Centaur US Holdings has partnered with Nicklaus Design to create Panther National, a ‘golf enclave’ within a new private community in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

An 18-hole course will form the centerpiece of the new community, along with a nine-hole par-three short layout. The project will also include a 15-acre driving range and four-acre short game area.

“What makes this project exciting is that the 210 acres available for the development has no restrictions to it, and we can create anything we want design-wise,” said Chris Cochran, senior architect for Nicklaus Design. “Naturally we will build a golf course that is environmentally friendly and sustainable, but to have this much land to create basically any kind of golf course while not having to compromise due to some type of restriction is something I have not seen in the 37 years I have been in this business. There is so much potential!”

The site for the course was previously a cattle pasture, with only a small amount of elevation change. However, a large amount of fill will be generated by the development of the surrounding community.

“The overall development has an excess of fill up to 800,000 cubic yards that they want to put on the golf course,” said Cochran. “Because of this, the owners would like a non-typical Florida golf course that has a lot of elevation change, so we are looking at creating as much as another 1.2 million cubic yards. I have completed the preliminary contour plan and the course will have as much as 40 feet of elevation change on it, which is huge in Florida.”

Depending on permits, Nicklaus Design hopes to begin earthworks by December.

“Developing the first private golf club community in Florida with a contemporary architectural style has been a vision of mine for some time,” said Dominik Senn, founder of Centaur US Holdings. “Partnering with Jack Nicklaus and the Nicklaus Design team was an easy decision. Nobody does a better job in creating a golf experience that can challenge the top touring professionals in the world, while offering an enjoyable experience for members and guests of all ages and skill levels.”