Site Profile
Hidden among the swamp fed oaks of central Florida lies a few cuts of turf that many golfers are happy to call home. It’s called the Gator Creek Golf Club, and is located in Sarasota. Gator Creek’s 18 hole course features 6,912 yards of golf from the longest tees. In operation since 1974, the course has become one of central Florida’s most sought-after memberships. And yes, there are gators, and they are real.
Irrigating the lakefront course is difficult because of its many design features that require different strategies to apply the correct amount of water. In addition, the microclimate of the surrounding area includes extreme irrigation related variables such as fast heating and cooling, thunderstorms, lightning, fast-changing and swirling winds. All of these factors are heightened because of the club’s lakefront location.
After having trouble with various approaches to their challenges, and after a thorough investigation of the irrigation options available to them, the staff at Gator Creek ultimately chose Hunter. The products they chose include various short range rotors, Valve-In-Head rotors, and VSX FC central control. The reason they chose Hunter was because the products provided tremendous ease of adjustability and maintenance, as well as being durable and reliable.
The result at Gator Creek has been a consistently green and healthy course through all the weather swings and course feature changes, all year ‘round. According to Superintendent Michael K O’Bryant, “Hunter Irrigation has been a great partner in our efforts to make Gator Creek Golf Club one of the finest private golf courses in Florida. They continue to provide innovations such as access to the pilot valve and solenoid from the top without having to dig up the area around the head.”