there is one more resort destination that is very likely to join this list of 10 in the coming years. Pine Needles in North Carolina, not far from Pinehurst Resort, operates three courses, two of which are on the 2023 list of top 200 resorts: Pine Needles (No. 47) and Mid Pines (T-35). The company’s third course, the recently renovated Southern Pines, didn’t have the requisite number of votes to qualify for this year’s list but is almost a lock to appear on the list in upcoming years.
\n", "content_text": "What do you really want in a golf trip? If your answer is golf, golf, then more golf in one spot, sometimes followed by a wee bit of extra golf, we have you covered.\nGolfweek\u2019s Best ranks courses around the world by various categories, ranging from modern courses to the best in each state. One of our most popular rankings is the top 200 resort courses in the U.S.\nAny of the layouts on the list would make for a great getaway. More than three dozen resorts have two courses on the list, always begging for a comparison between layouts over a nice cold drink and dinner after a full day of golf.\nBut if you\u2019re looking for more, keep reading. Because 10 resorts are home to three or more courses on Golfweek\u2019s Best ranking of top resorts in the U.S. From coastal Oregon to inland Florida, these destinations have the holes \u2014 and the pedigrees \u2014 to keep golfers swinging for days.\nPinehurst No. 4 (Courtesy of Pinehurst Resort)\nSix of these resorts have three courses ranked among the top 200. They are Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri, Firestone Country Club in Ohio, Pebble Beach Resorts in California, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama, Sea Pines in South Carolina and Streamsong in Florida.\nTwo of these are not traditional resorts. The first is Firestone, which for the most part is a private members club. But Firestone offers stay-and-play packages open to the public. That qualifies it as a resort based on Golfweek\u2019s Best standards in which any course that offers tee times to the public, even if the club is mostly a private facility, is deemed to be public-access.\nThe other in question is the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, which offers golf at 11 sites around the state. Because all the facilities are managed under one umbrella and offer great opportunities to bounce from one site to another with relative ease, we opted to include the Trail on this list.\nNext up are the resorts with four courses ranked among the top 200 \u2014 rarefied air. They are Destination Kohler in Wisconsin (Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run are two clubs, each with two courses, that are part of one resort) and Reynolds Lake Oconee in Georgia, which is a sprawling resort and residential community.\nOnly two resorts in the U.S. have five courses among the top 200 in the U.S.: Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon and Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. Both of them are bucket-list destinations that every golfer should see, hopefully more than once. They offer all the golf most players would ever want on one vacation \u2014 playing one round on each course would take days, and one round on each course is never enough.\nThe resorts with three or more ranked courses have gone about their development in multiple ways. Some were established more than a century ago and have added courses through the decades \u2014 these resorts often feature courses designed by multiple architects, offering an array of styles and architectural features. Others feature several courses by one designer, with the resorts sticking with the architects who proved to work best for them.\nEither way, you can\u2019t go wrong with a trip to any of these locations listed on the following pages. Included for each resort are its top-200 courses listed with their average rating on a scale of 1 to 10 as assigned by Golfweek\u2019s Best rater program, their designers, the years they opened and their rankings on various Golfweek\u2019s Best lists. We hope you enjoy perusing these elite resorts, both on these pages and in real life.\nAnd it’s worth noting, there is one more resort destination that is very likely to join this list of 10 in the coming years. Pine Needles in North Carolina, not far from Pinehurst Resort, operates three courses, two of which are on the 2023 list of top 200 resorts: Pine Needles (No. 47) and Mid Pines (T-35). The company’s third course, the recently renovated Southern Pines, didn’t have the requisite number of votes to qualify for this year’s list but is almost a lock to appear on the list in upcoming years.", "date_published": "2023-09-01T13:52:07-04:00", "date_modified": "2023-09-07T17:54:12-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" }, "image": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/09/Streamsong-Black-Course-Evan-Schiller-_DSC09942-.jpg", "tags": [ "Bandon Dunes", "Bandon Dunes Golf Resort", "Big Cedar Lodge", "Destination Kohler", "Firestone Country Club", "Harbour Town Golf Links", "Kohler", "Payne's Valley", "Pebble Beach", "Pebble Beach Golf Links", "Pinehurst", "Reynolds Lake Oconee", "Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail", "Sea Pines", "Streamsong", "Whistling Straits", "Architecture", "Courses", "Courses", "Golfweeks Best", "Travel" ], "summary": "10 destinations have three or more highly ranked courses on Golfweek's Best Top 200 Resort Courses list. " }, { "id": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/?p=778383230", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2023/08/01/management-company-troon-tobacco-road/", "title": "Management company Troon takes the reins at Tobacco Road in North Carolina", "content_html": "\n
Troon, the Arizona-based golf management company that has seen rapid expansion in recent months, has been selected to manage one of the most interesting courses in the U.S.: Tobacco Road in Sanford, North Carolina.
\nDesigned by the late Mike Strantz and established in 1998, Tobacco Road has built an almost cult-like following of players looking for something different. The layout\u2019s sometimes-extreme greens and incredible terrain have kept the tee sheet full for years, and Tobacco Road ranks No. 6 in a stacked North Carolina on Golfweek\u2019s Best 2023 list of top public-access courses. It also ties for No. 79 on Golfweek\u2019s Best list of top public-access courses in the U.S.
