LONGBOAT KEY, Fla. -- The award-winning Longboat Key Club and Resort, Sarasota’s only AAA Four-Diamond beachfront resort, announced the re-design and re-naming of their Harbourside nine-hole golf course previously known as “Blue” during an official Grand Opening celebration on January 10th .

Originally created in 1987, the “Blue” was officially renamed the “Blue Heron” during a morning ribbon-cutting ceremony with over 200 Longboat Key Club guests and members in attendance. Award-winning golf course architect and environmental authority Ron Garl of Lakeland, Florida began the re-design of the course during the summer.

“This is just Phase One in our future plans for a re-design of all of our golf courses,” commented new General Manager Michael Welly. During the daylong celebration, Welly also announced that Ron Garl had been selected to work on the course because of his experience with environmental issues. “Ron is a widely recognized authority when it comes to preserving the natural surroundings on a golf course. He has proven that a great course must either enhance the natural site or create a new environmentally sound one that will co-exist with Mother Nature. Garl was hired to add native plants that fit in with the beautiful Island ambiance and has also helped work with water management on this project.”

Harbourside offers a challenging 27-hole layout of three, nine-hole courses originally designed by Willard Byrd. The Blue Heron course is 3,386 yards. The Red course is 3,323 yards and the White course 3,426.

The Florida State Golf Association Rating Panel recently visited the new Blue Heron course. Rating Team Captain for District 11 and Sarasota resident Jim Parr found the course to be “a real challenge.” He said the whole team found the Blue Heron course to be “lots of fun and in
excellent condition with some great visual touches.”

In 32 years, Ron Garl’s number one goal has been to stay sensitive to the environment and pay attention to details. “Longboat is a bird-lovers paradise. The wild life on this course is incredible,” he commented. “We have found eagles, hawks, blue heron, egrets and swans, just to name a few.”

“We’ve totally re-designed the Blue golf course and brought the putting surfaces into the 21st century,” explained Director of Golf Gary Geiger, who has been with the Longboat Key Club for over eleven years. “All the green complexes were taken out and built to USGA
specifications. We have all new bunkers and chipping areas around the greens, adding a little elevation, contour and excitement.”

According to Ron Garl, some of the green locations have now been changed. “The signature hole #5 was reconfigured to a horseshoe shape with the green on a peninsula. Our goal was to create an enjoyable and memorable golf experience.”

The re-design and re-naming of the “Blue” course is the beginning of a commitment for a total re-design of all golf courses over the next few years at The Longboat Key Club and Resort. The Harbourside courses play through stands of oaks, sabal palm fig, palmetto, Washingtonian palm and southern pine.

Golfers can improve their swing by attending the half-day golf school. The five-hour session with The Club’s director of instruction includes an evaluation of the student’s kinesthetic, auditory and visual skills; short game work; lessons on bunkers, pitching and lobs; full swing
instruction and lunch with a recap session and take-home video. Prices are $500 for a private ½ day session and $750 for two people.

Call Longboat Key Club and Resort directly at *800-237-8821 or 941-383-8821*. Check out www.longboatkeyclub.com for additional information.