Iconic golfer's $3.2M course overhaul complete

NAPLES — The newly remodeled golf course at Naples Lakes Country Club, a $3.2 million course and project, is celebrating its grand re-opening.

The course, recently nominated for Golf Digest's 2018 Renovation of the Year Award, is the only Arnold Palmer Signature Course in Collier County and is the last course renovation Arnold Palmer personally reviewed before he died, according to a statement. The club is holding a celebration on the re-opening Feb. 17.

“This was a complete golf course renovation resulting in a basically brand-new golf course,” says Naples Lakes Head Golf Professional Jake Myers in the statement. “A year in the planning and closed for eight months, major phases included enlarging and leveling all tee complexes, building new greens, improving and expanding the practice facilities, replacing all of the cart paths, and reshaping the fairways. The final result is a pristine golf course, with improved drainage and more character."

The club worked closely with The Arnold Palmer Design Co. during the renovation process and Wadsworth Construction oversaw the construction. “Our work at Naples Lakes is some of the finest in our company's long history,” Arnold Palmer Design Co. senior golf course architect Thad Layton says in the release.

Naples Lakes contains more than 200 acres of lakes and protected nature preserves and has been designated as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.