By Len Ziehm
Robert Trent Jones Sr. was the premier golf course architect of his generation, having designed 450 courses around the world. Both of his sons, Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Rees, became prominent, and prolific, architects, as well.
Rees has worked on over 230 courses world-wide, plus he has become known as ‘The Open Doctor.’’ His expertise has been used to prepare seven U.S. Open courses, nine PGA Championship courses and six Ryder Cup tracks. 
Given all those high-profile courses, Rees calls his latest work “a lifetime dream,’’ because it has a direct tie-in to his famous father.
Rees has tackled his father’s designs 18 times in the past at such places as, Atlanta Athletic Club, Bellerive, Congressional, Golden Horseshoe, Hazeltine and The Dunes Golf & Beach Club.
This latest redo, though, is more important than the others. Coral Ridge Country Club was emotional for Rees, now 79, because he has been involved with it, since he was a young lad.
Jones Senior designed the original 18 holes at Coral Ridge in 1954. He also kept an office near the 17th hole for his architectural business and operated out of the clubhouse at the end of his career. He remained a member of the club until his death in 2000. Rees’ mother Ione, who died in 1987, was also very active in the club
Rees spent most of his formative years growing up in New Jersey but spent a lot of time at Coral Ridge. It was something special to both father and son.
“We traveled every winter and stayed at a little hotel behind the course. I’ve been part of that facility all my life, so getting to embellish and restructure that course has been a lifetime dream, because it was the fabric of both my family life and my design life. Coral Ridge was dad’s baby. When I was first there, I was 11 or 12, so I was just past a baby then.’’
In his childhood days, Coral Ridge was a swinging place. The legendary New York Yankees’ pitcher, Whitey Ford, was a member, as was Joe Namath. Pro golfers Julius Boros and Lew Worsham were also regulars. Boros lived on the 11th hole and gave Rees golf lessons.
“Historically athletes really liked to hang out there.”
Dave Thomas, who created the Wendy’s restaurant chain, was also a special friend of the Jones family.
“Coral Ridge is a very special place. There’s no other place like it in Florida. He went to the club every day and had a lot of friends there.’’
Five years ago, Rees designed a par-3 course at the club, called “The Rees Nine.’’ With holes ranging from 70 to 200 yards, It has become popular with higher handicappers and junior golfers, who like the challenge of the undulating, multi-tiered greens.
Jones understandably likes everything about the new course, a par-72 measuring 7,322 yards from the back tees.
“The routing is the same, though we slightly relocated the ninth and thirteenth greens. All the fairways were elevated, and drainage is now 1,000 percent better than it had been.’’
But, there was more to it than just that. 
“We rebuilt all the greens, plus the par-3s and the par-5s are all distinctly different. We restored the original Robert Trent Jones bunker style. It seems like a brand new golf course.”
Although most of the work on at Coral Ridge was done in the heart of the pandemic, it didn’t slow Jones down.
“We had 13 jobs during the pandemic, one of which was in Japan. I am lucky because I love what I do.’’
Coral Ridge was owned solely by the Jones family, at one time. Rees, his parents and brother Robert Trent Jones Jr. each owned 25 percent. When Jones Sr. passed, the course was sold to a local group headed by Phil Smith. Rees kept a five percent share, but sold it after designing, ‘The Rees Nine.’
To this day Rees Jones remains a Coral Ridge member and believes his recent work assures the club will have one of the top golf courses in the Southeast.
“I feel we accomplished the task,’’ said Rees. “My father would be looking down on us and say `Well done.’’
To learn more about Coral Ridge visit: https://www.coralridgecc.com/
