ORLANDO -- When many golf course developers and golf course architects look at Central Florida's landscape, they get one idea for a golf course: links. After all, this flat, scrubby terrain is well-suited for links-style golf. But when officials from developer Emerson International and golf course architect Ron Garl got together to consider Eagle Creek Golf Club, they wanted something different.
"We spent a great deal of time talking about what kind of concept we could have and how it could different," said Garl, whose headquarters is about an hour away in Lakeland. "After many conversations and a couple of lagers of beer, we decided we wanted an English feel to it."
An "English feel," remember, doesn't necessarily mean a links golf course. Sunningdale Golf Club and Wentworth Golf Club each are terrific examples of the English Heathland- (or inland) style courses that use the natural grasses and bunkers to challenge golfers and protect themselves. Sunningdale, for example, is slightly less than 6,600 yards long; Wentworth's famed West Course is slightly more than 7,000 yards from the back tees.
The West Course, by the way, was where the inspiration for the Ryder Cup when, in 1926, Bobby Jones shot 66 (33 shots and 33 putts) in an informal match between U.S. and British players.
But let's not get carried away. Nobody is putting Eagle Creek (7,198 yards, par 73), a daily-fee course just a few miles from Orlando International Airport, in the same fast company as Wentworth and Sunningdale. But for those who appreciate subtle design and what -- with a little vision and agronomy know-how -- can be done with an old Central Florida orange grove, Eagle Creek is a good way to spend 18 holes.
To help design the course, Garl enlisted the aid to a pair of Englishmen -- Stephen MacFarlane, his design associate of six years and Howard Swann, who has worked extensively in Europe. Swann's designs include Birchwood Park Golf Club in Wilmington, Dartford, England and Bridlington Links Golf Club in North Yorkshire, England.
"Howard is very talented technically and brought a lot of construction expertise," said Garl, who has designed more than 150 golf courses around the world and currently has projects ranging from China to Puerto Rico and the United States. "We worked well together. We weren't trying to make everybody more famous."
Eagle Creek, which opened last spring, already has gained a reputation as one of Garl's better works, largely because of the native grasses and British-style pot bunkers that add to the course's depth and character. The par-4 14th hole, for example, is surrounded on the front and sides by five revetted bunkers. A more subtle example of English-style design are Eagle Creek's square-shaped tee boxes, a welcome change from the round and runway tee boxes found on most courses in the United States.
To further the Heathland theme, Garl added Muhly grass to Eagle Creek. Muhly grass is Florida's native tall grass that can grow as high as four feet and blooms a light pink color.
"It's our answer to the tall fescues. It's really a great grass," said Garl, who teaches agronomy classes a few times a year at his alma mater, the University of Florida.
Eagle Creek's greens have perhaps the most unique grass: Mini Verde. Eagle Creek, in fact, is the first course in Florida to feature Mini Verde, the fifth type of ultra dwarf Bermuda in existence. The grass makes Eagle Creek's greens extremely durable and fast-rolling, without much notice at all of grain while putting.
Mini Verde, according to Garl, recovers faster from stresses such as verticutting and disease pressures than popular grasses such as Tifeagle. Mini Verde also gives the putting surfaces will have a darker green color.
Five other states -- Texas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Arizona and Louisiana -- feature courses with Mini Verde greens.
"It will be a natural progression" that other courses in Florida follow suit, Eagle Creek General Manager and PGA Professional Gary Piotrowski said of the Mini Verde grass. "Tifeagle has been the most popular choice of grass on greens the last few years, but Mini Verde outperforms it in nearly every category.
"The primary reason for choosing an ultra dwarf grass is to increase green speed. Ultra dwarfs can tolerate lower mowing heights. Secondly, these grasses appear to be cleaner [no off-type grasses mixed in] than the majority of tifdwarf on the market today."
The Mini Verde grass, Garl said, is just another example of what sets Eagle Creek apart.
"We wanted to do something different -- not just another golf course," Garl said. "I think that's good for the game. That's what we're trying to do -- bring people to the game and keep them playing the game."
And at Eagle Creek, people can play the game with an English flair.
Copyright 2005 PGA.com. All rights reserved.
