Large investment by a large club

Architect Bill Bergin and Duininck Golf are nearing the completion of a renovation on the Palmetto Course at The Landings Golf & Athletic Club in Savannah, Georgia. Designed by Arthur Hills, the Palmetto Course is one of six 18-hole courses at the 49-year-old club.

Bergin and Duininck Golf are collaborating to rebuild the Palmetto Course greens to elevate the player experience and provide championship-level putting surfaces expected by members and guests. Additionally, bunkers are being rebuilt to improve drainage. Bergin is also making strategic tweaks to the course.

“Immediately upon setting foot on the Palmetto Course at The Landings, the Bergin Golf Designs team knew this course fit our renovation style perfectly,” Bergin said. “We also knew that partnering with Duininck Golf on this project would result in a finished golf course that exceeded the goals of the membership and staff.”

The Palmetto Course weaves through a maritime forest, with massive live oaks and expansive views across the marshes on a half dozen holes. There are plenty of environmental factors to account for when working on such a layout, but The Landings general manager Steven Freund was confident Duininck Golf was the right team for the job.

“We wanted a firm that took the time to understand our club and what we wanted to accomplish,” Freund said. “Digging deep into a contractor’s resume reveals their DNA and values, and what we found in Duininck’s roots was a company we wanted to partner with long-term. We expect to do more work in the future with them and appreciate that, as a family-owned business, they put their name and reputation on the line with every job they do. We were confident they would produce a modern and exceptional spin to our vision.”

The Palmetto Course is part of a vast amenity offering that also includes tennis, pickleball, bocce ball, nine dining venues, five pools and a 52,000-square-foot wellness center.

“We are committed to proper maintenance and preservation of all of our assets,” Freund said. “And, like everything else, golf course infrastructure has a lifespan. The Palmetto Course may be our most comprehensive test of a golfer’s skill, but we needed to update greens, bunkers, irrigation and tees to ensure the best conditions and relevance for the modern golf game.”

Duininck Golf director of business development Sam Duininck added: “The relationships and partnerships that have been created between Duininck Golf and all involved in this project are ones that will continue for a long time. We are excited for the next opportunity to serve both Bergin Design and all those involved at the Landings Golf and Athletic Club.”