Finishing big work again at BallenIsles
BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida has unveiled its newly renovated East Course. Led by Nicklaus Design, the nine-month, multimillion-dollar renovation project modernized the East Course as well as the training grounds.
The renovation began in April 2022 and focused on updating the design, including bunkering, green complexes and strategy, a re-grassing of the course and improvements to playing options for members and players. tournament players.
The reimagined practice facility features a new 65-bay, double-sided, 12-acre long playing area with Toptracer technology and Flagd Golf digital yardage boards, an abundance of aiming targets for all types of shots, a practice green, rough, uneven lie bunker and fairway practice areas, and range of corners with targets from 30 to 105 yards. The four-acre short game area includes the 25,000 square foot Snead Green putting course, five pitching and chipping greens, a warm-up green and the flattest putting green in the world. The area is complemented by the new ’71 Learning Center, which is expected to be completed by April 2023.
The Nicklaus Design team, led by senior designers Chris Cochran and Chad Goetz, also added length to the par 72 layout, increasing the rear starts from 7,189 to 7,474 yards. Mike Stevens is BallenIsles’ Director of Agronomy.
“We spoke for the first time about a possible renovation of the East Course in 2020,” Nicklaus Design president Paul Stringer said at a grand opening ceremony on January 30. “To see it already complete with a really nice expanded training facility is just great. On behalf of all of us at Nicklaus Design, we are thrilled to be a part of this grand opening and renovation. Chris, Chad and our team at Nicklaus Design are very proud of what has been accomplished at BallenIsles.
The East Course renovation follows the construction of a $1.3 million pickleball complex in 2021; the 2020 redesign of the BallenIsles South Course by Rees Jones; and a $35 million clubhouse renovation in 2018. The club also recently announced a $19 million renovation and expansion of its sports complex. Construction is expected to begin on the project in stages in late 2023, with project completion expected by the end of 2024.
“We continue to make BallenIsles Country Club better and better,” said BallenIsles President David Frank. “The work done by Nicklaus Design on the east course and practice grounds is nothing short of spectacular.”