Miakka Golf Club, co-designed by Paul Azinger and Fry/Straka, is joining the list of high-profile ccourses curretly being built in Florida
Located 30 miles southeast of Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport, the course – designed by Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design in cooperation with PGA Tour star Paul Azinger – will be the centerpiece of Miakka Golf Club, a private club along the banks of the Myakka River,
The club, led by Florida entrepreneur Steve Herrig. shares ownership with and is adjacent to the acclaimed TerraNova Equestrian Center and The Estates at TerraNova community.
“This is one of the best natural sites for golf and one of the best teams we’ve ever been affiliated with,” said Jason Straka, principal of Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design. “The property has an incredible two miles of frontage along the Myakka River with hundreds of mature oak hammocks. Just the golf club and its facilities are being built on more than 1,100 acres. Miakka is going to be pure golf with no encroachments or distractions of any kind. The course will resemble the celebrated courses of the Australian Sandbelt, with wide turf corridors, no rough, and distinctive bunkers and natural-area hazards jutting into the line of play.”
Azinger, a former Ryder Cup and PGA Champion, lives in nearby Bradenton.
“I’m from here. This is my home, and it’s incredibly important to me,” Azinger said. “Steve and his team are absolutely committed to making Miakka Golf Club one of the very best private clubs in the world. He’s assembled an all-star team and will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal.”
Building upon Azinger’s comment, Dana Fry, Straka’s partner in Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design, points to the extraordinary lengths to which the development team has gone to ensure Miakka Golf Club provides its future members with unparalleled playing conditions.
“The entire 7,700-yard golf course will be sand capped with a proprietary blend of sand and Profile soil conditioner. Everything but the greens will be sodded. In addition, the entire course will have substantial underdrains to ensure fast and firm playing conditions year-round,” said Fry. “Recently, Miakka secured 1,600 acres of adjacent land and will be the first course in Florida with its own sod farm. This is where they’ll grow the Stadium and Lazer Zoysia grass that will be used on the fairways, tees, and green surrounds.”
When completed, Miakka Golf Club’s 18-hole championship course will wind its way through the gently rolling meadows and along the dense stands of mature trees lining the Myakka River, presenting players with a captivating selection of risk/reward challenges and shot-making opportunities. In addition, Miakka Golf Club will include a 12-hole, par-3 golf course, a seven-acre short game facility, a lighted putting course, and a distinctive performance center featuring a unique 360-degree practice facility.
Other amenities will include a clubhouse with golf course views, an expansive patio, luxurious locker facilities for men and women, and a dining room and bar with exceptional cuisine. Adjacent to the clubhouse, the performance center will be fully integrated with the latest TrackMan technology to aid with instruction and clubfitting. It will also include an innovative putting lab as well as indoor and outdoor hitting stations.
A well-equipped fitness center will feature the latest equipment for strength, flexibility, cardio training, recovery, and rehabilitation.
Surrounding the putting course will be a cluster of traditional cracker-style cabins to provide overnight accommodations for members and guests. Nearby, the “Still’’ will be an informal gathering spot overlooking a 38-acre recreational pond.
The 12-hole par-3 course, Still and a selection of cabins are expected to open in 2024 with the championship course ready for play in early 2025. A limited number of local and national memberships will be offered by invitation only.
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Photo Courtesy of Miakka Golf Club