HighGrove GC in Venus, FL designed by Gil Hanse

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Construction of a new course by Hanse Golf Design for the 150-member High Grove club in Venus, Florida, is scheduled to begin in December 2024.
The private club, which will have a limit of 150 members, is the vision of co-founders Ryan Hanks, Colin Sheehan and Bert Guy. The project includes an 18-hole course, a par-three layout, practice facility, clubhouse and 48 cabins, all on a 1,200-acre site at the southern end of the 100-mile-long Lake Wales Ridge.
“This was always going to be a special-occasion, destination club where we anticipate members and their guests coming for one- and two-night stays,” said Sheehan.
Read much more:
 https://www.golfcoursearchitecture.net/content/hanse-course-for-new-high-grove-club-in-florida-to-enter-construction-in-2024

[Steve_Roths]

Looks solid based on the routing.

[Keith Phillips]

That's great.  Congrats to Colin and team.  I live in Jupiter and am amazed by all the quality golf development occurring in Florida, as well as all the exciting 'national clubs' being built across the country.  A new golden age!

[Ian Mackenzie]

That's great.  Congrats to Colin and team.  I live in Jupiter and am amazed by all the quality golf development occurring in Florida, as well as all the exciting 'national clubs' being built across the country.  A new golden age!

"Golden" may be the right term as it will take a sack of gold bullion to get into any of these places.


Rumors are that this course (and others) start at $500K and get close to $1M for the downstroke.
The demand and the availability of capital are still there...for now....;-)


New Golden Age?


Maybe "Gilded Age" is a better term...;-)

[Keith Williams]

I have driven through this area and near the site a number of times.


To say that there is some really, really good land there is an understatement.  Nothing else around, but definitely some very beautiful golf land.

[Tommy Williamsen]

150 members and 48 cabins? I realize they are for guest play, but how busy do they expect to be?

[Don Mahaffey]

Reading the press release left me with two thoughts:
1) why all the sales talk about how great it's going to be when it will be so private with only 150 members? Definitely a different approach than many of the other new small membership courses being built that take much more of an under the radar approach.
2) In Florida to get permits to build a new project like this you must design to hold all your storm water except for that from large rain events, and the minor events in FL tend to be pretty large by non-FL standards. All those lakes you see in Florida aren't there because architects love water holes as most modern designers would prefer to have no water. it's not an easy endeavor to build a new course in florida under current laws and have no "artificial ponds".

[Kyle Harris]

Reading the press release left me with two thoughts:
1) why all the sales talk about how great it's going to be when it will be so private with only 150 members? Definitely a different approach than many of the other new small membership courses being built that take much more of an under the radar approach.
2) In Florida to get permits to build a new project like this you must design to hold all your storm water except for that from large rain events, and the minor events in FL tend to be pretty large by non-FL standards. All those lakes you see in Florida aren't there because architects love water holes as most modern designers would prefer to have no water. it's not an easy endeavor to build a new course in florida under current laws and have no "artificial ponds".

.

[Steve_Roths]

That's great.  Congrats to Colin and team.  I live in Jupiter and am amazed by all the quality golf development occurring in Florida, as well as all the exciting 'national clubs' being built across the country.  A new golden age!

"Golden" may be the right term as it will take a sack of gold bullion to get into any of these places.


Rumors are that this course (and others) start at $500K and get close to $1M for the downstroke.
The demand and the availability of capital are still there...for now....;-)


New Golden Age?


Maybe "Gilded Age" is a better term...;-)

Is Childress in that range?

[Colin Sheehan]

Steve, Keith and Keith, Thank you for the encouragement.

[Colin Sheehan]

Don, This project has been under-the-radar for 27 months already.

[Colin Sheehan]

So I have been on gca since 2000, and I am not interested in ever using it for any promotion. I prefer to use this forum to discuss, for example, the original mowing lines of Biarritz greens or which holes at the Oheka Castle are original to which I'm always grateful to see Bret Lawrence post some images from his research.

I will say I am very proud to help get this project off the ground. It has ambitious expectations because of the terrain and we promise to be a gracious host to male and female junior and college-age amateur players, as well as men's and women's college teams touring the state on their spring breaks trips.

I would like to share this amusing slideshow of Florida citrus postcards. I hope it brings a smile to your face.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/JcX6Z1K3ATLo2Gas5

And here's a fun 80-second video of drone footage from last June set to music of the Allman Brothers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnKwrPk6j9k

[Jeff Schley]

Kudos Colin for being a part of the team, more interesting golf courses are a good thing I'm sure we can all agree here.  Somebody has to pay for the construction and build out, so it won't be cheap and charging what many here can't afford shouldn't make the project a target. 

Question Colin, is the course planning to be closed in the summer months?

[Dan_Callahan]

In the article, it states "Once the clubhouse was assigned a central position, Hanse and Wagner began creating a routing that would take advantage of the site’s ridge." Is that pretty typical, that you find the best location for the clubhouse first, and then the architect has to route around it? Is the architect every involved in this early part of the process, just to make sure the site for the clubhouse doesn't sit on the best land for golf? Or to make sure that the location won't have a domino effect that might cause awkwardness in the routing?

[Tim_Weiman]

In the article, it states "Once the clubhouse was assigned a central position, Hanse and Wagner began creating a routing that would take advantage of the site’s ridge." Is that pretty typical, that you find the best location for the clubhouse first, and then the architect has to route around it? Is the architect every involved in this early part of the process, just to make sure the site for the clubhouse doesn't sit on the best land for golf? Or to make sure that the location won't have a domino effect that might cause awkwardness in the routing?

Dan,


Good question. Feels like it could be a good topic for a thread.

[PCCraig]

Looks like a nice project.


