Cabot Citrus Farms, the Florida property of The Cabot Collection, a rapidly growing Canadian golf developer and operator that has purchased or built courses in Scotland, St. Lucia, and other areas, announced plans to build a 21-hole non-traditional course.
Citrus Farms was once known as World Woods. It had two courses designed by Tom Fazio, and opened in 1994. Now, Citrus Farms will undergo a major renovation and rethinking to become Cabot’s first property outside of the United States. Cabot Citrus Farms, located about an hour north of Tampa International Airport is building a new clubhouse and luxury accommodations. It also offers practice facilities, shopping, dining, space for events, and new homes. They go on sale in February.
Along with the new short course, two 18-hole courses that were recently renovated feature sandy soil and some unusual elevation features.
The layout of The 21, a nontraditional short course at Cabot Citrus Farms, Florida (Courtesy of Cabot Collection).
Kyle Franz, an architect, is renovating the Pine Barrens 18-hole golf course. It will now be called Cabot Barrens (pictured above). Franz will partner with Mike Nuzzo, Ran Morrissett and his advisor on the renovation of the Rolling Oaks layout to create the new Cabot Oaks. Originally, Keith Rhebb, Riley Johns, and Morrissett were slated to finish the Cabot Oaks layout. However, Cabot changed to Franz, Nuzzo, and Morrissett in 2022.
Pine Barrens and Rolling Oaks were both among the top 100 in Golfweek’s Best Modern Courses List. However, the property lost much of its premium status over the past decade before Cabot bought it in 2022. He announced plans to complete the overhaul.
Nuzzo will design the property’s short course. It is a non-traditional layout called The 21. Nuzzo was given the task of designing as many holes as possible within the 100-acre property. He came up with 21 holes, many of which are half-par, promising interesting green complexes, as well as a variety strategies. You can also play the 21 as two separate short courses, rather than as one long layout.
In a media release, Ben Cowan Dewar, CEO and cofounder of The Cabot collection, stated that “we always want to keep it fresh and exciting.” Mike Keiser, founder of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort and an early Cabot investor, and I were looking at our terrain and courses in play when the idea to transform our 10-hole and 11-hole courses into a 21-hole layout was born. Golf enthusiasts who love the lush Floridian countryside and the 21-hole layout are attracted to the layout. Cabot Citrus Farms’ three courses will challenge and delight all levels of golfers. Each course pays tribute to one of the most loved places in golf.
Below are several photos of the property being redeveloped.
