Jan Stephenson - golf architect

[Scott_Burroughs]

3-time major winner (16 LPGA wins) and former LPGA tour sex symbol who just turned 50 and still looks good, Jan Stephenson, will become the first women's tour player to design a golf course.  It will be the Walkabout Golf Club in Titusville, FL, a daily-fee course that will open early this year.  How much involved in the design she was would be interesting to find out, not to mention how good the course is.  

It's not far from John Conley's area, so he could lend any info he could find out about it .  Maybe even play it once it opens and add it to his decile listing.

There's a big article on aging LPGA tour players and what they do once their games diminish here, which is where I got this info on Stephenson: http://www.golfdigest.com/features/index.ssf?/features/gd200201lpga.html

There are very limited opportunities for aging LPGA tour vets compared to the men.  Golf course architecture is very tough to get into as a woman.  What other (non-tour) women have designed golf courses?

Included in the article is info that Amy Alcott is a member of Riviera and Bel-Air and plays with several of the celebs who are members including competitive matches with low-handicappers like Jack Wagner.  Do Lynn and Geoff Shackleford know Amy Alcott?

[John_Conley]

Scott:

I will reply in full when I have more time.  The course is NOT in Titusville, but marketing MIMS, FL wouldn't be as easy - not that anything in Brevard would be easy to market.

I have walked the front (several months ago) and tried to see the back in December.  The Supe shot me down since they were going home.  It was nearly dark.

The course was designed by Perry Dye.  Go to his website and you'll see them claim credit.  They finished their part and have not been involved at all for a year or two.

Lisa Antonucci wrote about this for Golfweek over two years ago and Jay Golden wrote about it for a local rag in December 2000.  My friend Nick asked me about an offer to buy RE there almost THREE years ago.  The marketing machine has been hard at work!

My guess?  There will be next to ZERO interest in the project.  I used to live there and don't think the answer for an economically depressed area where houses and golf are both distressed is an upscale project.  The course did look good, however.  I wrote up what I saw this summer, but those threads have been lost.

Probably a 3rd or 4th deciler.  I only saw the front.  The back was being grassed.

I can't wait to read this article.  The others are so rosy it makes me laugh.  I've heard nothing but tales of financial trouble at Walkabout and they haven't even opened yet.  LOL.  The LPGA project has floundered about 35 miles N and that's in Daytona.  Daytona ain't Mims.

[Scott_Burroughs]

So then would you say she was more of a consultant?  Possibly trying to learn the ropes via the celebrity name/crash-course apprenticeship thing.

[Craig Van Egmond]

Patty Sheehan has supposedly consulted on several courses in the west, one of them being the Dragon course outside Graeagle.  I believe Gib absolutely loved the course.  

[Lynn Shackelford]

Scott,
No friendly golfer in Southern California than Amy Alcott.  The only times she visits Riviera is to practice on the range, that is seldom now that Bel Air has a practic range, and to walk her dog in Summer evenings down by the 6 hole.  She must have a key to the south gate.  She talks to all members and they all feel like they are her friend.  She spends most of her time at Bel Air.  Good money games there.

[Tyler Kearns]

Nancy Lopez has also gotten into the act, I believe as a consultant. I think I saw it on "profiles of a pro" on TGC. No mention was made of the architect involved. The layout in a 27-hole course (can't remember where), with each nine named in honour of a specific period in Lopez's career.