Bobby Weed debuts innovative routing and design attributes
- JOHNS, Fla. (August 22, 2022) – Bobby Weed Golf Design (“BWGD”) and the Northeast Florida division of Lennar Corporation announce the grand opening of Stillwater Golf and Country Club, the first new 18-hole layout in North Florida in 20 years. The golf course debuts as the hallmark of Lennar’s active adult gated community in St. Johns County.
“This incredible Bobby Weed-designed course sets Stillwater apart from any other active adult community in the region,” said Matt Figlesthaler, vice president of sales and marketing for Lennar Jacksonville. “With bundled golf club memberships, beautifully-designed new homes, world-class amenities and weekly events, residents at Stillwater will experience the ultimate active lifestyle at a tremendous value.”
Within Stillwater’s 18-hole routing, BWGD has creatively designed “loops” of three, six, nine and twelve holes that start and finish near the clubhouse. Members are given the freedom to play as their time allows.
Stillwater was designed with a keen eye towards environmental stewardship. With only 70 acres of irrigated turf (148 total acres), the following attributes are exemplified throughout the golf course:
- Up to 25 million gallons of water to be saved annually from non-irrigated areas
- TifTuf bermudagrass fairways, tees and approaches use 38% less water than similar varieties
- No rough; all fairways are efficiently mowed using a single height of cut
- Non-irrigated centipedegrass native areas offer contrasting swaths of texture and color
- 18 acres of shell screenings replace cart paths, reduce maintenance and deliver visual contrast
Bunker maintenance has become an intense labor and financial commitment for clubs. To counter, BWGD has installed sod wall EcoBunkers. Unique to North Florida, layers of artificial sod at stacked at 55 to 60-degree angles to fortify the bunker edges and create the visual appeal of Scottish-style pot bunkers. These fortified bunkers yield a striking aesthetic, are environmentally sustainable and aid the club’s bottom line.
Also distinct to Florida’s First Coast, elegant lay-down walls are used in lieu of traditional vertical bulkheads. Planks of treated timber are seamlessly tied together, then stylishly angled from the water to the playing surface. Stillwater’s inspiration came from Weed and Pete Dye’s similarly styled walls at Long Cove Club.
Stillwater’s 16-acre practice facility will be a rain or shine, year-round destination. The lighted driving range has covered hitting bays equipped with Toptracer Range. Players of all skill levels can receive instant feedback on their swing and distance data.
The practice facility also includes three putting and chipping greens, highlighted by a 16,041-square-foot Himalayan-style putting course. Designed with moderate slopes, swales, plateaus and terraces, the free-range green provides great excitement during putting contests and practice.
“Stillwater delivers terrific shot values with ample playing areas that encourage the old-style game of low, running approach shots,” said golf course architect and long-time area resident, Bobby Weed. “It is incumbent upon us as architects to be good stewards of the environment, while simultaneously designing courses that create interest, flexibility and fun. We accomplished these goals at Stillwater.”
Additional Stillwater community amenities available only to residents will include a clubhouse with an on-site restaurant and pro shop, resort-style swimming pool, fitness center, pickleball and tennis courts.
About Bobby Weed Golf Design
Bobby Weed Golf Design (BWGD) possesses some of the most innovative minds in golf. Bobby Weed has designed over 50 new courses and comprehensive renovations spanning from the “golden age” of design to the “modern era.” His work features a balance of visual appeal, sustainability and playability, all informed by an environmentally-sensitive aesthetic and an exceptional hands-on approach.
His professional career began in the 1970s with an extended apprenticeship under Pete Dye, sparking a 40-year friendship with Mr. Dye. Hired in 1983 as the Golf Course Superintendent at TPC Sawgrass, Weed went on to become the PGA TOUR’s first in-house golf course architect. He was responsible for many of today’s best known TPC venues, which continue as host sites for prominent professional events. In 1994, Weed’s career reached new heights with the formation of his own design firm. Both his original and renovated courses are consistently ranked at the top of their respective design categories.
BWGD is also a leader in golf course repurposing – a means to update layouts through the redesign and reallocation of partial acreage for higher value land uses – which results in successful and durable designs.
Weed is a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects. He is also a 40-plus year member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, was a former Certified Golf Course Superintendent and is a member of the Florida Turfgrass Association.
About Lennar Corporation
Lennar Corporation, founded in 1954, is one of the nation’s largest builders of quality homes for all generations. The Company builds affordable, move-up, and active adult homes primarily under the Lennar brand name. Lennar’s Financial Services segment provides mortgage financing, title insurance, and closing services for both buyers of the Company’s homes and others. Lennar’s Multifamily segment is a nationwide developer of high-quality multifamily rental properties.
