SunnilandSUPERSpotlight: Mike Stevens
renovations, and staff development in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennes-
BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. recently welcomed Mike Stevens as the club’s new Director of Agronomy. In his new position, Stevens will oversee maintenance of BallenIsles’ three championship golf courses, including the East, North and South Courses, its expansive golf practice facilities and the club’s agronomy team. Stevens was born and raised in Gainesville, Fla. and has spent the past 21 years living in the St. Augustine area. He most recently served as the Southeast Director of Agronomic Programs for Indigo Golf Partners, a division of Troon, overseeing golf course maintenance, capital planning, 42
see, Louisiana and Texas. From 2007 to 2010, Stevens served as superintendent of St. John’s Golf & Country Club in St. Augustine, where he was involved in the construction of, and daily agronomics of the private club. “The team is very excited to attract a talent like Michael,” said BallenIsles Country Club General Manager and Chief Operating Officer Ryan Walls. “We certainly look forward to continuing an upward trajectory of agronomic excellence. Michael’s experience will also be invaluable as we continue to execute on our strategic vision for our future sport offerings here at the Club.” Stevens is a past president of the North Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association and is a Class A Member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. He is married to his childhood sweetheart, Amanda, and together they have two children, Benjamin and Madison. “After serving in a regional capacity and working with so many great clubs, I really look forward to settling down and honing my skills on one property.
The quality, expectation and lofty goals BallenIsles has is so evident. I very much welcome the opportunity for our team to put the agronomic conditioning atop the great clubs in Florida,” said Stevens. BallenIsles Country Club’s East and North Courses were designed by two of the most highly-acclaimed golf course architects of the era: Dick Wilson and Joe Lee. In 2019/2020, famed golf course architect Rees Jones redesigned the South Course. Earlier this year, BallenIsles announced a strategic design partnership with Nicklaus Design to take the Club through a multi-year renovation of the East Course and golf practice facilities. The East Course renovation is expected to include a modernization of the irrigation system, a complete re-grassing of the course, improvement of tee locations and the return of original course design features from when the course hosted major championships. The Nicklaus Design team will add length and strategy that will test both members and tournament players alike. For more information on BallenIsles Country Club, visit www.BallenIsles.org Golf Central • Volume 22, Issue 5
