Nick Price opens Florida’s Soleta

Soleta Golf Club, the highly anticipated Nick Price Design golf course near Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch, Florida, opened on Dec. 10. Price, the development team and instructor David Leadbetter headlined a ribbon-cutting ceremony that featured an opening tee shot hit by the Hall of Fame golfer. 

According to managing partner and developer David Turner, “The private Soleta course project was completed in a remarkable 11 months and the final product is outstanding. We knew that in selecting Nick as our designer we’d get a stunning championship course that would be enjoyable to play for all members. Together with the 30-acre David Leadbetter signature practice facility and indoor performance center, we offer a golf experience unmatched by any club in the state or perhaps elsewhere.”

The 7,415-yard, par-72 Soleta Golf Club course is routed separately from the location of a planned 93 luxury residences and many other amenities. Holes wind through the undisturbed sanctuary-like land and of great importance was the commitment to the preservation of all wetlands with absolutely no impacts to these sensitive areas. Water conservation also was a critical issue, as was the enhancement of wildlife habitat and sound environmental stewardship. Price’s courses focus on the art of strategy and his designs embody a handcrafted approach that requires a significant investment of personal hours overseeing details from start to finish.

“It was an honor to design the golf course at Soleta,” said architect Price. “We were part of a great team and created a special place for golfers to play, spend time with friends and have fun. The property has wetlands, uplands, open grassland and some great trees. We laid out the golf course to take advantage and incorporate those natural features into the design of holes. Importantly, no wetlands were impacted or eliminated anywhere on the property. These natural elements all are part of what gives the golf course its natural look and feel.”

According to Price, the golf course has a natural and open feel incorporating sand and native areas. Course conditions are firm and fast and challenge golfers with a variety of shot-making choices.

Renowned golf instructor David Leadbetter, who has coached touring professionals to major championship titles and worldwide tournament victories, discussed his design of a world-class practice and indoor performance facility. The grounds will contain different grasses, a variety of greens and elevation changes to help players fine tune their games to be tournament ready. In addition to the expansive outdoor practice areas, the indoor center will include a state-of-the-art biomechanics studio, club fitting, a putting studio, simulators and other advanced training technologies. 

Additionally, a walking-only nine-hole short course called The Colt opens in spring 2025.

SHORT COURSE FROM LOVE GOLF DESIGN COMING TO HAZELTINE

Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota has disclosed plans for the future of its golf facilities—with Love Golf Design, headed by Davis Love III, playing a major role. In late November, the club unfurled its long-range plan, called Vision 2040, that includes a new 10-hole short course, a 32,000-square-foot putting course, performance center, villas and an updated club entrance. Earlier, Hazeltine tabbed the Love team to reimagine its championship layout ahead of hosting the 2029 Ryder Cup.

“It’s an exciting time for Hazeltine, and the future is bright,” Love stated. “We are very excited to see the finished products, and I cannot wait to tee it up out there.”

Love Golf Design broke ground on the par-3 layout in June 2024. When finished it will feature five double greens, 18 bunkers, and an absence of rough, water hazards and formal tee boxes.

“Our inspiration was Dr. MacKenzie’s design of an approach and putt course for Augusta National,” Love’s Scot Sherman told golfcoursearchitecture.net. “Although the design was never built, the idea was to create an 18-hole short course using nine double greens. This layout gave us the thought to create something similar on Hazeltine’s site. Since the club also had a desire to include villas adjacent to the short course, we believed this unique routing would be a draw for members and guests to spend time there.

“As the club looks toward master-planning on their championship course, we are also using the short course as a testing ground for agronomic, infrastructure and design concepts that may be used on the ‘big course’ in the future. Our partnership with Hazeltine is a long one, and we look forward to seeing how our collective ideas evolve.”

The undulating putting course will stretch 130 yards and will feature low-profile lighting for night play. It will be situated between the par-3 course and the villas. The performance center will spread over 9,000 square feet, with seven simulators and a 1,600-square-foot putting green.

“This plan clearly aligns with our mission and core tenets and is a tremendous accomplishment for our membership and partners,” said Hazeltine club president Dan Mulheran. “Through Vision 2040, we aim to cement Hazeltine as the premier championship private golf facility in the country.”

RENOVATION PLANS REVEALED FOR NEW ZEALAND’S BOULCOTT’S FARM

Kristine Kerr, principal in New Zealand’s Kura Golf Course Design, has proposed a redesign of six holes at Boulcott’s Farm Heritage Golf Club outside of Wellington, N.Z. The club took its present name in 2010 following the merger of the nine-hole Boulcott Golf Club and the 18-hole Hutt Golf Club in a move to provide a retirement community and flood protection. To assist in the flood control, an embankment that traverses the course was enhanced. The new facility yielded an 18-hole tract and a six-hole short course. Left untouched after the merger were six holes from the old Hutt circuit, the current fifth, seventh and 10th through 13th, so they barely resemble the other 12 holes. Kerr has created a plan that would bring those six holes more in line with the other 12, in terms of aesthetics, strategy and playability.

“During the merger, holes 5 and 13 were partially remodeled as they weren’t affected by the embankment works and their layout fit the new routing,” Kerr told golfcoursearchitecture.net. “The club has recently sold some land in the vicinity of holes 9 and 10. This means the ninth fairway will need to be relocated—the tees and green will remain in place. The embankment runs across the ninth so shaping plans involve raising the landing area beyond for better visibility from the tee. The tenth will also be shortened from a par 5 to a 4.”

Pending consent from the Greater Wellington Regional Council, work on the two holes could start in March 2025. Kerr anticipates construction on two additional holes will commence in 2027, with the final two holes completed in 2029.

“Those six holes are on flat existing land near to Hutt River and have little contouring in comparison to the remodeled 12 that have more movement and undulation,” said Kerr. “Tees and greens for the six are also quite small. The bunkers are a bit shallow and are cut into the relatively level ground. Our remodel will set bunkers into created landforms to enhance visibility and provide a different challenge. The remodel will create a coherent style by introducing more contouring and elevation change, more strategic bunkers and undulating greens in a variety of sizes.”

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