Gil Hanse's The Park Course Profile (+ Lit 9!)

[Andrew Harvie]

Florida golf is unquestionably booming, but for most, the private clubs are out of reach. Places like Sandglass, McArthur, The Ranch, Apogee, Kinsdale, High Grove, and Two Rivers are all either under construction and set to open before the end of the decade, or have recently opened, but all have expensive initiation fees or a very limited amount of members (most likely, both). Granted, places like Cabot Citrus Farms, David McLay Kidd's addition to Streamsong, and Old Shores are public offerings, but are tailored to visitors more than the local community.


The Park is not that. Gil Hanse & Jim Wagner's overhaul of Dick Wilson's once-prized municipal golf course near Palm Beach International Airport opened in 2023, and I've become more and more smitten with the golf course as time has passed, so I wrote about it:


The Park, West Palm Course Profile


Aside from discussing the actual golf course, I'd be interested to hear some thoughts on the "Mega Muni" model, where $56,000,000 of private money funded the transformation. In their defence, that is pretty significant infrastructure upgrades and included a short course, Top Tracer range, the clubhouse, etc... but if that's what it costs to save a municipal golf course from closing in an area as busy as South Florida, have we lost the plot? Or, perhaps private funding into a public offering is a happy marriage between the two—I have no doubt West Palm Beach Golf Course could have been saved without the $56,000,000 in a post-COVID world, but I doubt we'd be talking about it as much as we are. I'm conflicted on the precedent The Park has set in that regard, but it is hard to argue with the final product's success, enjoyment, and centrepiece of the golf community with rates for locals and in-state residents. A true win for the residents who live close.


What are your thoughts?

Edit Jan 2:


I've added a separate profile for The Lit 9, a fun little nine hole par 3 course near the practice centre. It's not a Bandon Preserve or Cliffs at Olympic, but it's a blast and I'm envious of anyone who gets to introduce their younger relatives to golf on this charming short course!


The Park, West Palm (Lit 9) Course Profile

[Ronald Montesano]

Buffalo is an interesting city, that could benefit from such a private/public partnership. It has three municipal courses within city limits. Two of them are nine-hole courses. One is an 18-hole course. Here's how they break down, and my vision for them.


Cazenovia Park
Rumor has it that Seymour Dunn laid out the nine at Caz. I don't doubt it, as it is the best of the three Buffalo munis. Some of the greens are terribly flat, and could use some undulation. The bunker scheme needs to be restored, as doubtless many were removed over the decades. Caz is where the finest in SoBu learn the game, although the fam at SoPa would certainly disagree.


Delaware Park
The land with potential. 16 holes of the course are contained within Meadow Drive (aka Ring Loop). The other two holes (two short par 3 holes) fit between the road and the lodge (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Delaware+Park+Golf+Course/@42.9327933,-78.8553262,602m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x89d36d4d5053b1b7:0x8e711e9882f06425!8m2!3d42.9327894!4d-78.8527513!16s%2Fg%2F1tgk1mjg?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTIxMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D)


I'd love to see a top-shelf architect come in and turn the two par threes into a short game facility/learning center, and rebuild the 16 holes into 12-14 great holes. There are some ancient trees in the golf course environs, alongside a burial ground for soldiers from the War of 1812. It is a sensitive piece of land, but in the hands of the great architects (I could list 20 that I trust) it would summon a tremendous sequence of loops. What about five, three-hole loops, all of which return more or less proximate to each other?




South Park-9 Holes
Never meant to be a golf course. Always meant to be an outdoor arboretum, with the Botanical Gardens adjacent. In the 2010s, Nicklaus almost came in and built a new nine a mile away (https://buffalogolfer.com/wordpress/gaughans-olmsted-project-takes-ownership-of-south-buffalo-land/) Truthfully, I don't know what to do with South Park, but the membership loves it.

[Mike Worth]

The Park is well maintained for a public track. I’m privileged to get to play it several times a year as I’ve mentioned I have a home in Palm Beach County in addition to one in the Northeast




The turf remains firm and fast. That’s a big deal for me as I am losing distance as I get older - especially with my Driver (I’ll be 62 at the end of the month). Firm and fast definitely helps me with distance

[MCirba]

For those in the know, how much of The Park retained any the original routing and/or hole corridors as West Palm Beach GC which i played probably 20 years ago and enjoyed.


I have similar questions about the two courses at the original World Woods. 


As far as Andrew's questions about costs, it's a good one but I can tell you the costs of our project have escalated well beyond what we ever imagined but the private funding on public properties model works and is critical to moving golf back to our large population centers.

