Sawgrass Country Club membership approves $55 million in improvements

Sawgrass Country Club membership approves $55 million in improvements

Sawgrass Country Club will undergo $55 million in capital improvements under a plan approved by the club’s membership, according to an Oct. 22 news release.

The release said the plan will fund a 7,347-square-foot fitness center expansion, an updated Beach Club Pavilion and dining area, a refreshed Tennis Pavilion, 13 new tennis courts and a 27-hole golf course renovation led by architects Dana Fry and Jason Straka.

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Inside Belleair Country Club with Connor T. Lewis
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Inside Belleair Country Club with Connor T. Lewis

Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design completed a hybrid renovation and restoration of the West Course at Belleair Country Club. This project has successfully brought the course back to its historic brilliance while thoughtfully integrating modern design features.

Hear more about this transformation from club member and founder of the Society of Golf Historians, Connor T. Lewis. As a well-traveled golfer with an extensive appreciation for the world's finest golf course architecture, Connor discusses everything from the club's rich history, including its Donald Ross designed golf courses, to the specific design elements of the West Course and the overall property.

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Fry/Straka Lands Two of the Top 10 Private Short Courses per Golfeek
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Fry/Straka Lands Two of the Top 10 Private Short Courses per Golfeek

Welcome to the Golfweek’s Best 2025 ranking of the top par-3, short and non-traditional private golf courses in the United States. To acknowledge a recent and rapid rise in short courses, Golfweek’s Best introduced a ranking of these layouts in 2023. In 2024 we broke the category into two: public-access courses and private layouts.

Basically, they all fit the bill of not being a traditional-length, traditional-par course. And just like the best short courses, we threw out some of the rules used for rating traditional courses and asked our raters to submit one overall score for each course based on how much they enjoyed the design and the environment. Those individual ratings were then combined to form one average rating. Each course had to receive a minimum number of 10 votes.

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Plover Cove takes shape in Hong Kong
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Plover Cove takes shape in Hong Kong

The development of Plover Cove Golf Club in Hong Kong – which is due to open in 2027 – took a major step forward this month with the completion of a 1.5km retaining wall around the 53-hectare site in Shuen Wan.

The Plover Cove project is being developed in collaboration with Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design, agronomy and sustainability consultants Turfgrass, and Flagstick Golf Course Construction Management.

The landmark development will transform a restored landfill site into a 6,600-yard, par-71 championship course, complete with luxury clubhouse and other leisure facilities, at a projected cost of $4.5 billion HKD ($600m US).

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The Golfer’s Journal Episode 190: Paul Azinger: Building Miakka, The State of Golf and Ryder Cup Captaincy
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The Golfer’s Journal Episode 190: Paul Azinger: Building Miakka, The State of Golf and Ryder Cup Captaincy

Paul Azinger (co-designer with Fry/Straka) has never been afraid to speak his mind or take a big swing. So when a friend asked him to consult in building a golf course on 1,100 acres of Florida ranchland, Zinger saddled up. The result? Miakka Golf Club: a bold take on the modern game shaped by three million cubic yards of sand and the same bravado that won Azinger a Ryder Cup. In this episode, he joins host Casey Bannon to unpack Miakka’s Australian-style bunkers and why it's using trees as the last line of defense against today’s 340-yard carry. He also opens up about Ryder Cup regrets, the Keegan Bradley captaincy conundrum, the state of the broadcast booth and why we need less coaching in golf. Expect big opinions and unfiltered Zinger charm. Buckle up.

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Host of the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open | Erin Hills | The Land as It Lies Ep.7
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Host of the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open | Erin Hills | The Land as It Lies Ep.7

Erin Hills proves that, with the right piece of land, there is no need to move millions of cubic yards of dirt, sometimes the site is already there. Memories of Brooks Koepka's U.S. Open win, Justin Thomas' 3 wood for a course and U.S. Open scoring record, and Scottie Scheffler's Low Am Performance hang in the air. Now, the stage is set for the 2025 U.S. Women's Open here at Erin Hills. Once again the best players in the world, Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson and more look to pass this test of slopes, bunkers and wind.

