After months of construction dust and temporary greens, the Pines Course at the Fort Walton Beach Golf Club is ready to show off a dramatic transformation that promises to elevate the layout built in 1961 into a premier golf experience.

• Golf Course Director Jacob Hill has been taking members on tours of the renovated course, riding around in a golf cart and stopping to point out new features while maintenance crews make final adjustments to the freshly cut greens.

“It’s really cool to take people to the bunker on 11 and seeing people’s faces, letting them walk down in it,” Hill said during a recent tour of the course.

That bunker on hole 11 has become something of a signature feature – a dramatic four-foot-deep hazard with wooden steps for golfers to access it. Hill calls it a “statement piece for the golf course” designed in the Scottish and Irish links style.

“You don’t see very many bunkers with wooden steps to get down into it,” Hill said. “It’s definitely pretty cool.”

The $613,710 renovation project, funded primarily through Tourist Development money, involved much more than the originally planned regrassing of all 18 greens. While crews dug out four to six inches of old roots and organic material before installing new TifEagle Bermudagrass sprigs, Hill and his team used the closure as an opportunity for broader improvements.

• “It’s a perfect time to do additional things while the course is closed,” Hill explained.

The course now features clearly defined fairway and rough lines that were previously difficult to distinguish, two new bunkers, strategic tree removal and additions, and a renovated practice green. The maintenance crew was visible throughout the tour, fine-tuning details and cutting the new greens progressively lower as they mature.

“Green TifEagle can be mowed very low, which is what makes it very appealing because you can get faster truer roll,” Hill said. The greens are currently being cut at 130 thousandths of an inch, with plans to reach 125 by the members-only Labor Day reopening.

For Hill, the project represents both a professional milestone and a personal homecoming. Born at HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital, which borders the golf course property, he played high school tournaments here and competed in junior events throughout his youth.

• “I have a lot of memories from this place already,” Hill said. “Getting this job was a huge opportunity for me.”

The timing proved fortunate. Hill started as director in July 2024, just as the renovation project was gaining final approval. With greens typically requiring replacement every 20 to 25 years as grass varieties mutate and revert over time, most golf course directors might wait decades for such an opportunity. Hill arrived at the perfect moment to oversee a complete transformation.

“I plan on being here a long time, so maybe I’ll see a couple more greens renovations,” Hill said.

The improvements extend beyond the course itself. A TrackMan range project will add 25 screens with shot-tracking technology to the driving range, included in the price of range balls rather than charged as a separate fee. Installation will begin with a phase one closure of the driving range from September 2-6. The driving range also received new target greens and colorful striped PVC posts that Hill and his team call “candy canes” to mark different distances.

The technology integration is a significant advantage over other local facilities and supports Hill’s vision for growing the sport. Rather than simply hitting balls into an open field, golfers will receive instant feedback on ball speed, trajectory and accuracy.

• “We want to bring in new customers. New people getting into the sport,” Hill said. “So that’s a really low barrier of entry for somebody to grab a $10 bucket of balls, come to the driving range, and get the golf bug.”

The system encourages golfers to practice with purpose, Hill explained, providing instant feedback that helps players improve more quickly. It can even simulate playing full rounds on famous courses, allowing someone to play 18 holes during a lunch break.

The Pines will officially reopen to members during a grand opening tournament on Labor Day, September 1, featuring two shotgun starts to maximize member participation. The 8:30 a.m. wave sold out in less than a week, while the 2 p.m. start is quickly filling up.

• Following the tournament, the course will reopen exclusively for member play beginning September 2 through the end of September. Public access will resume October 1, when the renovated Pines Course will be available to all golfers.

Between the tournaments, Clubhouse Grill will host a shrimp boil, with vendors providing closest-to-the-pin and long drive contests. Bridgestone will offer golf ball fittings at the range.

“We just felt like that was the best way to get the most amount of our members out at the same time,” Hill said. 

The course closure allowed the new grass to establish mature root systems without foot traffic damage. Hill expects green speeds to improve from the previous 7-9 range on the stimpmeter to 10-12, with firmer, truer-rolling surfaces.

The enhanced Pines Course will create a clear distinction within the 36-hole municipal facility. “It’s pretty rare to have a 36-hole facility where both courses are priced similarly,” Hill noted. The Pines will become the premium option with 10-minute tee time intervals, while the Oaks maintains nine-minute spacing for higher volume play.

Beyond serving local golfers, Hill sees the renovated course as a tourism draw that could pull visitors from higher-priced Destin courses to Fort Walton Beach. With rounds in Destin often costing $150 or more, the Pines could offer comparable quality in the $70 range, potentially encouraging tourists to spend the day in Fort Walton Beach and visit downtown businesses.

• “For a city like Fort Walton Beach to have a 36-hole, 360-acre golf facility, it’s a really cool thing,” Hill said. “Visitors can drive over for the day, even if they’re staying in Destin. They can eat here at Clubhouse Grill and even stop in downtown Fort Walton Beach on the way back.”

The course will also host additional high-profile events, including Choctaw High School’s district tournament. The district tournament will bring in teams of five players each, along with their parents and supporters, to the area for the multi-day event.

“Local high school tournaments like that are really important to me,” Hill said, noting how events like this bring visitors to Fort Walton Beach while supporting youth golf development. 

For Hill, who grew up playing in similar tournaments on this very course, the renovation represents more than just improved playing conditions – it’s about creating lasting memories for the next generation of golfers while establishing the facility as a regional destination.

“I just can’t wait to see everyone’s reaction to the Pines Course,” Hill said. “I love introducing people to the sport of golf. Anytime I can do something through golf that puts a smile on someone’s face, I’m more than happy to do so.”