[Cliff Hamm]

Played The Park about a week ago.  $180 as instate.  Compared with Streamsong, Cabot Citrus, etc a relative bargain.  Ultra wide fairways with very difficult, undulating greens.  Great fun, but bring your best short game.

[Andrew Harvie]

For those in the know, how much of The Park retained any the original routing and/or hole corridors as West Palm Beach GC which i played probably 20 years ago and enjoyed.


I have similar questions about the two courses at the original World Woods. 


As far as Andrew's questions about costs, it's a good one but I can tell you the costs of our project have escalated well beyond what we ever imagined but the private funding on public properties model works and is critical to moving golf back to our large population centers.

In the course profile, second image down, is an image overlap of the 2018 and 2023 aerials, that should give you a decent idea of the before & after. As for World Woods, most of the original playing corridors of both courses are the same, except 2, 3, 16, 17 at Pine Barrens that was reversed, and the 12th-15th at Rolling Oaks, which was also flipped. Other than the corridors, it's best to think of them as entirely new golf courses. At Pine Barrens, the 4th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 15th are essentially the same holes (more or less), except with Franz greens and a bit more width.


I imagine Ran will write about Roost given his involvement in the golf course some point this year.

[MCirba]

Thanks, Andrew, that's very helpful.


I played all three in their original iterations.  Looking forward to getting back and seeing the updated versions.


So many courses...so little time but retirement is on the horizon sometime in the nexr 18 months.    


p.s.  I should have read your profile before asking questions you've already answered but it's been a busy few weeks.

[Jeff Tang]

For those in the know, how much of The Park retained any the original routing and/or hole corridors as West Palm Beach GC which i played probably 20 years ago and enjoyed.


I have similar questions about the two courses at the original World Woods. 


As far as Andrew's questions about costs, it's a good one but I can tell you the costs of our project have escalated well beyond what we ever imagined but the private funding on public properties model works and is critical to moving golf back to our large population centers.

Great profile!  I’ve been fortunate to play The Park probably 6-7 times, and the more I play it the more I like it. 


Regarding the playing corridors, The Park is a brand new course with 18 new holes.  There are a few corridors that are the same as used on the prior version, but the holes go in the opposite direction.  For example, number 2 on the prior version and number 9 on The Park largely occupy the same land, I believe, but the holes, while both par 5’s, go in exactly opposite directions.  The same is true on the old number 7, a par 3, and the 11th on The Park, both par 3’s but the holes go in the opposite direction. 


By the way, the image overlap tool with the slider in the profile is really cool and a great way to compare the earlier and present layouts.

[Tim Gavrich]

The Park is likely the best publicly accessible course in South Florida. Great variety of holes, walkable property, firm and fast, cool short course, great practice facilities (though it took a while to build the driving range nets high enough), lots of fun pro shop merch. Hanse & Wagner did a fine job. The par 5s are excellent, and 10 is a great par 4 right before the much-photographed par-3 11th.


It's just that it's a publicly owned CCFAD course, far more than a muni. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, but I think there's been some haziness over that point in the positioning of The Park within the greater golf landscape.


Thinking about The Park's $56 million reported project cost vs. the ~$10 million for Keney Park in Hartford a few years ago, or ~$3 million for Charleston Muni, I know which projects I would want to be seen as the real exemplars of municipal golf reinvention/reinvigoration.

[Peter Sayegh]

Played The Park about a week ago.  $180 as instate.

$180 is the instate "discount?" Ouch.
The website touts the affordability and introductory aspect of the endeavor. Anyone know what a resident sixteen/20/70 year old would pay for a round?
The website doesn't allow me to check that out.
As an out of state resident, I can play tomorrow for $240?!

If that's what a renovated/re-invigorated "mega muni" model course is charging, bulldoze the place.

I think there's been some haziness over that point in the positioning of The Park within the greater golf landscape.


Thinking about The Park's $56 million reported project cost vs. the ~$10 million for Keney Park in Hartford a few years ago, or ~$3 million for Charleston Muni, I know which projects I would want to be seen as the real exemplars of municipal golf reinvention/reinvigoration.

Never been to Keney Park.

Charleston Muni is a great example when plans/outcomes go well.

[Tom_Doak]

Sometimes I wonder if the huge price tag for these projects is some sort of self-congratulations for the donors . . . look how much we gave!, as opposed to trying to keep to a budget?


Or, whether touting such high numbers is actually meant to deter potential competitors?