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What to know about Erin Hills, the host golf course of the 2025 U.S. Women's Open

What to know about Erin Hills, the host golf course of the 2025 U.S. Women's Open

The 80th playing of the United State Women’s Open, the longest running major championship in women’s golf, will be held at Erin Hills in the Town of Erin from May 29-June 1.

It will be the fifth United States Golf Association national championship tournament the course has hosted since its opening in 2006, and Erin Hills is now the 16th golf course to ever host the U.S. Open (2017) and U.S. Women’s Open.

The USGA will bring five more national championships to the 652-acre property through 2039.

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Carlisle Country Club Announces Multi-Million Dollar Clubhouse and Golf Course Renovations
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Carlisle Country Club Announces Multi-Million Dollar Clubhouse and Golf Course Renovations

Carlisle Country Club, one of central Pennsylvania’s most historic golf clubs, announces a multi-million-dollar renovation project under its new ownership group. This transformation will include comprehensive upgrades to its clubhouse and golf course, enhancing the overall member experience, and positioning the club for the next generation of membership.

Carlisle Country Club has retained Fry Straka Global Golf Course Design to consult on ongoing renovations, which aim to enhance the overall playability and member experience while preserving the club’s legacy.

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Leadership on the Links: Jason Straka on Golf Course Architecture, Sustainability & Industry Trends
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Leadership on the Links: Jason Straka on Golf Course Architecture, Sustainability & Industry Trends

On this episode of Leadership on the Links, we sit down with Jason Straka, a seasoned golf course architect with over 30 years of experience designing and renovating courses worldwide. Jason’s background in agronomy, environmental design, and construction gives him a unique perspective on the evolution of golf course architecture.

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A Florida First
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A Florida First

Fry and his partner Jason Straka are in the middle of what is one of the more remarkable golf developments ever flaunted in the state, and that’s saying something. 

The Miakka Golf Club 25 miles east of Sarasota will have just one 18-hole layout set across the site’s 1,100 acres with national golf memberships starting at $175,000. “We could have easily fit five or six courses on this land,” Fry said.

“It is by far the biggest project of my more than 30-year career,” he added. “Florida has never seen anything quite like this.” 

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Plover Cove Golf Club: Transforming Hong Kong’s Landscape
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Plover Cove Golf Club: Transforming Hong Kong’s Landscape

Plover Cove Golf Club (PCGC) is set to redefine the Shuen Wan landfill in Hong Kong’s New Territories. As the first full golf course on privately owned reclaimed land in the city, this visionary project will transform up to 53 hectares of restored landfill into a stunning Par 71 championship golf course. Spanning over 6,600 yards and featuring 18 holes, this ambitious development comes with a total investment of up to HK$4.5 billion (USD $578 million).

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Sarasota National members approve golf course renovation master plan by Fry/Straka
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Sarasota National members approve golf course renovation master plan by Fry/Straka

Members of the Sarasota National golf community in Venice, Florida recently approved a golf course master plan design by golf architectural firm Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design. The multi-million-dollar renovation project will focus on enhancing the course’s playability for all skill levels, improving sustainability, while seamlessly tying-in the natural beauty of the Sarasota National community, an Audubon International Certified Signature Sanctuary. Renovation work will begin in the spring of 2026.

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Video: Golf Destination Previews Curracloe Links in Ireland
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Video: Golf Destination Previews Curracloe Links in Ireland

Opening in 2026, it will be the newest course in Ireland. Designed by Fry/Straka this seaside gem is one of the most anticipated openings in Europe. Go onto this page's Ireland section and get a more in depth interview with the design team.

Golf Destination is the longest running golf travel show in the United States. The show takes an in-depth look at some of the world's greatest golfing destinations. Also featuring previews of tournaments and competitions.

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