THE HAMMOCK
Observer
COMMUNITY HOLIDAY EVENTS SECTION D
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 1, NO. 22
FREE ON NEWSSTANDS | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2025
Resident wants The Hammock in ‘Trump County’ Jen Herold says it’s not a stunt. If barrier island communities formed a county, they could control their taxes. 3A
County may buy 35 acres near Marineland
$800K renovations begin at Hammock’s Ocean Course The work is scheduled to take place over 10 weeks. The resort is also fully renovating its practice chipping green. OBSERVER STAFF
Report on environmentally sensitive land PAGE 4A INSIDE SUCCESS WITH HOGS Flagler County program works to reduce number of invasive wild hogs PAGE 4A
TURKEY GIVEAWAY
A record 75 Thanksgiving dinners were distributed at Flagler Schools support staff’s Gobble Event PAGE 9A
INDEX
Business..................... PAGE 3B Calendar..................... PAGE 2B Cops Corner................PAGE 2A Crossword.................. PAGE 8B Opinion....................... PAGE 8A Public Notices............ PAGE 5C Sports......................... PAGE 6B Tributes ...................... PAGE 2C Real Estate................. PAGE 5B
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The Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa will begin an $800,000 bunker renovation at one of its two signature golf courses on Dec. 1. The renovations will be at the Jack Nicklaus Signature Ocean Course, an 18-hole course of over 100 acres of playable turf, designed by Nicklaus. The work will take approximately 10 weeks to complete and includes upgrades “designed to improve drainage, durability and long-term performance,” according to a Hammock Beach press release. “The result will be cleaner aesthetics, firmer playing surfaces, and an improved golfing experience across all 18 holes,” the press release said. The work should be completed in February 2026, according to the resort website. Over the 10-week period, the Ocean Course will be open under a nine-hole rotating schedule, allowing construction to progress while play can continue. No work will occur on Sundays, and select Saturdays will also be construction-free, the press release said, and all 18 holes will be open between Christmas and New Year’s. “This investment underscores our commitment to delivering a championship-caliber golf experience at Hammock Beach,” said Brad Hauer, director of Golf at Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa. “With these upgrades, players can expect improved performance, consistency, and visual appeal throughout the course.” MacCurrach Golf Construction is contracted to perform the work and will install Capillary Concrete technology, new bunker liners and angular sand. The bunker renovations are meant to “enhance playability, improve consistency, and elevate the overall golf experience,”
Protection that travels with you.
The Jack Nicklaus Signature Ocean Course at the Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa. Courtesy of Hammock Beach Golf Resort
the press release said. At the same time, the resort will also give its practice chipping green a full renovation. The redesigned green will have upgraded turf and expanded short-game capabilities to mirror the conditions of the Ocean Course. The upgrades come in advance of the Constellation Furyk & Friends golf tournament, scheduled for Oct. 9-11, 2026. The Constellation tournament is a PGA Tour Champions event with a purse of $2.1 million. The Ocean Course course at Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa,
located at 200 Ocean Crest Drive, is for resort guests and membersonly. It features six holes overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, challenging bunkers and is one of two signature courses at the resort. The final four holes of the Ocean Course were nicknamed “The Bear Claw” by Nicklaus and are has placed the course on “countless ‘best of’ lists” by acclaimed golf publications, according to the website.
The Tom Watson Signature designed Conservatory Course, an 18-hole course that spans 140 acres, will remain open during the Ocean Course construction work. The Conservatory’s signature No. 8 hole is on an island green while the 18th hole’s tee box is elevated almost 200 feet. The Conservatory underwent a $1.2 million bunker renovation in 2021.
The upgrades come in advance of the Constellation Furyk & Friends golf tournament, scheduled for Oct. 9-11, 2026.
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