25 TEE BOX Club Pelican Bay selects Forse Design for major overhaul “On the fourth hole of the Club nine, most members can never get their approach over a bunker front-right of the S-shaped green,” said Forse. “After the renovation, the entrance will be opened up, and a diagonal swale will run through a squaredoff green. It will offer better playability and proper shot values.” Club Pelican Bay, a private club in Naples, Florida, has selected Forse Design for a major overhaul of its 27 holes and practice facility. Glase Construction will begin work on the club’s three nines – named Club, Pelican and Bay – in April 2019, re-grassing all playing surfaces and implementing a comprehensive improvement plan created by Ron Forse and Jim Nagle of Forse Design. The US$8.5 million project will also include a new irrigation system, new drainage and cart paths. The club’s general manager Dave Mangan explained the rationale for the changes: “We’ve had our TifEagle greens for nearly 20 years, they are probably the oldest in the state. And our irrigation system ranges from between 20 to 30 years old. Bunkers are old and tired, and the faces didn’t show. And water is always an issue, we felt that we could decrease the overall turf acreage. We decided to take a look at the whole golf course and see what improvements could be made.” Forse said that while the course is a whole new design, it is respectful of the original architect’s layout. “It’s a very solid routing that was well thoughtout by Arthur Hills and provides a good variety in the sequence of holes,” said Forse. “It’s essentially a core golf course in a beautiful setting in a great Florida town.” The routing will be kept largely intact, with some of the green locations changed in order to increase the total yardage from the back tees, take advantage of better settings and provide more interest and variety. “The orientation of some greens will also be altered to work better given the prevailing winds and available, unused property,” said Forse. The new design introduces “more classic architectural elements in green complexes and bunkering,” said Forse, who intends to greatly improve aesthetics by ensuring green complexes are more visually prominent and bunkers are sand-flashed. He will also be introducing more contour and undulation around greens and infusing more variety into the course. The course is expected to reopen for play in November 2019. Visit the GCA website to read more about the Club Pelican Bay renovation Images: Forse Design
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