The Process Episode 4: From the Dunes of Ireland to the Earth-Moving Marvel of Miakka
In an interview published in a recent podcast episode of The Process, Dana Fry details his journey from playing collegiate golf to becoming a leading architect. He credits mentors Andy Banfield and Mike Stranz for teaching him the art of large-scale earth-moving and meticulous shaping.
The conversation dives deep into the engineering marvel of Miakka Golf Club in Florida. To transform flat terrain into a dramatic landscape, the team moved millions of cubic yards of dirt and implemented innovative features like a 500-foot cart tunnel and Zoysia tees, fairways, and greens. Fry also highlights Curracloe Links in Ireland, emphasizing a naturalistic approach that routes through coastal dunes.
Whether discussing sand-capping for firm-and-fast play or the necessity of sustainable design, the episode explores Fry’s obsession with creating world-class courses that balance bold aesthetics with environmental stewardship.
Miakka Golf Club: A New Standard for Environmental Stewardship
In a feature by Your Observer, the Miakka Golf Club is lauded for its uncompromising commitment to nature. Owner Steve Herrig and the Fry/Straka design team have gone far beyond regulatory requirements to ensure the 1,100-acre site in Myakka City is left in better condition than they found it.
Key to this transformation is a sophisticated stormwater management system engineered by the Fry/Straka led design team. By utilizing dry retention basins and filtration, the course captures and cleans over 90% of surface water, preventing untreated runoff from entering the Myakka River. The project also features the extensive use of varieties of Zoysiagrass, which use less water, fertilizer, and pesticides than other popular species, coupled with the planting of thousands of indigenous trees and shrubs.
More than just a golf course, Miakka Golf Club is part of Mr. Herrig’s massive conservation effort along the Myakka River, proving that high-end golf and ecological restoration can work hand-in-hand.
Groundbreaking: The Total Golf Playground at Boca West Country Club
We are thrilled to share that Boca West Country Club has officially broken ground on the complete renovation of Golf Course 1, a centerpiece of our ongoing partnership with this premier South Florida club.
Beyond the 7,300-yard championship layout, the renovation includes a new 9-hole short course and an expansive 65,000-square-foot putting green. As Jason Straka noted during the groundbreaking, this project is a tremendous opportunity to enhance a premier course while introducing entirely new ways for members of all skill levels to experience and enjoy the game.
Exploring Miakka Golf Club with Dana Fry and USGA President Kevin Hammer
In this insightful film from Sticks Golf Research, host Trey Wren takes us on an exclusive journey to Myakka City, Florida, for a deep dive into one of the most anticipated new projects in the world of golf: Miakka Golf Club.
The video features our very own Dana Fry, who provides a behind-the-scenes property tour of the course currently under construction, sharing his vision for the ambitious project, portions of which mimic the great courses of the Australian Sandbelt.
Hibiscus Golf Club sold for private club
The sale of Hibiscus Golf Club in the Lely area of Naples, Florida marks the beginning of a sophisticated transformation, as the property prepares to emerge as The Lantern Club. This transition represents a bold vision to elevate the site into an ultra-exclusive destination that mirrors the prestige and architectural excellence found at Naples’ most storied clubs. At Fry/Straka, we understand the DNA of this elite market—having designed Calusa Pines, we recognize that the Naples golf community has an enduring appetite for world-class design and uncompromising quality.
As the vision for The Lantern Club takes shape, it joins the ranks of local icons like Naples National, where the focus remains squarely on the art of the game and a refined member experience. This project is a testament to the continued evolution of Southwest Florida’s golf landscape, proving that even established layouts can be reimagined as premier, high-end retreats. In a recent feature by Gulfshore Business, the details of this sale and the ambitious goals for the property are explored, signaling a new era for golf in the region.
Fry/Straka Trio Honored Among the 21st Century’s Best
At Fry/Straka, one of our core values is "Creative Distinction"—creating golf courses with their own distinct personality that respect the natural land while providing a world-class test of the game.
We are thrilled to see this vision recognized by Golf Digest as three of our designs have earned their place among the elite in their latest ranking of the The 50 Greatest Courses Built Since 2000.
Fry/Straka Courses Honored in The LINKS 100
We are incredibly proud to announce that three of our signature designs have been recognized by LINKS Magazine in the inaugural LINKS 100, a definitive ranking of the top golf courses in the United States and the World.
Earning a spot on this list is a distinct honor, as the rankings are determined exclusively by the votes of our peers—the professional members of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA), the European Institute of Golf Course Architects (EIGCA), and the Society of Australian Golf Course Architects (SAGCA).
Erin Hills Honored with 2026 NGCOA Jemsek Public Course of the Year Award
The National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) has honored Erin Hills Golf Course as the 2026 NGCOA Jemsek Public Course of the Year. Erin Hills will receive this award on Monday, January 19, at the NGCOA Golf Business Conference 2026 in Orlando.
The NGCOA Jemsek Public Course of the Year award, named after the late Joe Jemsek (widely regarded as the “Patriarch of Public Golf”), recognizes a privately owned, daily fee golf facility that exemplifies excellence in operations, community impact, and contributions to the game of golf.
From Equestrian Excellence to Championship Golf: A Day at TerraNova
And then we had the privilege of visiting The Miakka Golf Club, directly adjacent to the equestrian center. This is where the story takes another turn, because what they’re building is exceptional. The course is being designed by Fry/Straka Global Golf Design, in partnership with golf champion Paul Azinger — a name synonymous with strategic, championship-level thinking. Even with nine holes complete and the remaining nine underway, the vision is unmistakable: this is going to be a world-class course.
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.
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.
Fry/Straka Lands Two of the Top 10 Private Short Courses per Golfweek
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.
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.
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.
9th at Erin Hills is short — and anything but sweet | Live From the U.S. Women's Open | Golf Channel
Keep your eyes on the short yet "diabolical" par-3 9th this weekend in the U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills. Nelly Korda, Allisen Corpuz and Paige Mackenzie walk through what makes it so challenging.
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.
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.
2025 Tour Guide: U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills
Beautiful Erin Hills, located 45 minutes northwest of Milwaukee, is a relatively young course, having opened in 2006.
Course superintendent Zach Reineking (pronounced rye-nuh-kin) has been there at the course every step of the way.
Quail Ridge Renovation Receives Recognition from Golf Inc.
The Club at Quail Ridge in Boynton Beach, Florida was recognized for its dramatic renovation by Golf Inc. magazine as it was awarded Second Place for the 2025 Renovation of the Year in the Private category. Below is the text from the May 2025 article.
The U.S. Women's Open returns to Erin Hills
Zach Reineking and his veteran staff can’t wait to show off the updated Erin Hills Golf Course