January 20, 2009
Part of Prestigious WaterColor Resort Collection, Greg Norman Design One of Only 47 Courses, World-Wide to Hold Silver, Gold Distinction
(PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla.) – Shark's Tooth Golf Club – the award-winning Greg Norman design set along the shores of scenic Lake Powell, and part of the prestigious WaterColor Resort Golf Collection – has been recertified "Silver Signature" by Audubon International.
Shark's Tooth (www.sharkstoothgolfclub.com) is one of only 47 courses world-wide to hold either the Silver or Gold level distinction. The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses helps protect the environment and preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf. It emphasizes maximizing efficiency and minimizing the potentially harmful effects golf operations can have.
According to Audubon International, a golf facility must exhibit excellence in the following categories: Environmental Planning, Wildlife & Habitat Management, Outreach and Education, Chemical Use Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation and Water Quality Management to achieve certification. Three levels, Gold, Silver, and Bronze, are available. Membership is based on the stage at which the project applies for membership, the complexity of the project, and the level of Audubon International involvement in planning, design, and oversight.
"Environmental protection and education are key components to golf course operations and maintenance at Shark's Tooth, Camp Creek and The Origins Course [the other two courses in WaterColor Resort's Golf Collection]," says Larry Livingston, head superintendent and chief environmental steward. "The St. Joe Company and Troon Golf are committed to creating sustainable places to live, work and play."
Camp Creek participates in Audubon's Cooperative Sanctuary Program ("ACSP") and The Origins Course is currently working toward its Silver Certification. The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Course is an award winning education and certification program that helps golf courses protect our environment and preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf.
About Shark's Tooth
Designed by Greg Norman and voted the second best new private course by Golf Digest upon opening in 2002, Shark's Tooth Golf Club was purchased by The St. Joe Company in 2007 to bolster its high-end, golf course holdings. The course stretches to 7,209 yards from the back tees and features five fairways that border scenic Lake Powell, two holes that play toward the water and numerous wooden cart path bridges that cross over streams and estuaries. Tucked among the oaks and pines along the shores of the historic lake, which has been designated an Outstanding Florida Waterway, Shark's Tooth is a challenging course that co-exists with its surroundings. Grass from the Greg Norman Turf Company was used on the fairways, approaches and rough.
Shark's Tooth is located just 10 miles from Camp Creek and the Origins Course at WaterSound, collectively creating one of Florida's most exclusive golf destinations. Shark's Tooth Golf Club is convenient to the location of a new international airport north of Panama City Beach, the first international airport to be built in the United States since Denver. The course is a Silver Signature Sanctuary Course as accredited by the Audubon Signature Program and is operated by Troon Golf, the leader in upscale golf course management.
Shark's Tooth is part of the WaterColor Inn and Resort's premier golf collection, which also includes Camp Creek, designed by Tom Fazio, and The Origins Course at WaterSound, designed by Davis Love III. Camp Creek and Shark's Tooth are available to guests of the WaterColor Resort's 60-room boutique inn on the Gulf of Mexico and its luxury vacation rental homes located in the WaterColor and WaterSound communities. The Origins Course – designed specifically for beginners and families – is open to the public and juniors 15 years old and under play free when accompanied by a paying adult. Together, the three courses form one of the only assemblies of Fazio, Norman and Love III-designed courses under one flagship. For more information on the golf course and golf packages, visit www.sharkstoothgolfclub.com or www.watercolorresort.com.
About Troon Golf
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Troon Golf is the world's largest golf management company, overseeing operations at more than 200 courses located in 31 states and 31 countries. Additionally, 36 Troon Golf facilities enjoy a Top 100 ranking by national or international publications. Troon Golf properties include Oneida Golf and Country Club, Green Bay, Wis.; Talking Stick Golf Club, Scottsdale, Ariz.; The Clubs at St. James Plantation, Southport, N.C.; Classic Club, Palm Desert, Calif.; Playa Mujeres Golf Club, Cancun, Mexico; and The Grove, London, England. For more information about Troon Golf, visit www.troongolf.com
About JOE
The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE), a publicly held company based in Jacksonville, is one of Florida's largest real estate development companies. We are primarily engaged in real estate development and sales, with significant interests in timber. JOE's mission is to create places that inspire people and make the region an even better place to live, work and play. We're no ordinary JOE.
More information about JOE can be found at our website at www.joe.com.
© 2009 The St. Joe Company. "JOE," "St. Joe", "WaterColor," "Camp Creek," "Shark's Tooth," "WaterSound" and the "Taking Flight" design are service marks of The St. Joe Company.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Shane Sharp
Buffalo Communications
704.519.8381 (cell)
ssharp@billycaspergolf.com
www.buffalocommunications.com