Page 60 - April 2015 Life In Naples Magazine
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course construction is the maturation process. Grass needs sunlight and equipment manager
to grow, and there was a stretch during those rainy months when the Jeff Hill, volunteered to
course only saw sunshine 30 of 75 days. step up and meet the
challenge. Each learned a
There were challenges every step of the way. Over five years whole new set of skills on
of pre-planning, the scope of work had increased, yet the original the job while, at the same
budget had to be honored. Staffing, construction and permitting time, meeting the demands
detours all posed challenges that had to be adapted to as well. of their existing roles.
Despite all of these challenges, the team prevailed and an
In the midst of the project, Bay Colony Golf Club lost the extraordinary achievement in golf course restoration is recorded in
assistant course superintendent. Finding time to hire and train the annals of history.
a qualified professional for this key position was daunting, “One of the biggest opportunities in course construction is to be
considering the intensity of the schedule. Key players on the involved in all of the decisions, stay involved and remain committed
maintenance crew, including the horticultural manager Matt Prato to the project every step of the way, from the ground up, so you can
ensure that you build the course correctly. In doing so, it will be easier
to maintain and will last longer. That’s what we did,” said Levitre. “In
my opinion, this course is now tough to compete with. It has every
opportunity to last 25 to 30 years.”
Bay Colony Golf Club is a private Club within the gated Estates
at Bay Colony, located within Pelican Marsh. The club is operated by
a seasoned management team with hospitality veteran Jerry Thirion at
the helm. Members and their guests enjoy “no tee time” access to the
championship golf course year round, superlative fine dining and an
exquisite social lifestyle in a spectacular private setting.
Inquiries and Membership Information: Lisa Wilson Spiller
239.449.4564.
Bay Colony Golf Club, 239.592.9515, 9740 Bent Grass Bend,
Naples, FL 34108 www.baycolonygolfclub.com.
60 Life in Naples | April 2015
