One of the last courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. is changing hands.
Heritage Golf Group, a Virginia-based company that owns golf and country clubs across the country, announced Oct. 27 that it bought Fox Hollow Golf Club in Trinity from the Creighton family. Terms were not disclosed.
The purchase gives Heritage three clubs within 10 miles of one another. It already owns The Club at Cheval and TPC Tampa Bay, both in Lutz.
“Its location, just minutes from two of our existing clubs, makes it a natural addition to our Tampa Bay portfolio,” said Jim Oliver, the company’s chief operating officer.
Heritage is building clusters of clubs in markets around the country to cut operating costs and give members more places to play. Members can get reciprocal access to other clubs through the company’s Heritage Plus Network. Fox Hollow and TPC Tampa Bay are both open to the public, and Heritage hopes the Tampa Bay trio will draw more traveling golfers to the area.
Fox Hollow opened in 1994 and is one of the final designs by Jones, who died in 2000. The semi-private, par-71 course has five sets of tees. The club also has a 15,000-square-foot clubhouse, a practice range with 25 hitting bays, a chipping green, a practice bunker and a 10,800-square-foot putting green. PGA and LPGA teaching pros offer lessons and clinics.
“The Robert Trent Jones Sr. course has character and the strong architectural foundation we look for in a golf course,” Oliver said. “We are grateful to the Creighton family for entrusting us with the opportunity to build on their legacy.”
Golfers should see changes quickly. Heritage plans to start work during its first week of ownership, beginning with overseeding to improve course conditions before the busy winter season. The company is also weighing longer-term renovations, which it said will depend on the property’s needs and member feedback.
The deal continues a buying spree for Heritage. Fox Hollow is the company’s 51st club nationwide, its 14th in Florida and its fourth acquisition in four months. Heritage has clubs in 15 states and has grown to its current size since new owners bought the company in January 2020.