A New Epicenter for Golf Travelers is Coming to the Suncoast

A once shining star burns bright again after Tee to Green renovation.

Located in Bradenton, just thirty minutes south of the St. Petersburg metro and Brandon town center area, the new Heritage Harbour Golf Resort will be perfectly positioned to meet the demands of golf travelers visiting the Tampa Bay and Suncoast area.

Phase one of the twenty-year-old Club’s master plan was a Tee to Green course renovation completed during the summer of 2022. Originally designed by Arthur Hills, this course was praised for it’s great architecture, wide playing corridors, and natural settings that wind throughout the property. The redesign goal was to blend the original elements with modern day golf course architecture to create a fun to play course with challenges for players of all skillsets.

To accomplish this goal, the Club hired course architect Nick Campanelli. Campanelli hails from the Connecticut area, and his firm, M-D-L-A is based in Boston, MA. Campanelli first visited Heritage Harbour in 2019 while on a family vacation. It was then that he learned about the Club’s plan to reinvent the property by adding a Stay & Play component that will include a 100-room golf lodge and 74 villas in the space that was then the first and second hole of the existing course. The challenge for the Club owners was to create two new holes that fit comfortably into the existing corridors. Campanelli took a cart ride with managing partner and twentyfive year PGA Member Mark Bruce to explore options. “The first corridor we could work with was easy to pin-point,” said Bruce. “The old 11th Hole was a beast, with 650 yards of space to play with”.

Campanelli saw the vision immediately and started scratching out ideas on a single piece of paper pegged to a clipboard he was carrying around to make some notes. “I could tell right then and there that Nick had course architecture pulsing thru his veins. It doesn’t take me long to see talent in others”, said Bruce.

The second new hole wasn’t as easy to define, so Campanelli and Bruce agreed to stew on some ideas as time was on their side. The next step for Heritage Harbour was to start the process of re-zoning the 16 acres that their resort accommodations would sit on. From the onset, Manatee County officials were thrilled with the idea of adding a boutique golf resort to the list of things offered to folks visiting the area. Especially one located along the I-75 corridor that literally could serve residents of four counties, Manatee, Sarasota, Pinellas, and Hillsborough.

Bruce is no stranger to golf and golf tourism, in 2009, he and a fellow PGA professional started a local golf media and marketing company called Play Golf Sarasota. Their mission was to expose the public, traveling golfers, and people looking to relocate to the area courses and country clubs that would best fit their lifestyle. “For years we served golf groups big and small. Setting up their tee times at area courses, suggesting where they have drinks and dinner, and showcasing clubs and communities our clients could see themselves living,” said Bruce.

In late 2017, Bruce was introduced to the concept of acquiring the Heritage Harbour course, formerly called Stoneybrook Golf Club. The owner of the course was looking to sell, and Bruce saw the possibilities. Great course layout, amazing location, and commercial and residential growth metrics in the area were strong. In

2018, the deal was done, and Bruce embarked on a mission to transform the property into something special.

Fast forward to today, with all the zoning approvals in place, and developers eager to enter the destination golf space where there is virtually no competition, getting the golf course renovated, and the two new holes positioned, was the task for summer 2022.

“It was time for us to do our thing”, said Bruce. After three years of planning and navigating the governmental process, all smack in the middle of the Covid era, the members, customers, and surrounding communities were excited to see the course transformation commence.

Heritage Harbour opened the new course on November 3rd, six months to the day after closing. Golfers are redesign and love the two new holes. all-new bunkers new hole, it was not renovation process Campanelli was in town literally woke up scratched out same clipboard. “I was stewing on several concepts after being on site for a couple of days, then wham, my eyes popped open in the middle of the night, and I had it”, said Campanelli.

Tif Eagle greens, Celebration Bermuda eye-popping crushed that are the new Campanelli design.

The concept involved some changes to the back nine course routing, but most importantly created two new holes, 11th and 12th, in a spectacular corridor of the old 8th hole. Campanelli didn’t realize it, but he was also solving some operational problems. The new routing now accommodated two integral things. First, a halfway house, for players to get snacks and drinks during their round became a part of the “flow”, and the creation of a new short game practice area using the existing 8th green becomes a part of the amenities available to golfers seeking to hone their skills. “We will place a big priority on offering members, local visitors, and hotel guests access to short-game instruction, it’s the fastest way for golfers to improve their scores,” says Bruce.

The resort accommodation components will be constructed in 2023 and 2024. At present, Heritage Harbour Golf Resort offers daily tee times to the public, programs and memberships for locals and seasonal residents and can host charity tournaments.

Semi-Private Course MAP #151

TEE INFORMATION

Yardage/Rating/Slope:

Blue: 3373 / 58.8 / 97

Yellow: 3014 / 56.2 / 89

Red: 2749 / 55.6 / 89

COURSE FACTS

Number of Holes: 18

Architects: Jed Azinger and Gordon Lewis

General Manager: Tom Donato, CAM

Pro Shop Manager: Brian Schmidt

Superintendent: Ray Bartels, Jr. , CGCS

COURSE AMENITIES

• Complete Pro Shop

• Terrace on The Green Restaurant with Full Bar service

• Tiki Bar at Pool Side

• Banquets and weddings

• Golf Lessons available

Bradenton