living on the links
By Beverly and Greg Wise
Bonita Bay Cypress Course Hole 1 and 10 – photo by Evan Schiller Photography
A Massive Renovation of the “Cypress Course” at Bonita Bay Club Florida’s largest private club (five 18hole golf courses) took on a massive renovation project of one of its five private golf clubs the “Cypress Course” reopened for play in early October 2022. The Cypress and Sable Courses, two Tom Fazio-designed courses, are located 10 miles east of the main Bonita Bay Club campus at the edge of the Everglades. The renovation of Cypress – and the renovation of Sabal, (scheduled to begin in the Fall of 2023) were not done out of necessity or desperation, explains Tom Marzolf, Senior Design Associate of Fazio Design. The members wanted to improve their already excellent experience. The principal goals of the Cypress renovation were: • Make it playable for all members while lengthening the longest tees to preserve its reputation as a championship venue. 6 sets of tees from 4,500 to 7,500 yards • Keep it a preferred venue for regional and state events. • Rebuild the greens to handle both daily (fair, and fun) while maintaining 26
championship hole locations. • Increase the level of conditioning by improving drainage and overall construction. • Reduce/eliminate wet areas from fairways, green surrounds, and immediate rough in the traditional wet seasons. Cypress (originally opened in1997) and Sabal (1998). The two courses are unusual for Florida in that they are
remotely located well away from any town; there are no houses or other distractions except for the wildlife roaming the course. Sitting on the edge of the Everglades, the property is an environmental protected area of wetlands to the north. Along with a good day golf, members enjoy a unique area that Tom Marzolf, Senior Design Associate of Fazio Design, who oversaw the project, describes as “like visiting a wildlife preserve.”
Bonita Bay Short Course Golf Central • Volume 23, Issue 10