By Mike May
The golf course at The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club in Southwest Florida is known as the “Course That Jack Re-Built.” In 2016, Nicklaus was contracted to redesign The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club’s championship golf course, but it was not a typical assignment for the Golden Bear.
In 1951, a young Jack Nicklaus played the course, with his father, Charlie, while on vacation escaping the Ohio winter. Young Jack was only 11 years old at the time and had been playing golf for roughly a year. Jackie carded his first sub-40 round, a 37 for nine holes.
When Nicklaus began the $9 million re-design of the course, he still had vivid memories of that round of golf with his father, more than 60 years before.
“Being back at The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club is like a walk down memory lane for me,” said Nicklaus. “Returning to the same course where I broke 40, with my father by my side, brings
back a lot of very special and very fond memories.”
Of his new design Nicklaus said,
“I think those who have played The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club before are in for a pleasant surprise. I believe the golf course has been transformed into a fun, exciting, aesthetically pleasing layout. I think the end product is something people will enjoy and have fun with in the Naples area for many years to come.”
The original 18-hole golf course was opened for play in 1931, but was closed during World War II. In 1947, nine holes opened for play, with all 18 holes re-opening in 1953.
Because the roots of this course date back to the early 1930s, it’s very appropriate that this golf course is now one of the 53 golf courses on the Florida Historic Golf Trail.
Today, The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club is a par-71 layout featuring five tees, from 4,800 yards to more than 6,900 yards. For most of the year, the course plays ‘firm and fast’ with gently contoured greens. ‘Fun’ and ‘Beautiful’ are words used to describe this golf course which is open to the general public.
The Signature Hole, the 16th, features a par 3 peninsula green with water in front, bordering the right side, as well as, behind the green. It’s not a long hole and requires accuracy with the tee shot.
An interesting aspect of The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club is the presence of an orchid greenhouse that sits adjacent to the golf course maintenance shed. According to head golf professional George Willard, orchids are grown inside the greenhouse by the maintenance staff. Those orchids are then used to beautify and decorate the resort throughout the year.
Golfers of every skill-level love the new course, which is now aligns with the rest of the Four-Diamond resort. The course challenges the best players, but also is truly enjoyable for all golfers.
The overall golf experience at The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club is complemented by the presence of a 300-yard practice and teaching range, plus one of the best beaches in Florida.
To book a tee time at the “Course that Jack Rebuilt,” or more information about The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club, visit NaplesBeachHotel.com.
