Several of architect David McLay Kidd’s most popular courses have focused on extreme and creative playability, with Gamble Sands in Washington and Mammoth Dunes at Sand Valley in Wisconsin as prime examples. Even his first-ever design, the original Bandon Dunes layout at the famed resort of the same name in Oregon, put playability at the forefront.
Kidd had a few deviations from the playability theme in his career, but in recent years he has talked at length about designing courses that are approachable for any level of golfer. The trick, he has said, is to challenge the best players while allowing less-skilled golfers to keep swinging.
Consider that challenge accepted at Bone Valley in Florida, his latest completed creation that will open in late September
for preview play at the well-regarded Streamsong Resort. Built with an appreciation of the resort’s other courses and with those layouts’ DNA in mind, Kidd has constructed a new, full-sized 18 that offers ample width and plenty of opportunities to bounce balls into greens – those are keys to playability for less-skilled players.
But just as megalodon shark teeth can be found in the sand piles left over from the site’s history as a phosphate mining operation, Bone Valley can offer a bit of a bite. Stray too far from the best scoring lines, and even the best players will struggle with the angles as they attempt to set up birdie putts.
“My team and I felt like we got to build something really, really fun both visually, strategically, creatively,” Kidd said. “I think golfers, when they come here, won’t be disappointed. I think they’ll have a blast trying to figure out how to navigate their way through. I think every hole has a dozen different attacks you could make, a thousand different ways you could recover from error. It’s not overly penal, but she is going to put up a fight against scoring. I think I’ve been able to refine that over the last dozen years or so.”
Bone Valley’s full grand opening is slated for January 26. In the meantime, check out our video of the completed course, featuring narration by Kidd.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Bone Valley opens soon at Streamsong in Florida
