AUGUSTA, Mo. — Another major pillar of the Hoffmann family’s redevelopment in Augusta, Missouri, could soon begin to take shape.
The Hoffmanns on Wednesday unveiled plans for their proposed 12-hole course that would be located just north of Balducci Vineyards, a Hoffmann-owned winery located at 6601 S. Highway 94.
Construction on the project could begin next spring, with David Hoffmann estimating development of the golf course will cost between $10 million to $15 million.
Speaking to media Wednesday at Balducci and flanked by the course’s designer, Rees Jones, David Hoffmann described the golf course as a “key element” of his family’s ongoing investment in Augusta. The family, through its company, the Hoffmann Family of Companies, plans to invest $125 million in the region, surpassing initial projections of $100 million. Since January, it has acquired four Augusta wineries, five vineyards and 10 buildings in downtown Augusta. It’s part of a plan to create a national destination in Augusta driven around its collection of wineries, similar to the famed Napa Valley region in California or Blackberry Farm, a renowned wine destination in Walland, Tennessee.
Jones, the course’s designer, is the son of the late Robert Trent Jones, the famed golf designer who was architect of Bellerive and Old Warson country clubs in the St. Louis region. Rees Jones led renovations at Bellerive, where the Hoffmanns said they were members and were introduced to Jones.
The 12-hole design, as opposed to a traditional 18-hole course, is intentional. Jones and Hoffmann said it's part of an effort to provide a quicker playing experience for visitors.
“Twelve holes has sort of become a new model for golf to speed it up,” Jones said. “We’re trying to speed up the game of golf. This is a 12-hole golf course, but you can play one of the six-hole loops a third time to have an 18-hole round.”
Hoffmann in particular said he likes the 12-hole format because it provides the ability for visitors to Augusta to play a round of golf and then enjoy time at one of the area's wineries.
“That also came into play with the design,” Hoffmann said.
Several sites were evaluated for the proposed golf course, with Jones saying the natural landscape and wooded terrain adjacent to Balducci provided the best site to carve out a green.
“This is like an old-style project where we found the property that best suits golf,” he said.
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