Coming to America: Cabot Citrus Farms set for 2023 opening
14 Jan 2022
by Sean Melia of AmateurGolf.com
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Cabot Citrus Farms will open in 2023 (Credit: WorldWoods.com)
Golf destinations are all the rage. Over the last decade, Cabot Links has been one such location that golfers flock to for a high-end golf experience in a beautiful setting.
Recently, Cabot have started to expand their reach; they are about to open a fabulous resort in St. Lucia, and they also made their first land purchase in the United States, snapping up World Woods.
World Woods, located 50 minutes from Tampa Bay, boasts two 18-hole golf public courses that received critical acclaim when owner Yukihisa Inoue unveiled them in 1993. The Pine Barrens course was one of the top 100 courses in America and Rolling Oaks was considered a top course in Florida. Initially, World Woods was supposed to have nine courses, however, Pine Barrens and Rolling Oak were the only two that were built.
Pine Barrens has been compared to Tobacco Road and other Mike Stranz designs with it’s large, wild features.
“It reminded me a lot of Old Toccoa and Tobacco Road. It's visually deceiving, but not quite to that extent. Lots of bunkers with that tall wispy grass,” said LPGA player Lauren Coughlin an episode of NoLayingUp's “Crash Course."
Over the last 20 years, both the Tom Fazio-designed golf courses have been somewhat neglected, leaving them ripe for revitalization.
Enter Cabot, who will rename the destination Citrus Farms and put their stamp on the site. The name isn’t the only thing that will change. Cabot purchased 1,200 acres of land and plans on creating the same kind of experience golfers enjoy at Cabots Links in Nova Scotia and will soon enjoy at Cabot Saint Lucia resort later in 2022 and also at Revelstoke in British Columbia farther in the future. It will include a hotel, spa, par 3 course, new clubhouse, and practice facility.
The two championship courses will be altered and improved, and Cabot will announce its choice for architects in late March. Given the names they have employed over the years - Coore/Crenshaw and Rod Whitman are probably at the top of the list. It’s hard to imagine any architect not wanting to jump in and bring Pine Barrens and Rolling Oak back to their former glory while also adding their own personal flair.
In 2023 Cabot Citrus Farms will be open for play and golfers from all over the world will have a new destination to add to their bucket list.