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Where Extraordinary is Par for the Course
Summit Rock, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Design Golf Course
"I want to create a course where you get 18 great experiences on 18 different holes."
-Jack Nicklaus
Summit Rock, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Design golf course, will be the newest course at Horseshoe Bay Resort. Scheduled for completion in the fall of 2010, the members-only course will be open for play in the spring of 2011.
Only Summit Rock golf members will have access to this premier, private golf experience showcasing the best in Texas Hill Country golf. Click here for more information about membership at Horseshoe Bay Resort.
Jack Nicklaus Holds a Summit Rock Press Conference
The Golden Bear in Horseshoe Bay
Jack Nicklaus Design Reaches the Summit
By Art Dlugach
As seen in The Llano News on March 10, 2010
Jack Nicklaus, in Horseshoe Bay to discuss his Summit Rock course, also said he played golf recently with past and present quarterbacks, Dan Marino and Drew Brees. He said they outhit him by a hundred yards. Wouldn't have happened if they'd been able to tee it up in the 1960s, '70s, or '80s.
He may not be winning any longer at Augusta or Pebble Beach or St. Andrews, but he's designing courses in South Korea and Thailand, in Mexico and Moscow, and also a pretty fair layout in Horseshoe Bay: Summit Rock. Good name. Jack Nicklaus knows something about the summit in his sport, and he knows plenty about golf courses.
"We're seeing progress made," Nicklaus told a crowd of media and other guests, March 5, at Skywater Over Horseshoe Bay. That's a planned residential community of more than 1,600 acres near highway 2147. New owners got Skywater soaring again last summer when its future appeared under water.
"Summit Rock is alive and well," Nicklaus insisted. "Golf course construction is slow nationwide, but this is one of a few places doing well."
The 18 holes may cover as much as 7,250-7,500 yards from the back tees, 6,500 for the person who can't hit the ball 290. A tour was given of the layout, and there is no question work is being done. You can see greens and fairways. Well, where they'll reside in the future--ready for play in a year or so.
The Golden Bear turned 70 in January. His remarkable career is by the numbers: Six Masters titles, five PGA Championships, four U.S, Opens, three British Opens, and two U.S. Amateur crowns. His last major was at Augusta in 1986--he rallied to win by making a birdie on the ninth hole of the final round, and then he shot 30 on the back nine.
Back at Summit Rock, "There will be eight holes or so we call the lower holes," Nicklaus explained. "They are one, two and 13-18. Those that sit high will be three through 12. You get a different feel from one to the other."
"The weather is good here; it's a beautiful area with the lakes and recreation. The Hill Country is a place a lot of golf is played, and people want to come here." He emphasized there would be some dramatic views as the golfer reaches the higher elevation of the course.
We interrupt this program to bring you the latest news on Tiger Woods. "Well, that only took about 15 minutes," Nicklaus joked after the question was posed. More of a plea for a comment than a question. "I think he'll come back sooner than later, and I think he'll be back for the Masters," maybe the best-ever said about another "maybe the best ever". The Masters begins April 8. "He's a golfer, has been a golfer all his life, and Augusta is somewhere he wants to play."
"Golf has survived the retirements of Jones, Hogan and Snead, of Nelson and Palmer and myself. It can survive the absence of Tiger."
"His troubles are none of my business, but he has issues he has to resolve, and I hope he resolves them."
How might Woods handle Summit Rock? "We want to give someone like Tom Kite or Ben Crenshaw," Nicklaus stated, "to mention a couple of Texans, a challenge, because the members want their course tough for the pros, but we don't want to run people off, the average players."
"The equipment and balls have resulted in 340-yard drives, and we design courses differently. We want to design this around the members' tees (making for 18 holes that can be found within 6,500 yards). We want it to be a nice challenge for those who play it 99% of the time."
However: "Golfers are masochists; they want to be punished at times, so there's more pride when they do well. They want some 'spice' in the course, to keep their juices flowing."
However: "It's supposed to be a fun experience, not have forced carries, and we'd like people, when they finish a round, not to just say they'd like to come back, but they'd like to come back tomorrow."
There wasn't a lot of discussion concerning Nicklaus' past, but I asked him during a press conference in 1994, "Why were you so successful?" His response: "I won at an early age, and that gave me confidence. When you know you can do something well, it can really boost a belief in yourself." Nicklaus won his first U.S. Amateur championship at 19. He was the Open winner at 22. I saw an amateur match in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1961, which would be the last amateur match he ever lost. He was beaten 1-up in 19 holes by Bobby Greenwood, and I was impressed how Nicklaus, still a very young man, graciously put his arm around Greenwood to congratulate him.
"My dad taught me that. You want to win badly, but when you lose, you put a smile on your face and shake hands with the man who beat you."
