Dramatic Renovation of The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club
Golf icon Jack Nicklaus has returned to the AAA Four-Diamond resort
to help redesign the same course on which he first broke 40 at age 11;
The Jack Nicklaus redesign is in collaboration with noted architect John Sanford;
Renovation began in April, and will be completed this November
NAPLES, FL – Interested in taking a getaway? Then you should consider heading to the AAA Four-Diamond The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club in Southwest Florida. Set on 125 lush acres, complemented by seven miles of pristine white sandy beach, the 319-room resort is Southwest Florida’s only resort directly on the beach with an on-site championship golf course, a world-class spa, and an award-winning tennis center. Want more reason to visit? The resort will complete the dramatic renovation – almost reinvention – of its championship golf course this November. The resort’s course is being redesigned with input from golf icon and acclaimed course designer Jack Nicklaus, who has a historical tie to the resort.
The Jack Nicklaus redesign is being done in collaboration with noted course architect John Sanford of Sanford Golf Design. This major $9 million project follows $50 million in impressive renovations and enhancements at the resort over the last few years. The total redesign of the resort’s course began in April, and the entire project will be complete this November, with the course fully operational and reopening on November 17, 2016, according to the beachfront resort’s General Manager Jason Parsons. According to Parsons, this is almost a month ahead of schedule.
Jack Nicklaus is helping to celebrate his past and that of The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club by reshaping the future of this iconic golf course. It was in 1951, on a family vacation to Naples, Florida, and a friendly round of golf alongside his father, that the Ohio native accomplished the very impressive feat of first breaking 40 over nine holes on the resort’s course, shooting a 37. At just 11 years old, he came within a shot of shooting par, and just one year after he picked up golf clubs for the first time. This round, in particular, is what drew Nicklaus to the project–the scorecard is even archived in the Jack Nicklaus Museum, the 24,000-square-foot facility on the campus of The Ohio State University.
“Being back at The Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club is like a walk down memory lane for me,” Nicklaus said. “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. At the same time, I am enjoying the opportunity to work with John (Sanford) on this rebirth, if you will, of a wonderful layout. I think we have some great ideas and people will be excited about the end product.”
The resort’s golf course brings together two of the world’s finest designers, who celebrated the grand opening of their collaboration on Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point in the Bronx, New York, in 2015. Sanford served as project manager for the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, and among the many honors bestowed on the design, it was named to Golf Digest’s Best New Courses 2015 and recognized by Golf Magazine as the Best New Course You Can Play. It was also a top-three global selection by Golf Inc. as Development of the Year.
“We are very proud and excited about the completion of the dramatic renovation and redesign of our 18-hole championship golf course,” Parsons said. “The redesign is a unique collaboration between the greatest player of all time Jack Nicklaus, who also is one of the world’s most celebrated golf course designers, and the very talented John Sanford. It truly has been a pleasure to see them collaborate on this totally new, par-71 course, which features five tees, ranging from 4,800 yards to over 6,900 yards. Our guests, groups, and golfers of every skill level will absolutely love the truly beautiful new course. The new course will be a terrific addition to the experience for our guests.”
Golf Course Architect John Sanford said, “The course has been redesigned to challenge the best players but also be enjoyable for all golfers. The redesign takes advantage of the sandy soils so the course will play ‘firm and fast.’ The ball will roll out so tee shots will be longer and approaches are open to accept running shots to the greens. The greens are gently contoured to allow for multiple hole locations but have continuous movement that will challenge all skill levels. Many of the large trees were cleared to ‘open up’ the course and various types of palm trees have been planted to extend the beachfront character of the resort. We are very excited about the reopening of the course in November.”
Sanford added, “We have a number of great new holes at the resort course, which includes the ‘signature hole’ #16. It is a medium length ‘Redan’ par 3. The green is a peninsula with water in front, on the right and behind the green. It’s not long but will require accuracy to hit the green.”
In addition to the new course, the resort has added a 300-yard practice and teaching range, and will have new golf carts with GPS tracking systems to aid golfers with yardages on each hole, thus helping pace of play.
“The completion of this renovation will bring our golf course in line with the rest of our AAA Four-Diamond resort and enhance the overall guest and group experience,” said Henry B. Watkins, co-owner of the resort. “The added bonus of having Mr. Nicklaus collaborate on the redesign of the course where he first broke 40 for nine holes is wonderful, and further enriches the deep history of our property.”
Rich in hospitality and tradition, The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club has been part of the Naples community since 1946. Owned and operated by the Watkins family for three generations, the resort also features: 1,000 feet of soft white-sand beach; the world-class spa; a fitness center; the Mary C. Watkins Tennis Center with six Har-Tru courts; Beach Kids Club, a complimentary daily recreational program for children ages 5 to 12; retail shops; beach rentals; 34,000 square feet of meeting space; and a variety of picturesque outdoor venues for receptions and events.
In addition, the resort features multiple restaurants and lounges. The selection includes: the signature beachfront restaurant HB’s on the Gulf; Broadwell’s, serving breakfast daily and providing panoramic views of the golf course; and the Seminole Store, which serves deli sandwiches, ice cream, gourmet coffees and a variety of freshly baked pizza, pastries and desserts in a café atmosphere. The Sunset Beach Bar & Grill has been recognized as the “Best Place To View A Southwest Florida Sunset,” and was named “Naples’ Best Beach Bar” by Travel Channel.
Guest rooms and suites feature cool tropical-colored linens, fabrics and carpeting; flat-panel televisions; patios or balconies (with a view of the Gulf, the golf course or the lush resort interior); coffee makers; and refrigerators.
Among the recent enhancements was the November 2015 replacement of the brick balconies in the main Tower Building with beautiful glass balconies to showcase the gorgeous Gulf views.
Situated just blocks from Naples’ renowned shopping districts of fashionable 5th Avenue South and historic 3rd Street South, the resort is also within minutes of shopping at Venetian Village, Waterside Shops, Bayfront and Tin City.
Guests can further experience the area by taking tours of the Everglades, Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens, Corkscrew Swamp, The Botanical Gardens, or the Conservancy Nature Center. Boat and fishing trips can also be arranged at the hotel. Other leisure-time activities can include Naples’ outstanding museums, theatres, and art galleries.
Providing a comfortable and friendly atmosphere, the resort is an exceptional tropical getaway. Guests always benefit from no resort fees, complimentary self-parking and valet parking, and complimentary access to the resort’s fitness center. The resort is located at 851 Gulf Shore Blvd. North in Naples, Florida.
For reservations or for information about rates, contact the resort’s Reservations Department at (800) 237-7600 or (239) 261-2222, and visit NaplesBeachHotel.com . For golf rates and tee time information, as the course will be open to the public, contact the resort’s Golf Pro Shop at (239) 435-2475.