But, Sandglass cost a not-small fortune, and my biggest clients say the budgets for our next course(s) are about double what similar projects cost five years ago.*  So they weren't going to build The Park for $10m, and probably not any other muni project now, either.


* Did my design fee double?  No, they are still paying what we signed up for three years ago.  I guess I should do something about that.

[Tim Martin]

The Park is likely the best publicly accessible course in South Florida. Great variety of holes, walkable property, firm and fast, cool short course, great practice facilities (though it took a while to build the driving range nets high enough), lots of fun pro shop merch. Hanse & Wagner did a fine job. The par 5s are excellent, and 10 is a great par 4 right before the much-photographed par-3 11th.


It's just that it's a publicly owned CCFAD course, far more than a muni. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, but I think there's been some haziness over that point in the positioning of The Park within the greater golf landscape.


Thinking about The Park's $56 million reported project cost vs. the ~$10 million for Keney Park in Hartford a few years ago, or ~$3 million for Charleston Muni, I know which projects I would want to be seen as the real exemplars of municipal golf reinvention/reinvigoration.

Everything about the project sounds like a winner with the exception of the price to play. If it was all private money that funded this municipal project why hit players over the head with that sort of greens fee?

[Cliff Hamm]

Played The Park about a week ago.  $180 as instate.

$180 is the instate "discount?" Ouch.
The website touts the affordability and introductory aspect of the endeavor. Anyone know what a resident sixteen/20/70 year old would pay for a round?
The website doesn't allow me to check that out.
As an out of state resident, I can play tomorrow for $240?!

If that's what a renovated/re-invigorated "mega muni" model course is charging, bulldoze the place.





Yes, The Park is technically a muni.  But the comparison is more with Streamsong, Cabot Citrus, etc.  Cabot charges $395…Streamsong $320.  Again The Park is a relative bargain given the escalation of greens fees at high level courses.

[Tim Martin]

Played The Park about a week ago.  $180 as instate.

$180 is the instate "discount?" Ouch.
The website touts the affordability and introductory aspect of the endeavor. Anyone know what a resident sixteen/20/70 year old would pay for a round?
The website doesn't allow me to check that out.
As an out of state resident, I can play tomorrow for $240?!

If that's what a renovated/re-invigorated "mega muni" model course is charging, bulldoze the place.

I think there's been some haziness over that point in the positioning of The Park within the greater golf landscape.


Thinking about The Park's $56 million reported project cost vs. the ~$10 million for Keney Park in Hartford a few years ago, or ~$3 million for Charleston Muni, I know which projects I would want to be seen as the real exemplars of municipal golf reinvention/reinvigoration.

Never been to Keney Park.

Charleston Muni is a great example when plans/outcomes go well.

Peter-I don’t know where you are located but if you find yourself in or around Hartford shoot me a note and we can play Keney Park.

[archie_struthers]

 


Tim , great point !  If it's private money , and they don't have a stake or return, why the price points?




Mike Cirba might have some insight into this vis a vis  Cobbs Creek and if they have talked about the pricing when it comes online. The price tags to do the projects seems pretty close. I've visited the "Park" and it's pretty cool , but at $250 a rattle its an occasional visit at best.

[Thomas Dai]

$56,000,000. No disrespect intended by am I reading this correctly?
$56m for work on a piece of property you presumably already own.
Just curious.
Atb

[archie_struthers]

 


Pretty good racket if you can get a piece. My guess is that the infrastructure with the county must have been a fortune , wonder who did the work?  Now this is where it can get a little sticky , so I'm going to leave it at that.

[Mike Worth]

Tim , great point !  If it's private money , and they don't have a stake or return, why the price points?

Archie - being a part yr resident of Palm Beach County and playing The Park frequently- my take on the different price points is as follows:


There is a tier of membership for Founders - I presume these were the original donors from Seminole and others.  These players get the best teetimes, typically play early in the morning when caddies are required.  i’ve always felt this membership level essentially functions as a private club


The next group is the First Tee and local less economically well off Junior players — I don’t have numbers, but there’s a dedicated staff for this at The Park and it’s my understanding there are quite a few players (again I don’t have precise numbers could be over 100 with a big focus on instruction).


