The Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort, Golf Club & Spa is pleased to announce the completion of a greens and short-game area renovation to its highly regarded Hammock Bay Golf & Country Club. A par 72-championship golf course, Hammock Bay provides award-winning private golf amongst the picturesque natural surroundings of Marco Island's tropical landscape with 18 individual and distinct holes.
The greens renovation featured the conversion to Tifeagle turf, which affords improved ball-roll, consistency and overall playability. The project also saw design changes to the driving range tee and the addition of a new chipping green and bunker complex for short-game practice, all facilitated by Peter Jacobsen & Jim Hardy of Jacobsen and Hardy Golf Course Design.
With an emphasis on the boundless beauty of the area's natural environment, the golf course at Hammock Bay is designed to provide an enjoyable challenge to all golfers, regardless of their level of play.
The contours, shape and orientation of the course greens were designed with the approach shot in mind, and the green surroundings are also fashioned to present the golfer with a variety of shot options. Multiple tees are provided at each hole, allowing increased playability for juniors, seniors, and beginners, while offering a challenge to both low handicappers and professionals. Bunkers are strategically positioned to challenge the risk taker, and in some cases, direct the placement shots, all intended to add to the course's visual appeal and uniqueness.
The completion of Hammock Bay compliments the recent redesign of the resort's other private course, The Rookery. Also completed by Jacobsen and Hardy Golf Course Design, The Rookery now features wall-to-wall Platinum Paspalum turf, enhancing visual appeal and overall playability. Additionally, just complete are the upgrades to the course's Clubhouse, a return to an "Old Florida" interior theme with new furnishings, flooring, lighting and more.
Both courses are recipients of Marriott's Environment Sustainability Performance Award (ESPA), which is based on four key achievement criteria including: Audubon certification, improving water conservation, reducing overall carbon footprint and meeting a set of nearly 100 key conservation standards.
"Although each golf course has a unique character and a distinct playing style, with the conversion of the greens at Hammock Bay to Tifeagle turf we will now offer the same playing surfaces at both courses. This will enhance playability and the overall golf experience for our guests and Members," said Chris Major, General Manager of Golf at the Marco Island Marriott.
These renovations and enhancements are all part of the journey as the resort prepares to convert to a JW Marriott brand property in 2017 during the third and final phase of the project. The property, which is undergoing a major $300 million expansion, is now in their second phase of planned developments and renovations which will continue over the next 14 months.
"As one of South Florida's premier golf destinations, we feel these improvements have moved our golf product from great to legendary and we are now poised to compliment the new JW Marriott Marco Island coming in January 2017," said Major.
