Coore & Crenshaw and Renaissance Golf Design will create two highly distinctive, yet intertwined, 18-hole golf courses on a formerly mined phosphate site in Central Florida. “This land is naturally conducive to uncovering great golf holes,” said Ben Crenshaw of Coore & Crenshaw. “It is going to be spectacular, and has its own inherent character that will translate into two memorable courses.”
The designers were intrigued by the opportunity to use mined land and to work side-by-side on their two courses at Streamsong Resort, a 16,000-acre project being developed by The Mosaic Co, the world’s leading producer and marketer of phosphate-based crop nutrients. The resort is located in southern Polk County, Florida, between Tampa and Orlando.
Both architectural firms will leverage their experience working on unique, sandy sites to design two intersecting, world-caliber golf courses that are being developed concurrently. The topography of the land-which features appealing elevations and dramatic contours left from the mining process – will make for a challenging, dramatic and aesthetically fulfilling golf atmosphere.
“This is such a good piece of land for golf,” said Tom Doak of Renaissance Golf Design. “The variety of contours created by the mining process is unique for a project in Florida, or anywhere in the southeast.”
According to Bill Coore, “Through the years, Ben and I have been fortunate to work on a number of exceptional sites that were naturally gifted for golf. These sandy sites brought forth the Sand Hills Golf Club in Nebraska, Bandon Trails in Oregon, Friar’s Head Golf Club in New York and Lost Farm in Tasmania, Australia.
“At Streamsong,” he added, “we have the opportunity to work with a site that contains some of the most unusual, interesting and dramatic land forms we have ever encountered. From its towering dunes, sandy fields, and pristine lakes, we believe this land has the potential to yield two extraordinary golf courses.”
Following critically acclaimed successes in Oregon and Tasmania, Australia, Streamsong will represent only the third location in the world where architecturally relevant venues have been created by the Coore-Crenshaw and Doak design teams. Construction of the two golf courses began in mid-2010; they are expected to be available for limited play in mid to late 2012.
In addition to world-class golf courses, Streamsong will also feature a golf clubhouse with meeting space, a pro shop and a casual dining restaurant; approximately 140 guest rooms in the main resort building (with the potential for expansion to more than 200 rooms); five separate villas-each with four private guest rooms adjoining a common gathering area; meeting space; two additional restaurants and two lounge areas; a full-service spa; hiking and nature trails; a sporting clays range; and unparalleled Florida bass fishing.