Sanford Ferris Golf Course Design

After an extensive one-year redesign project at Water Oak Country Club, a new par 70, 6,200-yard layout is complete. Residents began to play the new layout in early December 2022 to tremendous reviews.

“We couldn’t be happier with the redesign,” stated John Sanford, former President of the American Society of Golf Course Architects. “David and I designed this course to be playable for every skill level and especially for seniors, incorporating shallow green side bunkers, and greens that accept running shots on to the putting surface, it’s a throwback to the Golden Era of course design,” Sanford added.

“Water Oak Country Club Estates has so much to offer the local 55+ active community and the completion of this milestone project will further increase our amenities and enhance our experience for residents,” said Sheri Woodworth, division vice president at Sun Communities.

“From the first day we opened the new course, we have had nothing but compliments,” Bob Cooke, General Manager of Water Oak Golf Club stated. Cooke continued, “residents were very concerned about what the future would hold with the change, and now those same people are loving the new course design.”

Sun Communities, contracted the turf establishment period to International Golf Maintenance (IGM) a full-service golf course maintenance company, overseeing day-to-day agronomic operations for numerous clients to ensure the best possible golf course conditions within their maintenance budgets. Once IGM was on-site, Water Oak Country Club contracted for continuing the day-today maintenance operation. “At IGM we pride ourselves on implementing top quality golf course maintenance programs. A golf course is a significant asset for owners, and we want to preserve that asset,” said IGM’s Vice-President of Operations, Steve Gano. “It was a pleasure to work with Sanford Ferris Golf Design on

Water Oak, John and David, are First Class, being on-site nearly every week throughout the entire process.”

“Water Oak Country Club was such a unique site to complete the renovation,” stated David Ferris, ASGCA, RLA, and Partner in Sanford Ferris Golf Design. “With its 70’ of elevation change, mature Oak trees lining most of the golf holes, and a core golf experience (holes aren’t routed through or around residential homes), Ferris continued. “One of the driving forces behind doing the renovation was the flooding that occurred on the North end of the course every year. 90,000 cubic yards of dirt was moved to expand lakes and raise tees, fairways, greens, and bunkers.”

If you have played Water Oak in the past… it is time to revisit this new North Central Florida “Sanford Ferris Design Masterpiece.” Contact the clubhouse at (352) 753-3000 to book your tee time. With the renovation completed at Water Oaks Golf Club, the course reopened for play, Saturday, December 3rd. Gus _, a resident for 3-year, was set to play with his normal group the “Swing Slice,” Saturday morning. Little did he know what was about to happen, playing the golf course for the first time. “When I stepped on the tee on number 12, par 3, 179-yard. The pin was low on the green and was tucked in behind the bunker. I hit a 5-iron. We saw it hit and roll around, but then we lost site of it. Behind the green there is a backstop to force the ball back on to the green,” Gus explained. “When we got to the green, we couldn’t find the ball. We all looked and figuring it had rolled off the back and we just couldn’t see it. I was headed to the drop zone to hit again. The guys to help speed up play, started to putt out and when the first guy got close and was about to pull the pin, he said “Hey Gus… wait a minute, I found your ball!” Gus said. It had been 21-years since Gus scored his first hole-in-one in Ft. Myers. “I’ve been close a lot of times… but never had the second one,” Gus stated. Fast forward one week. The very next Saturday. “I stepped on to number 4, one on the flattest par 3’s that we have at Water Oaks. It is slightly uphill. 141-yards to the pin, with a breeze behind me… I played a pitching wedge,” Gus explained. “The green is flat on the front and back with a depression in the middle where the pin was located. Same situation, the whole foursome was looking for the ball that we assumed was off the back of the green.” Well, there it was, in the hole again! One week apart. Right now… Gus is considered the “Luckiest Golfer” in Water Oaks.