On this episode of Club + Resort Talks, Club + Resort Business Editor-in-Chief Rob Thomas and Senior Phil Keren discuss a recently completed project, one that is nearly finished and two more that are just beginning.

The 18-month revitalization project at LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort in Naples, Fla. encompassed 189 of the resort’s guest rooms, the complete rebuild and elevated design enhancements of the famed Beach House, and the restoration of its four beachside pools. Improvements were made to the resort’s beachfront restaurant, beachside lounge, and poolside lounging area. “The completion of this extensive restoration marks a significant milestone for LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort,” says Martin Greenwood, Area Managing Director for the resort.

Previously known as America’s longest golf course, the Pines Course at The International in Bolton, Mass. is on schedule to welcome limited member play this fall. Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw are wrapping up the project they began in 2022. It is believed The Pines will be the first new 18-hole course to open in Massachusetts in more than a decade. The Pines will be one of the region’s few courses to feature fescue grass on tees, fairways and in the rough. Fescue grass courses are typically found in Scotland and Ireland, places where the game was first played.Other final project tasks include installing new bunker sand, edging perimeters of bunkers, trimming and clearing trees, and establishing fairway/rough lines.

After a century of operation, the Swope Memorial golf course in Kansas City plans to close for a year to undergo a $7 million renovation.There is a proposal before Kansas City’s City Council for the project. If approved, plans include rebuilding the tee boxes, cart paths, and greens, installing a new drainage system, and filling the bunkers with firmer sand. Some greens will be less steep, and others will be wider. They will also renumber certain holes to improve the pace of play. A significant number of trees will be removed to improve playability and turf health by increasing sunlight and airflow.

Burning Tree Country Club in Greenwich, Conn. intends to revamp its infrastructure by replacing the old pool building with a modern facility dubbed the Aquatics and Recreation Center. The current paddle tennis building will make way for a new structure and additional features outlined in the proposal include an open-air poolside bar.