Naples, Fla. (January 9, 2018) – Tiburón Golf Club at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples’ Black Course reopened last month to rave reviews by members and guests after a seven-month “remastering” project. The project was led by the Greg Norman Golf Course Design team and Tiburón Golf Club’s Director of Agronomy Jeff Cathey. The Greg Norman-designed Black Course originally opened for play in 2001.
During the seven-month project, Tiburón’s Black Course underwent extensive greens, turf, irrigation and bunker renovations. Green surrounds and approaches were reconfigured to create more strategic shot options for players and were also re-grassed with Celebration Bermuda grass. Greens are now Tiff Eagle Bermuda. In addition to the renovation work, Tiburón Golf Club and all of Southwest Florida, endured 142 mph winds during Hurricane Irma, the most powerful storm ever to hit the region, in early September. Damage from the powerful storm delayed the reopening of the Black Course by only a few days.
As part of the remastering project, Family Tees were added, giving members and guests with children another option to play the course at approximately 4,000 yards. With the addition of the Family Tees, golfers now have six tee options to choose from when playing the Black Course – from 4,000 yards from the Family Tees to 6,949 yards from the Championship Tees.
“We are thrilled with newly remastered Black Course at Tiburón,” said Kevin DeDonato, PGA, general manager, Tiburón Golf Club at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples. “Hats off to the Greg Norman Design Team, Jeff Cathey and the construction crews for a job well done. They were tested by Mother Nature with Hurricane Irma and persevered. The result of their efforts is a spectacular layout with outstanding playing conditions.”
Tiburón Golf Club’s Gold Course underwent a similar remastering project in 2016 that was also led by the Greg Norman Golf Course Design team. During the Gold Course remastering, crews reconstructed many of the original stacked sod wall bunkers with a striking new synthetic sod wall bunker system by Durabunker. Tiburón is the first LPGA and PGA TOUR venue to use the new Durabunker product. Durabunkers will not be used on the new Black Course; instead bunker faces will be lowered with a more gradual pitch, creating a distinct look between the two courses.
Tiburón, which is Spanish for shark, is home to the LPGA Tour’s CME Group Tour Championship and the PGA TOUR’s QBE Shootout. The CME Group Tour Championship has been hosted at Tiburón since 2013 and the Shootout has been played at Tiburón since 2001.
About Tiburón Golf Club
Tiburón Golf Club features two, Greg Norman-designed 18-hole golf courses – the Gold and the Black. The 295-room Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples sits adjacent to the two award-winning courses, while the 450-room Ritz-Carlton Beach Resort is just a few miles away. Both luxury properties are owned by Host Hotels & Resorts and guests at these properties enjoy preferred access to Tiburón Golf Club. The semi-private club has 260 golf members and is home to the Impact Zone Golf Academy which features private lessons, multi-day golf schools and junior camps. In addition, Tiburón’s 27,000-square foot Mediterranean-style clubhouse features three dining rooms, private member locker rooms and lounge areas, as well as an award-winning golf shop.
Tiburón is consistently rated among the top 20 golf facilities in Florida by Golf Digest and GOLF Magazine. The property has been designated as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary by Audubon International and strives to protect and enhance its natural surroundings. For more information on Tiburón Golf Club, visit www.tiburongcnaples.com or call (239) 593-2200.
About Troon
Tiburón Golf Club is professionally managed by Troon. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf management company, with more than 270 golf courses in its portfolio. Troon also specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s award-winning food and beverage division operates and manages more than 150 restaurants located at golf resorts, private clubs, daily fee golf courses and recreational facilities around the world. The company oversees operations at Troon Golf, Honours Golf, Troon Privé (the private club operating division of Troon) and Troon International with properties located in 35 states and 33 countries. Additionally, there are 57 Troon affiliated properties featuring 79 courses that have been recipients of a “Top 100” ranking by national and international publications. Troon properties include Lake of Isles Golf Club in North Stonington, Connecticut; Kapalua on Maui, Hawaii; The Centurion Club in London, England; Tiburón Golf Club at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples in Florida; Els Club Desaru Coast in Malaysia; and Palmilla Golf Club in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com.
Contact:
Rob Myers
Troon
480.477.0506
rmyers@troon.com
