Golf returns in Elkton: St. Johns Golf Club reopening date set after $8 million renovation
The St. Johns County Golf Club has scheduled its re-opening for Nov. 29 at 1 p.m., following a renovation by architect Erik Larsen.
The project to renovate the municipal course has taken seven years since a feasibility study by the St. Johns County commission. The course has been closed since last year.
Drainage, irrigation, the playing surface and practice areas were part of the overall project.
The course opened in 1989 as a 27-hole facility. The county considered developing the property for residential use but eventually approved the $8 million project with money coming from recreation impact fees, a transportation trust fund, utility fund, bed tax and general fund
The county will use the excess 80 acres to build new fire and sheriff’s stations and establish to-be-determined amenities.
“The St. Johns Golf Club is a terrific example of publicly owned, accessible golf and interesting architectural work coming together to make the players’ experience much more fun,” Larsen said in a statement.
Among the changes was to bring the first and 18th holes and practice facilities closer to the clubhouse for more social interaction.
In consultation with the longtime director of golf Wes Tucker, Larsen designed a new routing for the course that includes wider fairways, Biarritz, Punchbowl and Redan green designs and square, low-maintenance “coffin” bunkers.
The greens are TifEagle bermudagrass, the fairways TifTuf bermudagrass and the bunker faces are Zoysia grass. The par will be 71 and the length will range from 4,803 from the forward tees and 7,009 from the tips.
Larsen, a Ponte Vedra Beach resident and former executive vice-president of Arnold Palmer Golf Design Company, previously did the renovation project of the Atlantic Beach Country Club.
The county commission has set the greens fees from $25 for walking in the afternoon to less than $60 for out-of-state visitors.
“This course is one of the real jewels of St. Johns County,” said Henry Dean, St. Johns County Commission chairman, in a statement. “It’s a wonderful amenity and the public has demonstrated that, with about 35 percent of the rounds coming from out of the county. We were able to fund this not from the general ad valorem tax that affects homeowners but to utilize the 7 million visitors per year that we see here. As a commissioner, I would be irresponsible to walk away from this golf course.”
Palencia team wins
The Palencia Club team of pro Santiago Cavanagh and amateurs Larry Baker, Tom Cassady and Dannie Wilson won the Jacksonville Area Golf Association/Northern Chapter PGA Club Team Championship at the King & Bear, firing an 18-under 126 on a format of two best net balls.
They defeated the Deerwood Country Club team of pro Mitchell Haley and amateurs Sal Randisi, Melissa Heaton and Mat Nemeth by three shots. Three teams tied for third another shot back: Andy Heartz (pro), Jeff Elledge, Ron Jerin and Ron Mullis of the Palatka Golf Club; Leonard Thompson (pro), John Caden, Bob Long and Chuck Smith of the Sawgrass Country Club and Jake Etherton (pro), Rich Regan, Henry Chambliss and Max Norgart of the Slammer & Squire.
Deerwood assistant Mitchell Haley was the low pro with a 66 and host professional Etherton had a 69.
The tournament featured 25 four-player teams from JAGA member clubs, with one PGA member and three amateurs.
UNF's Gabrelcik nominated
University of North Florida junior Nick Gabrelcik is one of three finalists for the Ben Hogan Award Golfer of the Month for October by the Hogan Trophy Award Foundation, the Friends of Golf and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).
It's Gabrelcik's second Hogan golfer of the month award. He was a finalist in February of 2022.
Gabrelcik, a two-time ASUN player of the year, tied for second at the Quail Valley Collegiate Invitational, tied for first at the Isleworth Invitational and finished solo second at the Ka'anapali Classic. He was a cumulative 42-under and averaged 67.0 strokes in those three events.
He set his career low for 18 holes three times and his 16-under 197 in Hawaii was the UNF record for 54 holes. He also broke the program records for career top-five finishes (14) and career rounds in the 60s (38).
Gabrelcik was also named ASUN Men's Golfer of the Week twice in October.
The other two nominees are David Ford of North Carolina and Drew Salyers of Indiana.
Libby elected to PGA Board
Hidden Hills owner Russ Libby was elected to the PGA Tour Board of Directors as the District 13 director during last week's 106th PGA Annual Meeting in Phoenix. Libby will serve a three-year term, representing the Georgia, North Florida and South Florida PGA Sections.
Libby has served the PGA of America at the chapter, section and national level for 25 years, including a term as North Florida PGA Section president from 2003-05. He also served as a PGA Board of Control member from 2007-2011.
Contact Garry Smits at gsmits@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @GSmitter
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Erik Larsen renovation of St. Johns Golf Club unveils on Nov. 29