Makes sense as it'll likely be a second quasi-destination club for the Naples, Tampa, etc. folks as a way to get away for a day or two and play a different course. Essentially a private Streamsong?

[Tim_Weiman]

So I have been on gca since 2000, and I am not interested in ever using it for any promotion. I prefer to use this forum to discuss which holes on the Oheka Castle Course are original to which I'm always grateful to get Bret Lawrence's perspective.

I wasn't planning on responding but seeing the hating sentiment I will say I am very proud to help get this project off the ground. It has ambitious expectations because of the terrain and we will be a gracious host to junior and college-am amateur players, as well as visiting college teams traveling on their spring breaks through the region.

I would like to share this amusing slideshow of Florida citrus postcards. I hope it brings a smile to your face.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/JcX6Z1K3ATLo2Gas5

And here's another silly video from footage from last June because I want to use it an opportunity to share the music of Duane Allman.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnKwrPk6j9k

Steve, Keith and Keith,
Thank you for the kind words.

Don,
This project has been under the radar for 27 months already.

Ian,
Did you really reply to this thread with "Rumors are..." without clicking on the link? Or is it that you can't read?

Colin,


I can understand any GCA participant being a little uncomfortable discussing a course where one has a connection. If you decide to post, all you can do is try to be as objective as possible.


Tim

[Ian Mackenzie]

So I have been on gca since 2000, and I am not interested in ever using it for any promotion. I prefer to use this forum to discuss which holes on the Oheka Castle Course are original to which I'm always grateful to get Bret Lawrence's perspective.

I wasn't planning on responding but seeing the hating sentiment I will say I am very proud to help get this project off the ground. It has ambitious expectations because of the terrain and we will be a gracious host to junior and college-am amateur players, as well as visiting college teams traveling on their spring breaks through the region.

I would like to share this amusing slideshow of Florida citrus postcards. I hope it brings a smile to your face.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/JcX6Z1K3ATLo2Gas5

And here's another silly video from footage from last June because I want to use it an opportunity to share the music of Duane Allman.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnKwrPk6j9k

Steve, Keith and Keith,
Thank you for the kind words.

Don,
This project has been under the radar for 27 months already.

Ian,
Did you really reply to this thread with "Rumors are..." without clicking on the link? Or is it that you can't read?

First, I'm sorry i did not take the time to read the enmtire article in addition to every post.


Second, I HEARD  from guys that have joined the Hanse course in Naples (set to open in October) that this course will have a similar cost structure. When one of the posters mentioned "Jupiter", I wrongly assumed this was yet another "$1M douche trap" like Apogee, etc. on the east coast.

Third, I see that equity STARTS at $200K. A mature adult would have provided a correction to, AGAIN, any RUMOR and offered clarification based on first-hand knowledge. Anything else with a project like this is, by nature, a rumor. You are uniquely qualified to provide clarifying info and I value that.

I see no "hating sentiment" here only excessive sensitivities.

[Michael Chadwick]

What I find architecturally notable for this project is that, while being in Florida, it seems to be a rare development where the land itself is a feature--and not a hindrance--for establishing the course. Don't get me wrong, I'm interested in what's achievable at Sandglass, Apogee, etc., but, as others frequently mention on other threads, I share that instinctual appeal to robust designs that incorporate what a site offers, rather than being one that oftentimes by necessity in FL overrides its natural state. Allowing the ridge to evoke drama in the routing will certainly be an interesting point of comparison to other "blank slate" builds by Hanse and other firms concurrently happening in the state.

[Kyle Casella]

The cavemen, with Colin's involvement, on a sandy site with good features located off a country road seemingly in the middle of "nowhere." Turned out pretty darn good last time!

[Colin Sheehan]

Jeff, PCCraig, Michael and Kyle,
Thank you for the optimism.

The club is planning to be closed for about 90 days during the summer.

As for the clubhouse and routing, it made sense to have the clubhouse somewhere relatively centrally-located and near the existing county road which has three-phase power. And we wanted to keep all the vertical infrastructure--and the loads of things that come with it--backed away (to the west) from the ridge so we could prioritize it for golf. Ryan Hanks was adamant that he didn't want anyone to see golf during the arrival process (or let golfers on the course see cars and deliveries arriving) so the first view of golf from someone arriving was only after walking through the clubhouse and getting to the back (east side) porch.

Tommy W,
Members are likely to plan the majority of their visits with three or more guests so that explains how we hope to fill the 48 rooms. And it is expected that nearly everyone who comes stays one or two nights. There will probably be some day-trippers from the coasts but that's likely to be one mid-day round. Or so we think.

Ian, perhaps I should not have made the parting dig...it was late at night and I've deleted it. But honestly, your latest post is embarrassing. Would you really use your term to describe Apogee to an Apogee member (or the people involved in the project) if you were talking to them in person?

[Kyle Casella]

The website is really good for something that is private. It includes a nice routing map and, perhaps even better, some detailed commentary on routing decisions. The confluence of 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 18 in a small area looks super fun and interesting. Will make for some great sunset loop options!


https://highgrovegolf.com/

[Tim_Weiman]

The website is really good for something that is private. It includes a nice routing map and, perhaps even better, some detailed commentary on routing decisions. The confluence of 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 18 in a small area looks super fun and interesting. Will make for some great sunset loop options!


https://highgrovegolf.com/

Kyle,


A small loop fairly close to the clubhouse can be a nice feature.


Pelham Country Cub (NY) has that with 1,2, 17 and 18. The only problem is Interstate 95 blocks view of play on #16 so you piss off groups playing the full course. So we always tried to move fast on #17.


Old Barnwell has what we call the “upper loop” 1-5 and 17,18 with a good view of 16 to avoid being rude.