Boomer Erick knows how to make a return to his home state of Florida. The Marco Island native spent the past 17 years as Head professional at Boston Golf Club before accepting the role as Director of Golf at the highly-anticipated Miakka Golf Club in Myakka City, east of Sarasota.
“I’m finally back home,’’ said Erick, whose father, Richard, is the long-time director of golf at Kensington Golf & CC in Naples.
Those Florida roots helped lead Erick to Miakka Golf Club. He spent two years (2006-8) as First Assistant Professional at Calusa Pines Golf Club, in Naples, FL., whose Michael Hurdzan/Dana Fry layout is one of the top courses in Southwest Florida. Fry and design partner Jason Straka are creating Miakka Golf Club for businessman Steve Herrig.
“I had a great relationship with Dana,’’ Boomer Erick told me. “He always kept me up to date on projects he had – whether it was in Asia or in Florida. He said, ‘You really need to take a look at this one. It’s going to be one in a lifetime. We’re going to create something special.’
“I haven’t seen a project (before Miakka Golf Club) where the architect and the owner are completely aligned in their visions,’’ Erick said. And just do what it takes to get the best golf course experience possible.’’
That’s not hyperbole. What Straka and Fry – with PGA Tour legend Paul Azinger serving a consultant – are composing is an 1,100-acre showpiece set against two miles of Myakka River frontage; and amongst the flatwood pines and livestock pastures.
Along with the golf landscape, 300 acres of nature trails are preserved and earmarked for conservation easement.
Expected to open in November, Miakka Golf Club (7,700 yards from the tips) features Zoysia Stadium grass on the tee boxes and fairways; Zoysia Lazer grass on the greens (the first in Florida); some dramatic bunkering; long, ribbon and surprising elevation changes.
Miakka Golf Club brings Australia’s Sandbelt (think Royal Melbourne) to the middle of Florida.
Miakka Golf Club’s front nine, along with the 10th, 17th and 18 holes each have been completed.
“The full course is sand-capped,’’ Erick said. “It’s built as if it were a big putting green. And with the drainage, I don’t think we’ll ever get a mud ball here at Miakka.’’
Boomer Erick (Miakka Golf Club)
Fry has called the 11th through 17th holes “one of the great stretches on inland golf anywhere.’’ The 11th, for example, is a long par-4 – where the elevation changes seriously begins; and the 14th is a reachable par-5; the 15th a driveable par-4
“It’s a stretch of holes where you can use every club in your bag,’’ Erick said. “The holes won’t be overly difficult, but they will have the most drama because that’s the greatest elevation and the scenes that Dana and Jason created.
“You’re going to have good birdie opportunities on 13, 14 and 15.’’
An early candidate for a signature hole might be the par-3, 17th, which plays along the Miakka River with tee boxes that can be pushed back as long as 165 yards and as close as 100 yards.
“It’s such a simple hole,’’ Erick said. “Everything else has all these scenes that have been created. All of the trees have been transplanted. But that hole just sits perfectly.’’
In addition to the 18-hole golf course, Miakka Golf Club will include a member’s clubhouse, a 12-hole short course, a 360 degree driving range and luxury cottages.
One of the eight-bedroom cottages, Erick said, is expected to be open in November and will serve as the Club’s golf operations center. The Club’s first beverage outlet, called “The Still,’’ also is expected to open in November.
Photo Credits: Evan Schiller