DUNEDIN, Fla. – Golf Inc. Magazine awarded the Dunedin Golf Course restoration project First Place in its 2025 Renovation of the Year Awards in the Public Courses category. This national recognition honors the successful $6.2 million restoration of a historic course originally designed by legendary golfer and golf course architect Donald Ross.
DRMP served as the prime consultant for Construction Engineering and Inspection (CEI) services on the project, representing the City of Dunedin and Dunedin Golf Club throughout the construction phase. Acting as the owner’s representative, DRMP provided construction management oversight, verifying that all upgrades were installed according to approved plans and specifications, identifying and resolving deficiencies, reviewing change orders, progress payments, and ensuring final as-built documentation met project standards.
“This recognition reflects the care, vision, and hard work that went into restoring the Dunedin Golf Course,” DRMP Project Administrator and Field Services Leader Arne Lash, CCM, said. “We’re proud to have played a role in bringing new life to such a historic and valued community asset.”
Throughout the project, DRMP’s CEI team implemented innovative and cost-saving approaches. Working closely with the Dunedin Golf Club’s project manager, Blair Kline, the team performed value engineering to reduce irrigation system costs by resizing the irrigation conduit. DRMP also developed a solution to enhance stormwater drainage in the sand traps and increase runoff capacity on the greens, improving the course’s long-term resilience.
One of the major challenges during construction was the unusually heavy rainfall and increased storm activity across the Tampa Bay area in 2024. These conditions exceeded the original stormwater drainage design. DRMP collaborated with the project team to revise drainage solutions in response to rising water tables and flooding, ensuring that the newly installed features would perform effectively under intensified weather conditions.
DRMP’s role spanned approximately 10 months and covered the entire construction phase. The firm coordinated closely with the Dunedin Golf Club, the contractor TDI Golf and XGD Systems, and the Engineer of Record, Stantec Engineering Services, Inc., to ensure the successful execution of the restoration.
The Dunedin Golf Course originally opened in 1927. Ross, widely considered one of the most influential golf course architects of his time, once referred to the course as the finest in all of Florida and later described it as his “masterpiece” in magazine articles. The City of Dunedin has owned the course since 1938, and it served as the headquarters for the PGA of America from 1945 to 1962, hosting 17 PGA Senior Championships during that time.
The restoration project was carried out with respect for Ross’s original vision. The construction management team, along with the design and contracting teams, worked diligently to ensure the course retained the timeless charm of its original design while incorporating modern enhancements. The result is a revitalized course that honors its past and stands ready to serve future generations of golfers.
About DRMP
DRMP is a multi-discipline firm serving clients in the public, private and industrial sectors in the development of infrastructure and has been in business since 1977. DRMP currently employs 700 professionals in 23 office locations spread strategically across our service area. Today, DRMP is ranked among Engineering News-Record’s “Top 500 Design Firms” in the United States. For more information, please visit www.drmp.com.
