Golf legend Jack Nicklaus was at The Club at Ibis on Wednesday, December 13 to officially reopen the aptly-named Legend Course in front of more than 400 members. Nicklaus built the course in 1991 and his renovation featured the changes in the sport of golf and Nicklaus’ design philosophy during the last quarter century.
“When I built this course, there were no trees or houses here,” Nicklaus said before hitting the ceremonial first shot (down the middle of the No. 1 fairway). “We lengthened it from the back tees and shortened it from the front. We did a whole bunch of things to make it more pleasurable for the members here at Ibis. What you have is a modern golf course.”
Major Renovations to Legend Course
The par-72 Legend Course, which hosted the Office Depot on the LPGA Tour from 1997-2000, was lengthened from the tips by more than 300 yards, to 7,442. The shortest tees measure slightly more than 4,500 yards. Nicklaus also took out a lot of the waste areas he used to frame the original design.
All of the greens were re-contoured and the fairways re-grassed. “We tried to increase the strategy members can use,” Nicklaus said. “I think we made it a much better golf course.” Send me more information about The Club at Ibis!
Nicklaus lives 15 minutes away from The Club at Ibis, allowing him to make many trips during the renovation. That personal touch came through with his renovation.
Family Connection, Professional Instruction
The Club at Ibis remains the only place in the world that features three golf courses by different members of the Nicklaus family. Sons Jack II designed The Heritage and Steve designed The Tradition.
As part of the day’s ceremonies, PGA Tour star Daniel Berger did a clinic for Ibis’s members with Director of Golf Instruction Martin Hall. Berger, ranked 28th in the world, is the son of Ibis’s new Director of Tennis Instruction, Jay Berger. Send me more information about The Club at Ibis!
