Chris Wilczynski’s new 18-hole course at Astor Creek Country Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida, is on schedule to open in spring 2023.

The golf course will be part of a new gated community that is expected to include 900 homes.

“Our goal was to create an enjoyable and playable golf course for Kolter Homes’ new lifestyle community; one that will challenge players of all ages and skill levels and keep them inspired to play more golf,” said Wilczynski, who has been visiting the site weekly since construction began earlier this year.

The course will have five sets of tees to allow it to play from 3,500 to 7,500 yards. The back tees are set at challenging angles to bring fairway bunkers and the edges of water features more into play.

“We’ve incorporated a ribbon tee system which allows for a variety of tee placements and creates a seamless transition from tee to fairway,” said Wilczynski. “From a resource perspective, the same mower and labourer is used to manicure the tees and fairways, which makes the maintenance of the tees more efficient and sustainable, and helps save time and money.”

Greens of varying style range in size from 4,300 to 8,800 square feet. “If used properly, the internal and external contours can help direct a shot toward the hole and be advantageous for the player,” said Wilczynski. “Most greens were designed to be concave in nature to collect or accept golf shots, while some, particularly five and ten, will be convex and repel poorly hit shots away from the putting surface.”

Bunkers will feature steep grass faces and flat sand floors, and vary in size from small pots to large waste hazards.

With an almost entirely flat site, several large lakes have generated around 850,000 cubic yards of fill to develop a more interesting and strategic topography. “We have built undulation along the perimeters of the holes to specifically showcase the landscape materials and beds,” said Wilczynski. “The landscape is comprised of native oaks, pines, palms and native grasses, and looks larger and more mature at this early stage, because of their strategic placements and elevations, lending a more vertical element to the property.”

Wilczynski is working alongside golf construction company Ryan Golf, landscape designer RVI, irrigation consultant Tony Altum and irrigation contractor Nutt Irrigation.