Savannah, Georgia – Recognized as Savannah’s preeminent coastal golf club, The Landings Golf and Athletic Club was founded in 1974 as a 36-hole recreational centerpiece for a tightly knit community on the marsh-wrapped northern end of Skidaway Island. Four 18-hole golf courses have been added since then, including the Palmetto Course currently being renovated by Bill Bergin (ASGCA) and Duininck Golf (GCBAA).
The Palmetto Course was the club’s fourth, an original Arthur Hills design, considered by most to be the most difficult of all the courses. Packed with beauty and history, the course has been touched up several times over the years but needed something a bit more significant for today’s player and game.
Putting greens on the Palmetto Course were designed in an era when putting green construction technology and turfgrasses affording consistently uniform surfaces were in their infancy. With the goal of enhancing the player experience and providing championship-caliber surfaces, Bergin and Duininck Golf are collaborating to rebuild the Palmetto Course putting greens to elevate the player experience and provide championship-level putting surfaces expected by members and guests. Additionally, the bunkers will be rebuilt retrofitted to ensure enhanced water distribution and installed with Capillary Concrete.
Bill Bergin, recognized as a designer who understands the challenges a course should present to all skill levels has garnered praise for seeing features in the land others might miss, along with bringing the best elements of strategy, creativity, and playability to life in results that will play fair for all. “Immediately upon setting foot on the Palmetto Course at The Landings, Bergin Golf Designs team knew this course fit our renovation style perfectly. We also knew that partnering with Duininck Golf on this project would result in a finished golf course that exceeded the goals of the membership and staff.” Bergin says.
The Palmetto Course weaves through a maritime forest, with massive live oaks and expansive views across the marshes on a half dozen holes. There are plenty of environmental factors to account for when working on such a layout, but The Landings General Manager Steven Freund was confident Duininck Golf was the right team for the job. “We wanted a firm that took the time to understand our club and what we wanted to accomplish. Digging deep into a contractor’s resume reveals their DNA and values, and what we found in Duininck’s roots was a company we wanted to partner with long-term. We expect to do more work in the future with them and appreciate that, as a family-owned business, they put their name and reputation on the line with every job they do. We were confident they would produce a modern and exceptional spin to our vision.”
The vision of the club goes beyond the golf course. While golf may be The Landings most significant recreational amenity, the club also has Har Tru tennis, Pickleball, Bocce Ball, 9 dining venues, 5 pools, a 52,000 square foot wellness center and an assortment of other family-oriented recreational amenities. It would be easy to take any of these perks for granted, but Steven assures that club management doesn’t. “We are committed to proper maintenance and preservation of all of our assets,” he says. “And, like everything else, golf course infrastructure has a lifespan. The Palmetto Course may be our most comprehensive test of a golfer’s skill, but we needed to update greens, bunkers, irrigation, and tees to ensure the best conditions and relevance for the modern golf game.”
“The relationships and partnerships that have been created between Duininck Golf and all involved in this project are ones that will continue for a long time. We are excited for the next opportunity to serve both Bergin Design and all those involved at the Landings Golf and Athletic Club” states Sam Duininck, Director of Business Development at Duininck Golf.
