Development & Design

Development at all-time low, but golf course renovations continue

While the number of new golf courses — and the total number of courses — continued a long-term decline in 2016, operators are still investing in golf through large-scale renovation projects.

In its annual report, “Golf Facilities in the U.S. - 2017 Edition,” the National Golf Foundation (NGF) reported that 986 major course renovations have been completed since 2006, representing a total investment of at least $3 billion. ;e number does not include minor rehabilitation projects, which were done without signi;cant impact on the courses’ operations.

Only 10 new golf facilities opened in 2016, the lowest number on record. ;ey included ;e Loop at Forest Dunes in Michigan and Mossy Oak in Mississippi, both Golf Inc. Development of the Year honorees.

NGF is tracking new courses in the pipeline, including 55 courses of 18-hole equivalent that are under construction and another 37 that are in the planning stages. Of those, 28 are daily-fee courses ( 12 new facilities and 16 additions to existing properties).

Streamsong Black in Florida, the reversible Silvies Valley Ranch in Oregon, Bayou Oaks in Louisiana and Stoatin Brae in Michigan are among courses scheduled to open in 2017.

;e number of golf courses in the U.S. continued to decline, dropping by 190 to end 2016 with 15,014 facilities, NGF reports. Overall, the number of facilities was down 5. 6 percent since 2006.

A total of 230 facilities closed permanently during the past year.

IN DEVELOPMENT

Tiger Woods to design
course for Johnny Morris

Johnny Morris is bringing Tiger Woods to the people. ;e founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops has been assembling a golf mecca near Branson, Mo., with four courses designed by some of the biggest names in golf.

Tiger Woods will add his name to the complex by designing a 19-hole course, which will be an homage to Payne Stewart, as well as a family-friendly par- 3 short course at Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Mo.

;e resort already has a nine-hole,
Jack Nicklaus-designed par- 3 course, an
Arnold Palmer-designed practice facility
and a family-friendly, Gary Player-
designed 13-hole track.

It also has two traditional courses: the Tom Fazio-designed Bu;alo Ridge Springs Golf Course and a Coore & Crenshaw-designed track that will open next year.

Tiger’s design will be his ;rst public course. Scheduled to open in 2019, it will showcase the region’s natural beauty and will feature a dramatic 19th hole, which can be used to settle un;nished wagers. ;e hole, envisioned by nature-loving Morris, is dramatically set in a natural cavern.

Developers say the new course will be challenging but player-friendly and walkable. It is being built on the site of Murder Rock Golf Club, a John Daly design that Morris acquired in 2013 and later closed.