Dunedin Golf Course Restoration

History

Designed by world-renowned golf course architect Donald Ross, the club opened January 1, 1927. From 1945 through 1962, Dunedin Golf Club was the home of the PGA of America, during that time the Dunedin Golf Club hosted 18 Senior Tour Championships, and this was the beginning of the Senior PGA Tour.

The Dunedin Golf Club property is owned by the City of Dunedin and has had an agreement with Dunedin Country Club Inc. (a non-profit organization) for many years to operate and manage the club. The most recent agreement was renewed in May 2023 to extend the partnership through the end of February 2024 at which time, the City will assume the management of the Dunedin Golf Club.

In 2021, the City conducted a sustainability study on the Dunedin Golf Club. The City is now looking to make improvements and renovations for the golf club operations to be sustainable and in the style characteristics of a Donald Ross course.

Project Elements

• Greens Restoration
  • Greens have shrunk and need to be replaced
• Bunker and Bunker Forms Restoration
• Tee Restoration
  • Tees are undersized and need to be replaced
• Fairway Restoration
• New Irrigation System
  • Current system is failing
• Addressing Drainage Issues especially around holes #15 and #17
• Restore Donald Ross Characteristics

Project Budget

• Total Project Costs: About $6.2 million
• Funding Sources:
  • $2 million - American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
  • $2.5 million - Golf Enterprise Fund (with $2.27 million estimated debt financing)
  • $500,000 - Potential Historic Preservation Grant (would reduce debt financing)

Donald Ross Design Characteristics

• Fit his courses to individual properties best feature
• Genius at routing courses and creating memorable holes
• Created playability for beginners while challenging skilled golfers
• Motto: Golf should be a pleasure not a penance

Tree Mitigation Requirements

• Architect and City will complete a full survey of all trees on the property
• Goal is to protect/keep existing trees as much as possible
• Removal of protected trees will be replaced on the property
• Survey will identify areas of opportunity to plant trees

Time Sensitive Project

As noted in the April 4, 2023, Commission Work Session, this project is time sensitive because establishing new turf must be done during the growing season

Use of the Clubhouse during Construction

• In February 2024, the current agreement to operate the Club will expire.
  • The City will need to complete a Request for Proposal for a new restauranteur.
  • During the transition, food and beverage service will need to be interrupted.
  • The cooresponding closure of the course will provide an opportune time to make this conversion.
• During this time, improvements will be made to the Clubhouse facilities including the restrooms, locker rooms, and interior furnishings.
• We recognize community groups enjoy utilizing the Dunedin Golf Club as their regular meeting place, staff will be looking into alternative City facilities during this temporary closure.