Coral Creek Club is breathtaking inside and out..
Pope is very enthusiastic about his new role at the club and is not
shy at all when it comes to expressing his goals.
“Our goal is to be the top club in the marketplace, and in Florida,”
Pope said. “We have high expectations here. That’s why they brought
in some new people, to make those things happen.”
The Coral Creek Club is a very unusual golf course. Because it is
bordered by Coral Creek and a 6,000-acre protected nature
preserve, the wildlife that can be found on the course grounds is
prolifi c. Many types of birds – including a family of bald eagles – live
there, and it isn’t unusual to see bobcats and quite a few very large
alligators.
Majestic live oaks line the driveway on the way to the course and to
the clubhouses. The Club also has a lively social scene, and there are
social memberships available for those who aren’t interested in playing
golf. The food has received very favorable critical acclaim, thanks to
Chef Tim Fain. There are also 10 homesites just off the 18th hole. Six
are still open and available, but other than that small grouping there
are no homes along the perimeter of the course. Players will see the
natural beauty around them and nothing more.
This brings us to the focal point of the Coral Creek Club – the
golf. Since the Club opened 20 years ago, there have obviously been
changes. It’s been approximately 11 years since the main clubhouse
was completed, and prior to that the smaller building on the eastern
side of the main parking area was the only clubhouse. While the
course is still immaculate and very popular with members, Pope and
Noyes said they are anxious for some big changes to take place this
summer.
“This May, the course will be closed for some major renovations,”
Noyes said. “The routing and layout will not change, as the design is
already superior. But we will be stripping all the old grass and replanting
new sod, adding irrigation improvements and changing some of
the bunkers. Over time we have realized that some of them don’t
work well or play well – some retain moisture. All those sand traps
and bunkers out there are still beautiful but they’re not the white,
pristine sand that people expect. In 20 years, a lot of organic material
builds up in them.”
72 GASPARILLA MAGAZINE March/April 2020