That leaves the third category as the general public of which I am a member – – we get whatever is left after the first two categories. I’ve always sensed the green fee is kept high to keep lower caliber players from playing. For example, my neighbors in Florida feel they’re not welcome there because of the price point, which I tell them they are incorrect about


The other thing is the prices you see quoted are winter rates. I have played there for as little as $120 in April and May.  I think I paid a similar amount when I played in September. So Price is seen in this thread reflects some seasonality


There’s a separate tier of access — residents of West Palm have a much lower rate. This rate cannot be booked on the Internet and is not visible - one has to call the pro shop because staff will check to make sure you’re an actual resident of West Palm, which they do not necessarily do for the Florida resident rate.  At one point, the West Palm rate, (which staff told me is set by the mayor) was $60. A quirk in the system is if you are a resident of the Ibis golf community, you actually have a West Palm address and can get the reduced rate


For comparison within Palm Beach County public options, Abacoa in Jupiter is a fine Joe Lee course at $185 peak season.  And North Palm Municipal, Which I describe as the only Raynor/Nicklaus/Nicklaus in the world is $170 peak season

[Charlie Goerges]

I’ve always sensed the green fee is kept high to keep lower caliber players from playing.

I'm curious about this statement. First, is lower caliber meant to describe less-skilled players? And second (if so), why would a high price only keep out less-skilled players?

[Mike Worth]

I’ve always sensed the green fee is kept high to keep lower caliber players from playing.

I'm curious about this statement. First, is lower caliber meant to describe less-skilled players? And second (if so), why would a high price only keep out less-skilled players?

All I can say is it’s a feeling I’ve had. I’m sure I’ll disappoint in that I’m not going to give a Zapruder film-like frame by frame discussion of why I feel that way, but the pricing comes across as slightly exclusionary.  I will admit to having used the phrase “keeps the riffraff out“ in private conversations.


I don’t know why folks just don’t accept the pricing for what it is if you live in the community, you kind of get it. Compared to other public facilities in the county that are not not quite of the same caliber, the pricing is eminently fair


I would also point out I am not an insider and do not have inside knowledge. What I posted are my reflections and observations as a resident.  I could be wrong. Lol.



An anecdote - The neighbor who told me the pricing at The Park was a signal they didn’t want general public players also said he would never play Abacoa at $185 in season. It’s a matter of perception. 

[archie_struthers]

 


Wondering what the first tier buy in was?  If it was $100k or less quite the deal for a lifetime membership in Palm Beach , particular with all the amenities this place provides. At the end of the day given the locals can play for $60 might be quite a nice deal for all. I played and practiced a long time ago at the old facility , and liked it but this is certainly a huge upgrade.

[Mike Worth]

At the end of the day given the locals can play for $60 might be quite a nice deal for all.

Archie, well said – – “a nice deal for all.“


that sums it up very well


to those who think that $180 might seem exclusionary consider that people don’t come to South Florida as a Golf destination (as opposed to Pinehurst or Pebble Beach or Sawgrass). golf is something people do WHILE they’re in South Florida it’s not why they visited.

[Charlie Goerges]

I’ve always sensed the green fee is kept high to keep lower caliber players from playing.

I'm curious about this statement. First, is lower caliber meant to describe less-skilled players? And second (if so), why would a high price only keep out less-skilled players?

All I can say is it’s a feeling I’ve had. I’m sure I’ll disappoint in that I’m not going to give a Zapruder film-like frame by frame discussion of why I feel that way, but the pricing comes across as slightly exclusionary.  I will admit to having used the phrase “keeps the riffraff out“ in private conversations.


I don’t know why folks just don’t accept the pricing for what it is if you live in the community, you kind of get it. Compared to other public facilities in the county that are not not quite of the same caliber, the pricing is eminently fair


I would also point out I am not an insider and do not have inside knowledge. What I posted are my reflections and observations as a resident.  I could be wrong. Lol.



An anecdote - The neighbor who told me the pricing at The Park was a signal they didn’t want general public players also said he would never play Abacoa at $185 in season. It’s a matter of perception.

Fair enough, I wasn't trying to put you on the spot. And I've used the phrase keep the riffraff out as well, though most recently in relation to rough conditions keeping the less hardy golfers away!

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

It's so difficult to imagine how you could spend $56,000,000 on a golf course and some buildings. While I appreciate all the positive things that the game of golf brings, I just can't help thinking this money could have been better spent, but that's a discussion for another day.


Perhaps it would have been more impactful to divide the money raised into 10 smaller golf projects that could benefit less well off areas and introduce a whole bunch of children to a game that they would not ordinarily be able to access. I understand it's difficult to put a price on things, but this wasn't a UNESCO site or an old listed building, it's was just a golf course.


I'd love to see a cost breakdown of that $56-m.

[Tom_Doak]

I'd love to see a cost breakdown of that $56-m.

Perhaps it's a matter of public record, since it's a municipal project?


Or perhaps the donors managed to keep it sealed.