Situated on a peaceful, rolling bulge of land positioned perfectly between The Loop and Forest Dunes courses and near the spacious clubhouse, pavilion, practice area and massive HillTop Putting Course, The Bootlegger Short course, with fun, strategic holes measuring between 50 and 155 yards, will be a focal point and energetic hot spot for golfers of all ages and skill levels. 

Forest Dunes owner Lew Thompson considered a handful of top golf course architects before entrusting the par-three course project to Riley Johns and Keith Rhebb, who have previously partnered on the acclaimed renovation at Orlando’s Winter Park 9 course. Johns and Rhebb have also worked on high-profile design projects around the globe with legendary architects Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw.

“We were thrilled at how quickly this project came together this year and with the huge amount of trust Lew has given us,” Johns says. “He wants a course that will be fun and playable for his grandkids and any golfer of any skill level, so that’s the main goal we’re keeping in mind as we build holes where you can play a variety of shots and trajectories and take different angles to get to the hole.”

While not at all penal or overly-demanding, the 957-yard layout promises to be visually striking, enticing guests to play it before or after a round on The Loop or Forest Dunes or any time they’re on the resort grounds. To facilitate a firm, fast ground game, the course will feature fescues from the tees to the edges of the receptive bentgrass greens where golfers can use strategic slopes and banks to feed shots toward the hole. Rhebb says the greens will take on a variety of subtle shapes, many being bowl-shaped and some resembling catcher’s mitts or table tops.

“When you come to Forest Dunes, we want you to have a good time,” says Thompson, who says he’ll happily allow music, bare feet and eightsomes on the new par-three course if that’s what it takes to make the game more accessible and fun. “What Keith and Riley are building is going to bring a new life and energy to the property. It’s going to bring people together and make their time more enjoyable.”

A unique feature on the course will be that holes 1 and 10 are crossover holes with a tree protecting from direct ball flight issues. “The land gave us such a great canvas to create something fun that offers a ‘welcoming handshake’ to entry-level players and says ‘this is what golf can be.’”

Of the view visitors will see upon entering the golf property, Johns says, “you’ll see some nice shadows, some gently-rumpled ground on this course, but playability is our main focus versus trying to make any bold design statement. Because the course is in the middle of property and so visible, it’s really going to raise the level of enjoyment at Forest Dunes. There will always be a gallery of some sort nearby to cheer you on, especially from the pavilion.” 

From the resort website.