There has been a trend in recent years of developing old golf courses into housing communities in the Tampa Bay Area. The most recent example of this is the gated community that has been developed in Land O Lakes.
When Plantation Palms Golf Club closed in 2014, it seemed that it would suffer the same fate because two years after it closed, a developer made an application to build homes on the site. The community of Plantation Palms started a group which they named ‘Bring Back Our Club’. The group got in contact with Bill Place, the owner of Ace Golf, to see if he would be interested in redeveloping the course and reopening the club.
Bill Place seemed like the ideal person to approach as he has already redeveloped three other courses in the area. However, Plantation Palms was in a state of disrepair. The fairways and green had virtually all been destroyed and there were big problems with weeds and overgrowth that needed to be addressed. He did agree to take the project on and enlisted help from the local community along the way. Members of the original ‘Bring Back Our Course’ group planted tropical plants all around the course and some of them also act as volunteer ambassadors who welcome visitors to the club and share the story of how the course came to be redeveloped. 821 social memberships have also been purchased by the Plantation Palms Homeowners Association.
The course was opened within six months of the onset of redevelopment. It is now a course which has been rated as four stars by Golf Digest. There is also a miniature golf course which has 18 holes and an Irish Pub which is suitable for families to come and enjoy a meal. These features are designed to make the club more accessible to the whole community and to encourage young people to take up golf as a sport. There are also plans to develop the course further in the coming months. A banquet hall will be built which can be used as a venue for parties and weddings. A driving range is also expected to open shortly and this will feature LED lighting so that it can be used at nighttime.
Although the golf industry is a tough one to be in at the moment, Bill Place is sure that Plantation Palms Golf Club has enough innovative features to make it a success. He also firmly believes that none of this would have been possible without the tremendous support of the local community.
If you are interested in information on homes for sale in Land O Lakes, FL, or any real estate in the Tampa Bay area, please contact Rose & Joe LoCicero at (813) 435-5411 or start your home search now.