Dunedin Golf Course Restoration
Published on May 16, 2024
Within the City limits of beautiful Dunedin Florida, the Dunedin Golf Club is a truly historic property. The golf club opened in 1927 and has been City-owned since 1938. The Dunedin Golf Club was designed by perhaps the most famous golf architect of all time -- Donald Ross. Donald Ross even stated in the 1927 Dunedin Times that this site was the finest in all of Florida for a golf course and in another article he stated that the course was his masterpiece out of all the courses he has designed. The course was also the home of the PGA of America from 1945-1962 and hosted 17 PGA Senior Championships, a major championship for senior golf professionals.
As the years rolled on Dunedin Golf Club needed updates and repairs to the golf course. Golf was recovering from a downturn in play and the time was right to invest in the golf course.
Architect Kris Spence from North Carolina, a noted Donald Ross design restoration expert, and TDI Golf Construction with experience in Donald Ross course reconstruction, were chosen to be the design/build restoration team.
The reconstruction work began March, 1, 2024 with a groundbreaking ceremony recognizing the importance of this legacy course. The restoration project scope of work includes:
- a new golf course irrigation system
- new grassing on the course- TifTuf Bermuda on the fairways is known for its lower water requirements and TifEagle Bermuda on the greens which is the gold standard
- new fairway bunkers and greenside bunkers
- new championship length tees
- leveling all tee boxes
- improving the drainage
- rediscovering the original Donald Ross green design and adapting it for modern play
The City of Dunedin as a Tree City USA, required an inventory of all trees potentially impacted by the restoration, which required approximately 49,000 linear feet of tree protection fencing and taping, and a replanting plan of 379 trees. The golf course will have beautiful greenery around it for years to come!
When the restoration is finished the golf course will once again be the jewel envisioned by Donald Ross. There is a great need for a golf course like Dunedin Golf Club in the north Tampa market. The restoration has been a topic of conversation throughout Tampa but really visitors from across the country are waiting for the reopening, which is planned for late fall 2024. The most recent study on the impact golf tourism showed that golf drove $101.7 billion dollars of direct economic activity throughout the United States in 2022. This restoration will bring extended value to the Dunedin for those who golf and to the entire community through the economic impact of golf tourism.
To learn more about the Dunedin Golf Course Restoration: https://dunedin-fl.civilspace.io/en/projects/dunedin-golf-course-restoration