The Golfer’s Journal Episode 190: Paul Azinger: Building Miakka, The State of Golf and Ryder Cup Captaincy
Paul Azinger (co-designer with Fry/Straka) has never been afraid to speak his mind or take a big swing. So when a friend asked him to consult in building a golf course on 1,100 acres of Florida ranchland, Zinger saddled up. The result? Miakka Golf Club: a bold take on the modern game shaped by three million cubic yards of sand and the same bravado that won Azinger a Ryder Cup. In this episode, he joins host Casey Bannon to unpack Miakka’s Australian-style bunkers and why it's using trees as the last line of defense against today’s 340-yard carry. He also opens up about Ryder Cup regrets, the Keegan Bradley captaincy conundrum, the state of the broadcast booth and why we need less coaching in golf. Expect big opinions and unfiltered Zinger charm. Buckle up.
A Florida First
Fry and his partner Jason Straka are in the middle of what is one of the more remarkable golf developments ever flaunted in the state, and that’s saying something.
The Miakka Golf Club 25 miles east of Sarasota will have just one 18-hole layout set across the site’s 1,100 acres with national golf memberships starting at $175,000. “We could have easily fit five or six courses on this land,” Fry said.
“It is by far the biggest project of my more than 30-year career,” he added. “Florida has never seen anything quite like this.”
Miakka Golf Club built to be secret garden, 'environmental win'
"This is one of the highlights of my life," said Dana Fry, half the Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design team which is designing Miakka Golf Club for Herrig with help from Bradenton's Paul Azinger, a Major champion on the PGA Tour and former Ryder Cup captain. "This will be the place where all other courses will be judged. I assure you this will look completely natural. It will look like it has been here for eternity."
Miakka Golf Club: You won’t forget it
A wealthy benefactor, a couple visionary architects, a talented maintenance team and a challenging turf variety are bringing a bold vision to life in the Sunshine State.
Miakka Golf Club to shine along a Florida river, but another course feature comes from Down Under
Some of the best bunkers in the world caught the eyes of course architects Dana Fry and Jason Straka, who plan to model their traps at Miakka in the form of Australian Sandbelt courses.
Exclusive golf course breaks ground in Myakka City
Miakka Golf Club will not be like most golf courses. A tee time won’t be required because the club will be so exclusive that they’re not necessary. Membership is invite only, and every prospective member must meet with Herrig first.
Fry/Straka and Paul Azinger to design new course in southwest Florida
Golf architecture firm Fry/Straka has partnered with former PGA Tour player and Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger on the design of an eighteen-hole course for the new Miakka Golf Club in Myakka City, Florida.