It’s not every day you find a golf course that is just about golf. While the full country club experience can offer its members plenty of benefits, there’s also something special about going somewhere for the sole purpose of playing golf.
That’s what Kinsale Golf Club in Naples, Florida, is all about. It’s a walking-only course designed by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner that drew inspiration from golf’s greatest holes. There’s the golf course, a driving range, a short game practice area, a putting green, a small pro shop with restrooms and a patio for beverages and light breakfasts and lunches. While members will convene on the patio after a round, the main reason for going to Kinsale is the golf.
Ted Kennedy, a member I had the pleasure of playing with during my round, said, “I was looking for a golf club that started with a world-class design, the ability to walk, a focus on golf rather than distractions, great course conditioning and a golf course that is strategic and unlike any other in Southwest Florida.” Many of the members were looking for the same experience, and they certainly found it at Kinsale.
I had the opportunity to join Kennedy and founding member Tim Hildebrand for a day on the dynamic golf course. “Dynamic” really is the best way to describe it. As someone who has played golf for more than 20 years and has admittedly experienced some burnout, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the game again at Kinsale. Each shot was a beautiful challenge that took lots of forethought, and I couldn’t imagine any round ever being similar. It certainly got my competitive juices flowing again, and I immediately wanted another chance to conquer the course.
What made Kinsale such a challenge? The first feature to come to mind was the tough greens. They were consistently fast, though the sizes varied with each hole. Where you landed in relation to the pin largely decided if you’d be walking away with a par or not, even if you were on the green in regulation. The second facet that added variability was the openness of the links-style layout. While it was relatively quiet when I played, the members mentioned how the wind could turn par 4s into par 5s and par 5s into an insurmountable task.
The third challenge was the number of bunkers on the course; Kinsale boasts 153, a whopping three times the number of average sand traps found on a golf course. What’s fun to note when playing is that on most holes, the bunkers disappear when you look backwards from the green. The director of agronomy, Rusty Mercer, chose G-Angle bunker sand. These angular quartz grains allow for better drainage and a more consistent and durable feel, especially after lots of raking.
Don’t fret if you haven’t heard of Kinsale yet—it is a newer addition to Southwest Florida’s golf scene. Opening in November 2024, Kinsale limited its membership to 250 accepted applicants. The design of the course was a large draw for its members, as Hanse and Wagner utilized their experience to bring a flat piece of property to life. While the holes aren’t exact replicas of famous ones around the world, there are facets of each hole that are reminiscent of others.
For example, Hanse implemented a punchbowl design on par-3 hole 16 similar to his work on the par-4 ninth hole at Streamsong Black; this decision largely had to do with raising the clubhouse just above the green to avoid any future flooding. My personal favorite was the postage stamp green on hole 13 that resembles Royal Troon’s eighth green.
Hildebrand, who graciously hosted me and who also worked with the owner Tony Soave to bring Kinsale and its vision to life, commented on his favorite hole saying, “This is a difficult question because of the uniqueness and challenge presented by every hole. If I had to pick one, I’d choose the 4th, a par 3 (Redan). Beyond being a beautiful and demanding par 3, it’s rare to play a hole where you must think so precisely about your landing spot in order to make par. It’s currently the only par 3 without a hole-in-one, which speaks to its challenge.”
Redan is the gatekeeper to a fun side quest at Kinsale as well. As the first of three par 3s in the opening nine, anyone who shoots par or better on Redan and the following two par 3s receives a coin. Let’s just say Redan imminently took me out of the running, which is one of the reasons I’d love to return and redeem myself.
In addition to the incredible design at Kinsale, it’s hard to ignore the atmosphere. Members and staff are a tight-knit family, all on a first-name basis. While my group was walking to the first tee, Hildebrand heard a ball hit the flag on hole 9 and ran down to confirm member Lisa Yzerman’s hole-in-one; her exclamation was quickly followed by a celebration from all who were near.
The caddies and staff are personable and knowledgeable as well. When asked what he looks forward to most when he arrives at Kinsale, member John Frasco replied, “The staff: from the moment you drive through the gate until the time you leave, Steve Archer and his team provide truly world-class service. You’re greeted in a warm, consistent manner that makes you feel welcome and at home. Then, as you walk to the range and see the golf course you’re about to play, you know you’re in for a very special day—it never disappoints.”
With great people and great golf afoot at Kinsale, I can see why golfers of all skill levels are eager to join the club. The design has an addictive quality that makes competitors want to try their hand again and again, and I’m forever grateful Kinsale reignited my love of the game by boiling the experience down to golf’s essence.
