The Bradenton, Fla. course has begun the growing phase on the 9-hole short course and 1-acre putting course designed by Nicklaus Design. The facility has been given its own name and identity, The Gimme, to distinguish it from the championship course. The name references the famous moment of sportsmanship in golf at the 1969 Ryder Cup when Jack Nicklaus conceded a 2-foot putt to Great Britain’s Tony Jacklin, resulting in the first Ryder Cup tie and a moment forever etched in golf history.
The site has been shaped and bunkers put into place, and The Concession Golf Club in is now letting Mother Nature take the lead as the growing phase has begun on a $2 million expansion at the private golf club in the Bradenton/Sarasota, Fla. area. The all-new Par-3, 9-hole short course and 1-acre putting course is designed by Jack Nicklaus’ team at Nicklaus Design.
C+RB wrote about The Concession as the cover feature (https://clubandresortbusiness.com/uncompromising-approach-success/) in February 2015.
Construction of the new playing facility commenced in March on the 8-acre space, tucked into a natural setting within the championship course. Sprigging and sodding was completed in late June, and now the grounds team stands by as the TifGrand Bermuda fairways and TifEagle Bermuda greens take shape.
“This course is designed to be fun and challenging for our members and even people who may be new to golf,” explained Terry Kennelly, Superintendent for The Concession Golf Club. “We’ve had a great time designing and implementing representations of some of golf’s most famous holes around the world.”
Hole No. 3 has a very deep stacked sod bunker and green reminiscent of St. Andrews famous “Road Hole” (No. 17) in Scotland, using new Permaedge artificial sod technology. Hole No. 9 is a take-off of California’s Riviera Country Club’s challenging No. 6, which has a surprise bunker in the middle of the green.
The facility has been given its own name and identity, The Gimme, to distinguish it from the championship course. In a nod to that famous moment of sportsmanship in golf at the 1969 Ryder Cup between the U.S. team’s Jack Nicklaus and Great Britain’s Tony Jacklin, the “Gimme” signifies that short putt that Nicklaus conceded to Jacklin, resulting in the first Ryder Cup tie and a moment forever etched in golf history. The course will have signature markings on each of its flagsticks to signify that “gimme” distance, adding to the jovial atmosphere of play.
“We have created a Par-3 course equal in its quality and visual impact to The Concession’s championship course and complements its challenging nature with a family-friendly design that caters to beginners, juniors, seniors and die-hard golfers alike,” said Chris Cochran, Senior Designer with Nicklaus Design. “It has been a great experience getting to work with old friends, Bruce Cassidy, Senior (President), Terry Kennelly (Superintendent) and Jerame Miller (shaper) on this long-awaited project.”
The Gimme Par-3 and it’s partnering Snake Acre Putting Course will open to Concession Golf members on November 1 for a members-only tournament.
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