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

New Astor Creek course in Florida to open in spring 2023

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.

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Slideshow HTML
  • Astor Creek
    C.W. Golf Architecture

    Chris Wilczynski’s new course in Florida is on schedule to open in spring 2023

  • Astor Creek
    C.W. Golf Architecture

    Bunkers will feature steep grass faces and flat sand floors

  • Astor Creek
    C.W. Golf Architecture

    Wilczynski is transforming the previously flat site using fill from lake excavation

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C.W. Golf Architecture
Alice Chambers

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