They call Summit Rock a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. Signature signifies it's a bigger deal than maybe some other courses with which he's involved. It probably doesn't matter what term it gets to the owners of Skywater, to future members, to residents of the area. A legend some of us have admired for half a century is playing a major role in a course in our backyard. We may never tee it up there, but we'll proudly proclaim one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century chose our neighborhood to leave behind his name and a lasting landscape for his legacy.
Experience the Exclusivity of Summit Rock
This year brings great excitement as we watch the development of our fourth course, a Jack Nicklaus Signature course, come alive in our beautiful Hill Country setting. Only Summit Rock Golf Members will have access to this premier, private golf experience showcasing the best in Hill Country golf. For additional information, golfers and those desiring to socialize in an exclusive private Club setting should contact Karen Moore, Director of Membership, at The Club at Horseshoe Bay Resort, 830.598.5421 ext. 1131 or kmoore@hsbresort.com.
Read more in the press release.
Things are moving at Summit Rock!
Construction is well underway at Summit Rock, our new private Jack Nicklaus Signature Design Golf Course. Summit Rock is located at Skywater over Horseshoe Bay, a new residential development. Watch a video of Thad Rutherford, Director or Project Development for Skywater, speak about the progress at Summit Rock and Skywater. For more information about the residential community at Skywater, contact Horseshoe Bay Resort Realty at 830.596.9506 or visit www.hsbresortrealty.com.
Stay tuned for more progress updates on this exciting new golf course!
Summit Rock Golf Course Update
On July 1, 2009, Jack Nicklaus visited the Summit Rock Golf Course site at Horseshoe Bay Resort with his design team to walk the property and put the final touches on the Signature Course layout. He met with lead members Third Avenue Fund and Patriot Group of SW Ownership, Wadsworth Golf and the Southstar team to briefly share his vision for the Summit Rock Golf Course. The new team, SW Ownership and Southstar, is anxious to resume what is the most important new development in the Horseshoe Bay area.
As seen in The Highlander article by Fred Afflerbach
on Tuesday, October 16, 2007:
Nicklaus Visits Skywater
Stone House information center now open
The Golden Bear left his footprint on Horseshoe Bay Sunday.
Jack Nicklaus, winner of more major tournaments than any other golfer – 18 – flew in last weekend to consult and advise Skywater Over Horseshoe Bay developers and architects on the 7,200-yard, 18-hole Summit Rock Golf Club signature course.
Nicklaus appeared at Skywater representing his firm Nicklaus Design. Since his first golf course design in the 1970s, Nicklaus and his staff have designed over 300 courses that are now under play.
The golf legend brings to Skywater the same workmanlike approach that led him to 73 career tour victories, second only to Sam Sneed. He said about 12 holes were in good shape, but six others needed some changes.
“We’ve probably got about a dozen holes that fit in nicely, and we have about six we probably need to work on and try to figure out which way to do this economically and most efficiently, and make sure we get the product we need.”
The 67-year-old Hall of Fame golfer said they were addressing changes to number 18 to construct a picturesque final hole.
“We’re working on a waterfall situation alongside the finishing green that will look really nice. We’re moving the green over into that location.”
Jim Rohrstaff is leading the sales team for Skywater’s marketing firm, DMB Realty, an Arizona company specializing in mixed-use, urban, master planned communities. Rohrstaff said working with Nicklaus was surreal.
“Jack’s been a golfing legend for 45 years. When you have the opportunity to meet; or let alone work with somebody who is the best at what they do, it’s a pretty special thing,” said Rohrstaff.
In conjunction with the Nicklaus visit, Skywater held a brunch to celebrate the opening of their information center called the Stone House.
The building will serve as a welcome center for those interested in purchasing property in the 1,600-acre community overlooking Horseshoe Bay and Lake LBJ. When finished, Skywater will feature about 1,100 home sites and offer access to the Horseshoe Bay Resort airport, now under renovation. Skywater will have entries from both SH 71 and FM 2147.
Architect Tim Blonkvist said they used an eco-friendly approach to design the welcome center – a sandstone and Brazilian hardwood building that would utilize both sun and rain. The solar-paneled, concave roof catches rainwater and funnels it down an elevated aqueduct that drains into a 20,000-gallon cistern. The water will be used to water the landscaping, which includes a garden that will supply fresh vegetables to the kitchen.
Blonkvist said the overhanging “butterfly” roof was raised upward to catch rain and sun, but did not restrict the Hill Country view.
“We’re not just enclosing the space,” said Blonkvist. “The whole thing is designed so when the sun moves around the building, it prevents the heat from coming in while allowing natural sunlight to come in.”
The solar roof panels will supply energy to heat both the building and indoor water supply.