\nThose rankings don\u2019t necessarily express the views of diehard fans, many of whom would rank what is in many ways a non-traditional layout among the top handful of modern courses in the U.S.
\n\nSuch players tend to love that Tobacco Road plays almost like a video game, presenting shots and strategic challenges not seen at many other courses. Think semi-blind shots to frequently crazy greens featuring dramatic contours and run-offs \u2013 Strantz wasn\u2019t interested in the status quo of golf design, and he wasn\u2019t afraid to turn up the volume with his designs.
\n![\"Tobacco](\"https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/08/Tobacco-Road-18th-Panorama1-v2.jpg\")
No. 18 at Tobacco Road, with the clubhouse in view (Courtesy of Tobacco Road Golf Club)
With the right frame of mind, it\u2019s all incredibly fun \u2013 judged by many to be as much art as a golf course. And after decades of family management, the course 25 miles north of Pinehurst will now be under the management of Troon, the largest golf and golf-hospitality management company in the world.
\n\u201cAfter thoroughly evaluating our options for management of Tobacco Road, we are excited to select Troon as the steward of Mike Strantz’s uncompromising design,\u201d Tobacco Road Golf Club founder Mark Stewart said in a media release announcing the news.
\nTroon has been on a tear lately, acquiring several other management companies. The company now manages the equivalent of 840-plus 18-hole golf courses. Under its care are multiple top-tier daily-fee courses and private clubs.
\n\u201cTroon is proud and honored to partner with Tobacco Road and founder Mark Stewart,\u201d Troon director of operations Dana Schultz said in the media release. \u201cThis Top-100 golf course has been a successful family-run operation for decades. We look forward to carrying on the Stewart family vision and welcoming golfers to Tobacco Road Golf Club.\u201d
\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\t\tBook your trip to Tobacco Road today\n\t\t\n\n", "content_text": "Troon, the Arizona-based golf management company that has seen rapid expansion in recent months, has been selected to manage one of the most interesting courses in the U.S.: Tobacco Road in Sanford, North Carolina.\nDesigned by the late Mike Strantz and established in 1998, Tobacco Road has built an almost cult-like following of players looking for something different. The layout\u2019s sometimes-extreme greens and incredible terrain have kept the tee sheet full for years, and Tobacco Road ranks No. 6 in a stacked North Carolina on Golfweek\u2019s Best 2023 list of top public-access courses. It also ties for No. 79 on Golfweek\u2019s Best list of top public-access courses in the U.S.\nThose rankings don\u2019t necessarily express the views of diehard fans, many of whom would rank what is in many ways a non-traditional layout among the top handful of modern courses in the U.S.\n\nMore: Where to play golf in North Carolina\nBook your trip to Tobacco Road today\n\nSuch players tend to love that Tobacco Road plays almost like a video game, presenting shots and strategic challenges not seen at many other courses. Think semi-blind shots to frequently crazy greens featuring dramatic contours and run-offs \u2013 Strantz wasn\u2019t interested in the status quo of golf design, and he wasn\u2019t afraid to turn up the volume with his designs.\nNo. 18 at Tobacco Road, with the clubhouse in view (Courtesy of Tobacco Road Golf Club)\nWith the right frame of mind, it\u2019s all incredibly fun \u2013 judged by many to be as much art as a golf course. And after decades of family management, the course 25 miles north of Pinehurst will now be under the management of Troon, the largest golf and golf-hospitality management company in the world.\n\u201cAfter thoroughly evaluating our options for management of Tobacco Road, we are excited to select Troon as the steward of Mike Strantz’s uncompromising design,\u201d Tobacco Road Golf Club founder Mark Stewart said in a media release announcing the news.\nTroon has been on a tear lately, acquiring several other management companies. The company now manages the equivalent of 840-plus 18-hole golf courses. Under its care are multiple top-tier daily-fee courses and private clubs.\n\u201cTroon is proud and honored to partner with Tobacco Road and founder Mark Stewart,\u201d Troon director of operations Dana Schultz said in the media release. \u201cThis Top-100 golf course has been a successful family-run operation for decades. We look forward to carrying on the Stewart family vision and welcoming golfers to Tobacco Road Golf Club.\u201d\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\t\tBook your trip to Tobacco Road today\n\t\t\n ", "date_published": "2023-08-01T15:00:34-04:00", "date_modified": "2023-08-02T08:42:43-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "Jason Lusk", "url": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/author/jllusk/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0ef9fa589fc62892cabe2c57919bc689?s=512&d=identicon&r=g" }, "image": "https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2023/08/Tobacco-Road-IMG_2166.jpg", "tags": [ "Business", "Business of Golf", "Golf Business", "Mike Strantz", "North Carolina", "Tobacco Road", "Troon", "Video", "Architecture", "Courses", "Courses", "Golf", "Partner/affiliate", "Travel" ], "summary": "The world's largest golf management company takes the reins at one of the most interesting courses in the U.S. " } ] }