HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-01-31 Nicklaus' gift to NPB redesigned golf course (Palm Beach Post)ii: PFu..m BAf) 1ir
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Golfing legend Jack Nicklaus signs autographs at the Jan. 19 grand opening
of the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course at the North Palm Beach Country
Club. Nicklaus, 67, said he redesigned the municipal course with older golfers
in mind.
:}'{'. k•%.:.`t::$$4:$::{:;{:riiii:i:vti:;:Ew�y Contrary
to popular belief,
Jack Nicklaus doesn't play much
golf these days.
Despite a resume that in-
cludes 18 major championships,
113 professional victories and
six Ryder Cup appearances, the
loug Lime North Palm Beach
...h;
res'dent spends most of his time
'des nin golf courses.
..::v.:.::•. 'designing
,.. ..:. Two days before his 67th
Photo by JODIE WAGNER birthday, Nicklaus celebrated the
grand opening of the latest Jack
Nicklaus Signature Golf Course.
On Jan. 19, Nicklaus presided
over a ceremony at the North
Palm Beach Country Club which
included a 30-minute golf clinic,
18-hole exhibition and media
luncheon.
The festivities afforded Nick-
laus his first opportunity to play
a round of golf on a layout that he
renovated and redesigned as a
gift to the village of North Palm
Beach. Construction began last
April and included a new irriga-
tion system, total re -grassing of
all playing surfaces, new greens
construction, improved fairway
surface drainage and extensive
redesign.
"This was my way to give
a little something back to the
community and the people who
have given me so much," said
Nicklaus, who was joined on the
course by sons Jackie and Gary.
"This has been a fun project, and
one of which I am very proud."
Through his company,
Nicklaus Design, Nicklaus has
designed 310 golf courses world-
wide. Only two, Breckenridge
(Colo.) Golf Club and North
Palm Beach Country Club are
municipal. He praised the North
Palm course after playing 18
holes on an overcast, cool morn-
ing.
"It did about what I wanted it
'to do," he said. "I tried to create
a golf course that would be a
good play of a golf course for the
community. I wanted to have it
be sort of a reasonable test from
the back tees."
He also wanted to make it
practical for senior golfers, many
of whom play daily at North
Palm during the winter.
"I was really concerned about
the senior citizens," Nicklaus
said. "I didn't want ... for them
to come down here to retire and
take the golf course and make it
so they couldn't play. So I worked
very hard to try to make sure
that there was plenty of space
short.
"Some senior players are bet-
ter than others, and usually, as
we get older, we get shorter and
shorter and shorter. So I wanted
to make sure that they could still
play, to do the golf course in a
way that was very user-friendly
to them."
So far, it has exceeded expec-
tations.
Since the course reopened
officially in November, the North
Palm Beach Country Club has
grown from 350 members to 500,
with a waiting list of 80.
Golf memberships include
North Palm residents and
nonresidents. The course, which
originally was designed in 1926
and first renovated in 1989, also
is open to the public.
"The greatest physical asset
that we have in the village of
North Palm Beach is the Jack
Nicklaus Signature Course," vil-
lage Vice Mayor Ed Eissey said.
"It will be the shining star of the
golf world."
For information on the North
Palm Beach Country Club, 951
U.S. 1 N., call (561) 841-3359.
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