Source: Bradenton Herald
Jack Nicklaus balked when Sarasota realtor Michael Saunders issued the order to shovel during Tuesday's ceremonial ground-breaking ceremony at The Concession Golf Club.
"I don't dig dirt," said Nicklaus, drawing hearty laughter from dignitaries and media members. "I just direct it."
For about two hours, Nicklaus and Concession partner and Bradenton resident Tony Jacklin toured the 540-acre site east of Lorraine Road and Lakewood Ranch, tweaking the proposed design and applying their personal stamps.
If construction goes as scheduled, the course could open in December.
"Primarily, our organization (Nicklaus Design) is doing the golf course, I'm doing the golf course, and Tony is consulting with me on the golf course," said Nicklaus, whose company has 275 courses open for play worldwide.
The Concession Golf Club and Residences project is part of a private-course boom in East Manatee and north Sarasota, joining the Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed Founders Club on Fruitville Road and the Tom Fazio-designed Ritz-Carlton near Lakewood Ranch.
Developer Kevin Daves, Saunders, Nicklaus and Jacklin are firm in their belief the Golden Bear's reputation will ensure a sellout of The Concession's 300 memberships, currently priced at $75,000.
"When Jack lays it out, home values are higher than any other home values on courses laid out by any other designer," Saunders said.
"I've done an awful lot of golf courses for real estate developments and average golfers that are very well accepted," Nicklaus said. "We want to design more here from the members' tees than the back tees, making sure it's playable for the people who are going to play it on a day-to-day basis. I think we've been relatively successful with that through the years."
The Concession celebrates Nicklaus' gesture of conceding a two-foot putt to Jacklin on the final hole of the 1969 Ryder Cup at Royal Birkdale in England, resulting in a 16-16 tie between the United States and Great Britain (the defending champion U.S. team retained the Cup).
"It's a great thrill for me to be involved with him in this project," said Jacklin, who originated the Concession concept.
Jacklin said he and Nicklaus will continue to refine the design on subsequent site visits to the property, which is dotted with huge oak trees and towering pines.
"It's using what is here and taking the best advantage of it we can," Jacklin said. "We're trying to keep variety in the shape of the holes and using the environment we have to enhance it.
"It's going to be a wonderful walk among nature - like golf when I started playing more than 50 years ago in Britain."
Nicklaus, who turns 65 Friday, hasn't played on tour since his own Memorial in June. He underwent a surgical procedure on his lower back Nov. 23 to alleviate recurring pain in his legs.
"I had a huge desire to get my legs to stop hurting," he said. "It hurt like hell for 17 days after (the procedure), but I haven't had a pain for six weeks."
He plans to return to action in two weeks at the Wendy's Champions Skins Game in Hawaii.
