PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (January 29, 2017) – Bobby Weed Golf Design (www.bobbyweed.com), commissioned to execute a renovation of the bunkers at the Slammer & Squire golf course at the World Golf Village, in St. Augustine, Fla., has completed the project with all the desired objectives. The 18-hole, par-72 championship resort course, which opened in 1998, was designed by Weed with the consultation of golf legends Sam Snead and Gene Sarazen, for whom the layout was named.
“It was a great pleasure to be back working at the Slammer and Squire, nearly twenty years after its opening,” Weed said.
Weed’s goal in overseeing the bunker renovation at the Slammer & Squire was to enhance playability and aesthetics while easing maintenance requirements. Addressing the spiraling cost of bunker construction and maintenance has become an issue to which Weed is very sensitive. Bunker size reduction where applicable resulted in increased visibility and a more welcoming playing experience as well.
The course is known for its low-profile design, which showcases the unspoiled wetlands and wooded areas in which it is situated.
“The Slammer and Squire is one of the best playing golf courses in Florida,” said World Golf Hall of Fame member Lee Trevino in an interview during a Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf match with Gary Player at the Slammer & Squire.
The six-week project was carried out by contractor MacCurrach Golf. Weed’s oversight also resulted in significant savings and a reduction in the overall budget – ultimately allowing for extras to be added to the project, thus enhancing its success even more. The non-bunker-related additions contributed to the final product and allowed a number of areas of the golf course to be rehabilitated that were not originally considered, including additional cart-path work, extra sod work on several holes, tree and brush removal, and cart-path edge regrading.
Weed and his team ensured that nine holes on the golf course remained open for play at all times during the bunker renovation project.
“I appreciate Bobby Weed’s support, dedication and outstanding work in overseeing this project,” said Bob Barrett, CEO of Honours Golf, which manages the world-famous facility. “He took one of his great designs from the late 90s and made it more player and maintenance friendly while improving its aesthetic beauty.” Honours Golf, which manages a collection of resort and private facilities mostly in the southeastern U.S., is a division of Troon Golf.
About Bobby Weed Golf Design
Acclaimed golf course designer Bobby Weed specializes in design, renovation and repurposing. His work features a balance of visual appeal, sustainability and playability, all informed by an environmentally-sensitive aesthetic and an exceptional hands-on, holistic approach. Bobby Weed Golf Design is a leader in golf course repurposing – a means to update layouts through redesign and reallocation of partial acreage for higher value land uses. Repurposing helps clubs and communities preserve golf while surmounting economic and other challenges. Weed’s skill, vision and business acumen coalesce to result in successful, refined and durable golf course design.
Weed began his professional career with an extended apprenticeship with Pete Dye, launching a collaboration of over 35 years’ duration and a lifelong friendship. Hired in 1983 by the PGA Tour, Weed was the Tour’s in-house designer from 1987-1996. He was responsible for the design of many of today’s best-known TPC venues, which continue as host sites for prominent Tour events.
Weed also was able to collaborate with many of golf’s most familiar names, including Sam Snead, Gene Sarazen, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Raymond Floyd, Jerry Pate and Chi Chi Rodriguez – a rare cross-section of experience.
In 1994, Weed’s career reached an apex with the formation of his own design firm, where he continues to “handcraft” golf courses. Today, Bobby Weed Golf Design has amassed an impressive list of new and renovated courses that consistently are ranked at the top of their respective categories, including The Olde Farm Golf Club, Spanish Oaks Golf Club, The Golf Course at Glen Mills, Medalist Golf Club and Timuquana Country Club.
Bobby Weed is a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, the Historical Committee of the Donald Ross Society, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and the Florida Turfgrass Association.
Weed also is the co-founder and a Board Member of HEAL! (Healing Every Autistic Life). The HEAL Foundation is a local non-profit organization, based in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., serving individuals and families living with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The Foundation serves as an outreach organization providing educational programs and camps tailored to the needs of the local Autism Community.
For more information on Bobby Weed Golf Design, see www.bobbyweed.com.
Contact:
Sally J. Sportsman
407-248-1144
sjsport@earthlink.net
