Interviews

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Alice Chambers
/ Categories: News

Erik Larsen completes $8m renovation project at St. Johns

The county of St. Johns in northeast Florida has renovated its golf course under the direction of former Arnold Palmer designer Erik Larsen.

St. Johns Golf Club first opened as a 27-hole facility in 1988 but nine holes were closed in 2012. Larsen was hired in 2021 to oversee the $8 million renovation, which has been funded by various fees and government sources.

Larsen and the club’s director of golf Wes Tucker have worked together to redesign the course with a “traditional throwback” style inspired by the work of Charles Blair Macdonald and Seth Raynor.

Three existing holes were used in the new routing, while fifteen others were changed dramatically. Biarritz, Punchbowl and Redan greens have been introduced, along with wider fairways and low-maintenance coffin bunkers. A large short-game area was created and the putting green was enlarged, while the range, holes nine, ten and eighteen are now much closer to the clubhouse, to create a social hub.

The project has also included drainage upgrades to improve resident water runoff, which is hoped will minimise the wet conditions that, prior to the renovation, led to around 30 days per year when the course was unplayable.

The reconfiguration has freed up 80 acres of land, upon which the county plans to build a new fire station and sheriff’s substation, plus other amenities.

Wadsworth Golf Construction has completed rebuilding the course, which is expected to reopen in late 2022, with green fees ranging from $25 for walkers to $60 for out-of-state visitors.

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  • St. Johns
    St. Johns Golf Club

    The county of St. Johns in northeast Florida has renovated its golf course under the direction of Erik Larsen

  • St. Johns
    St. Johns Golf Club

    Larsen and Wes Tucker have redesigned the course with a “traditional throwback” style inspired by the work of Charles Blair Macdonald and Seth Raynor

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St. Johns Golf Club
Alice Chambers

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