Gilles Gagnon Joins the Club + Resort Talks Podcast from Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic
Rob Thomas, Editor-in-Chief of Club +Gilles Resort Business and host of the Club + Resort Talks podcast, sat down with Gangon, Director of Sales at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic. A close personal friend of Pete Dye, Gilles was the longtime Director of Golf Operations at the acclaimed resort before taking on his new role. He has some VERY entertaining stories to share … as well as news on the upcoming renovation of Teeth of the Dog.
Also in the news … After a two-and-a-half-year intensive course renovation, San Juan Oaks Golf Club in Hollister, Calif., has reopened for daily-fee play. Developer Third Millennium Partners has overseen the project from start to finish, with insights from golf architect Gene Bates—designer of the original course in 1996, along with PGA TOUR golfer and World Golf Hall of Fame member Fred Couples—who returned to modernize the layout in January 2022.
The comprehensive restoration involved regrassing the entire course, including tees and fairways with perennial ryegrass, 007XL bentgrass on the greens and new drought-resistant Bermuda grass on the practice range. Installation of a new pump station and irrigation system reduces overwatering and achieves better playing conditions.
A sinkhole at Bunker Hill Golf Course in Dubuque, Iowa, first appearing in May 2023, has raised concerns among local residents and golfers.
The sinkhole, located near the 17th hole, measures 11 feet deep and exposes a limestone shelf, indicating a collapse into an underlying mineshaft. The golf course is situated above an old limestone mine, a common feature in the area, and sinkholes are not uncommon in the region due to the topography and historical mining activity.
The City of Dubuque’s Leisure Services Department, in collaboration with the engineering department, is actively working on a solution. Officials have confirmed that the depth of the sinkhole has remained stable, and the city is preparing to hire an outside company to repair it. The area has been fenced off and covered with plywood to ensure safety, and the city advises people to avoid the site.
The Club at Olde Cypress in Naples, Fla. has enlisted Clive Daniel Hospitality for a renovation project. In partnership with Stock Development and Humphrey & Rosal Architects, Clive Daniel Hospitality is revitalizing the clubhouse to provide a refreshed, modernized experience for its members and guests.
The renovation, which includes the expansion of both the bar and dining areas, will open the back of the dining space to panoramic views of the lake and golf course. The exterior will also see a transformation, with the addition of ample seating on the upper and lower terraces, and a newly constructed, covered exterior bar.
Read about all of these stories, and so much more at clubandresortbusiness.com.
