(LAKE WALES, Fla.) – Mountain Lake – a residential community located in central Florida’s lake district – will embark on an extensive restoration project to its Seth Raynor designed golf course, beginning in April 2026.
Led by noted course architect Tyler Rae, the restoration project will include three major components: design enhancements to every hole that are inspired by the study of extensive archival photos combined with newly discovered historic information about the course, reconstruction and redesign of the putting surfaces, and restoration and placement of bunkers.
Rae, who was the lead architect at courses in New York, Illinois and South Carolina, has restored other Seth Raynor original designs at Lookout Mountain Club in Georgia and Wanumetomony Golf and Country Club in Rhode Island. The Mountain Lake golf course restoration project will begin next April and should be completed by October 2026.
“Tyler Rae has created an exceptional plan to restore our golf course back to Seth Raynor’s inspiration,” says General Manager / Chief Operating Officer Eric von Hofen. “This restoration project will not only further solidify Mountain Lake as one of the state’s most sought-after golf experiences but also enhance the aesthetic appeal and allure of our fine community. Having been a part of numerous golf course projects around the country, I have every degree of confidence Tyler Rae will return our golf course to its purest form.”
A major aspect of the restoration will be the design enhancements occurring throughout the course. Mountain Lake received access to historic information such as Raynor’s 1915 sketch of the first nine holes, revision drawings from Raynor’s protege, Charles Banks, that date back to 1929, an engineering drawing from 1935 and 1941 aerials. Rae and his design team meticulously studied these documents – all of which gave them an understanding of the evolution of the golf course from inception to its current state.
Notable design enhancements include:
- Recreating the original punch bowl green at the third hole that was seen in Raynor’s 1915 routing and in early 1917 photos.
- Reconfiguring the fairway bunkering at the fourth hole to match the design seen in Raynor’s 1915 routing. A large, dominant bunker on the left will replace the multiple ones currently found on that side, forcing golfers to decide how much they want to bite off from the tee.
- The water features on Nos. 8 and 9 green complexes will be reshaped and replanted with aquatic plants, enhancing the look and feel of these two holes.
- Restoring the fore bunker at No. 12 to create a dramatic visual from the tee and provide lines of play for golfers to aim their tee shots. This golf hole is a blind tee shot-a rarity in Florida. The 12th green will be rebuilt with a softened tier that runs through the middle of the green to create more flags and significantly improved playability.
- At the club’s 13th hole, dubbed the “Road Hole,” fore bunkers will be recreated to promote strategy off the tee. A fairway bunker about 100 yards from the green also will be recreated, emulating the strategy and location of the Scholar’s / Progressing bunker complex on the original Road Hole at The Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland.
- Relandscaping many key areas on the golf course with native Live oak trees, grasses and native plants will also be a priority. These plantings will add texture and depth to the golf experience.
“We have always been enamored with Mountain Lake and its historical stature in the realm of golf and Seth J. Raynor’s short golf architecture career,” Rae says. “We also have high regard for [Mountain Lake developer] Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. and his team who initially laid out the property site plan with its meandering roads and lot lines with majestic views.
“Mountain Lake is a magical place that has captivated us since first setting our eyes on the property over 25 years ago and we are humbled and honored to be able to “polish the gem” and really highlight the special nature of the property in the years to come.”
The golf course restoration plan also will focus on modernizing and improving the bunkers and greens. The bunkers will be updated to temper the rising costs for repairs and maintenance, and the Tif-Eagle Bermuda putting surfaces will be recreated to sizes, shapes and characterizations that were depicted in the historical photos.
“Rebuilding the greens from below ground level will allow us to ensure the putting surfaces will be consistently excellent throughout the winter season” adds Superintendent Brad Quackenbush. “Proper drainage and soil permeability is crucial to our turfgrass health and longevity,”
Founded in 1915 and designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., on over 1,000 acres of rolling hills and numerous lakes, Mountain Lake features panoramas of the surrounding central Florida landscape and neighboring Bok Tower Gardens. The secured enclave boasts a wide assortment of residences, including historic homes built by legendary architects for some of the country’s most recognizable names. Current homeowners are stewards of their home’s history, while maintaining the captivating exterior of these charming residences and updating the interior with accoutrements and furnishings.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Colony House is the social hub for the community, offering dining options from sophisticated dining in 1916 to casual cookouts by the pool. A fitness center, library, 37 guest suites and full-service concierge services also are available at the Colony House, with croquet lawns situated just steps away and a racquets facility located right of the first fairway. Mountain Lake also boasts a shooting range nestled in an old clay mine on the outskirts of the community.
For more information: www.mountainlakeflorida.com.
