Construction begins on 18-hole layout at Jack’s Bay Club in Bahamas

An 18-hole course will be built alongside an already existing short course by Tiger Woods.

Nicklaus Design has started construction on an 18-hole course at Jack’s Bay Club in Eleuthera, The Bahamas.

Jack’s Bay Club is a 1,200-acre resort club and community that already features a 10-hole short course named Playground that was designed by Tiger Woods’ TGR Design firm. The Nicklaus Design course will be the 18-hole, full-size counterpart to Woods’ short course.

The new layout is scheduled to open in 2025 and will be branded as the first Jack Nicklaus Heritage course. Jack’s Bay Club also will be the only Nicklaus-branded community in the Bahamas.

Jack Nicklaus himself is not involved in the project. Instead, Chad Goetz, a senior design associate at Nicklaus Design, will oversee the creation of the layout. Doug Maslo, director of development and construction for Jack’s Bay, will oversee the construction.

The course will feature several oceanside holes while interior holes will cover land said to include rolling terrain, lakes and blue holes that connect with the ocean.

“This may be the most spectacular piece of land that I have been blessed to work with in my career – this is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Goetz, who has designed courses around the world for Nicklaus Design over the past 25 years, said in a media release announcing that construction has started. “We want to create a course at Jack’s Bay that harmonizes with the environment and features strategic shot-making opportunities. Most of all, we want to create a course that is fun for all types of players and immerses them in the natural splendor of this remarkable piece of land.”

Jack's Bay Bahamas
The routing and site plan by Nicklaus Design for an 18-hole course at Jack’s Bay Club in the Bahamas (Courtesy of Jack’s Bay Club)

Nicklaus Design is part of Nicklaus Companies, which Jack Nicklaus founded but is now controlled by American businessman Howard Milstein, who owns 8AM Golf. That family of companies includes Golf Magazine, Golf.com, Miura Golf and other golf brands.

Jack’s Bay Club is being developed by Eleuthera Properties Ltd. The club includes four miles of oceanfront property and a wide assortment of high-end amenities.

Tiger Woods’ Playground par-3 course opens in the Bahamas

Tiger Woods built a par-3 Playground course at Jack’s Bay in the Bahamas and is slated to build a full 18-hole course.

Tiger Woods’ 10-hole Playground has opened at Jack’s Bay in Eleuthera, Bahamas, with the 10-hole par-3 course joining a growing trend of premium short courses at destinations around the world.

The Playground sits atop a bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, and the holes range from 55 to 170 yards and can be played in multiple configurations. The Blue Bar snack shop sits off the fourth tee.

“It is great to be part of this spectacular project in paradise,” Woods said in a press release. “The natural terrain and coastline are incredibly beautiful and call for an equally spectacular golf experience. The golf course complements the true spirit of the Jack’s Bay development because it’s designed for golfers to have fun, foster friendships and create memories within an unforgettable setting.”

Tiger Woods designed the par-3 Playground course at Jack's Bay in the Bahamas. (Courtesy of Jack's Bay)
Tiger Woods designed the par-3 Playground course at Jack’s Bay in the Bahamas. (Courtesy of Jack’s Bay Company)

The private Jack’s Bay is a 964-acre property with 2 ½ miles of Atlantic Ocean frontage 10 minutes from Rock Sound International Airport. Woods’ TGR Design also is slated to build an 18-hole course at the property that will include approximately 500 residences, bluffs that reach 80 feet above the ocean and a pink sand beach. The Playground was the first major recreational amenity to open at the community.

“Bringing Tiger to this private membership community opportunity in the Bahamas is nothing short of remarkable,” Franklyn Wilson, chairman of Jack’s Bay Company, said in the release. “Uniting the rich Bahamian cultural heritage and Eleuthera’s unmatched beauty with the skill and attention to detail brought to the table by Tiger Woods and TGR Design, makes this an exceptional opportunity.”

The welcome sign for the par-3 Playground course at Jack’s Bay in the Bahamas. (Courtesy of Jack’s Bay Company)

Adding short courses is a growing trend for operators of premium golf destinations, with the 13-hole, par-3 Preserve at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon and the nine-hole, par-3 Cradle at Pinehurst in North Carolina serving as prime examples.

Other recent openings include the Nest at Cabot in Nova Scotia and the Short Course at Forest Dunes in Michigan. Woods also is renovating the par-3 Peter Hay Golf Course at Pebble Beach Resorts in California.

The shorter courses can attract families and novices as well as serve as a fun break from larger, traditional courses for traveling groups of players looking to fill an evening with a few cocktails and laughs.

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