One of the resort’s four golf courses will close on January 4 for a nine-month renovation that will convert the tees, fairways and greens to Paspalum, rebuild all 18 greens, reclaim overgrowth, rebuild the irrigation system, and build a new pump house.
The Jack Nicklaus-designed Turtle Point Golf Course on Kiawah Island (S.C.) Golf Resort will close on January 4, 2016 for a nine-month renovation.
The Nicklaus Design team has been hired to consult on the renovations. Nicklaus surveyed the course in late October with other members of the team and made recommendations for changes.
C&RB featured Kiawah Island Golf Resort in its September 2012 cover story.
In addition to the design changes, the tees, fairways and greens will be converted to Paspalum, the salt-tolerant strain of grass that is currently in The Ocean Course, Osprey Point and Oak Point on Kiawah Island Golf Resort. Nicklaus has prepared plans for rebuilding all 18 greens including moving five greens due to shade issues and to expand fairway sizes from 20 acres to 34 acres.
“We’ll be adding new tees on multiple holes and raise a number of the tee boxes,” said Director of Golf Brian Gerard. “Additionally, we plan to add a pond to the par-3 seventh hole and expand the pond on the par-5 second hole and move the green to the right, to change the second and third shot into that green.
“One of the most exciting changes will be on the oceanfront sixteenth hole. On this par-3, the tee box will be moved away from the dunes so the player will be hitting his tee shot with the Atlantic Ocean in the background,” Gerard said.
In addition to the course design changes, crews will work around the ponds and wooded areas of the course reclaiming overgrowth. The entire irrigation system on the golf course will be rebuilt, and work will be done on the maintenance building as well as building a new pump house.
“The goal is to both improve the conditioning of the golf course and make the experience more fun,” said President Roger Warren. “When we get done people will be excited because it will feel like a totally new golf course.”
During the renovation, the golf school, which is located at the Tommy Cuthbert Golf Learning Center adjacent to Turtle Point’s driving range, will be held at other resort courses. Tomasso, Turtle Point’s Italian restaurant, and the pro shop will remain open throughout the renovation.
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