{"id":163667,"date":"2026-02-21T09:57:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T09:57:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/163667\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T09:57:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T09:57:12","slug":"florida-golf-club-becomes-private-cavu-golf-club","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/163667\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida golf club becomes private CAVU Golf Club"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Feb. 20, 2026, 10:00 a.m. ET<\/p>\n<p>The Naples Grande Golf Club has been renamed CAVU Golf Club following a major renovation.It has transitioned from a semi-private model to a fully private, members-only club.The club&#8217;s owners, Henderson Park, made the change in response to surging membership demand.Members of the golf club will retain access to the amenities at the Naples Grande Beach Resort.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The Naples Grande Golf Club has a new look \u2014 and a new name.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">After a major renovation to the clubhouse and golf course, the club has rebranded. It&#8217;s now a fully private, members-only club.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The new name: CAVU Golf Club.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Previously, the club operated under a semi-private model, affiliated with the Naples Grande Beach Resort. The golf course is no longer open to resort guests.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Although the club and resort \u2014 about six miles apart \u2014 have the same owners, they now have distinct identities of their own.<\/p>\n<p>Need a news break? <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" data-t-l=\":body nav (play)|e|auto spike click:4|\u2691u\" class=\"gnt_ar_b_sp_a\" href=\"https:\/\/play.usatoday.com\/?itm_source=SPIKE&amp;itm_campaign=PLAYSPIKE&amp;itm_medium=ONSITE\">Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The name CAVU comes from an aerospace term meaning &#8220;clear ahead visibility unlimited,&#8221; suggesting smooth flying and a steady forward momentum ahead.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">With the transformation, golf club members will still have access to the Naples Grande&#8217;s amenities, including its three pools and beach.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The changes to the golf club&#8217;s operating model mark &#8220;a notable shift in how premium Florida clubs are balancing exclusivity with hospitality partnerships,&#8221; said Bo Wood, with Windsor Woods Consulting, a communications consultant for the owners.<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" style=\"height:440px\" fetchpriority=\"high\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/88743103007-the-catchofthe-pelican-outdoor.jpg\" data-gl- decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Outdoor dining at the CAVU Golf Club in Naples.\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">In 2022, affiliates of Henderson Park purchased the beachfront resort, along with its golf club and tennis center, for $248 million. The company, based in London, is a leading international private equity real estate firm.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The changes in the golf club&#8217;s operating model come amid &#8220;surging membership demand,&#8221; Wood said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">&#8220;We believe this move reflects a broader industry trend, with more destination and resort-affiliated courses nationwide reconsidering semi-private access in favor of private-club models to preserve course conditions, member experience, and long-term value,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The recent upgrades include a reimagining of the clubhouse by Wegman Design Group and a renovation of the 18-hole, par 72, Rees Jones-designed championship golf course by Beau Welling.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">In a statement, Rob Duckett, Henderson Park&#8217;s managing director for golf and club operations, said: &#8220;This evolution represents a strategic investment in both the long-term strength of the club and the quality of the member experience.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">He added: \u201cWe have seen sustained and growing demand for membership, particularly following the completion of the renovation, which confirmed the market\u2019s appetite for a truly premium, private offering.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" style=\"height:162px\" fetchpriority=\"high\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/88743147007-screenshot-20260218-142609.png\" data-gl- decoding=\"async\" alt=\"View of CAVU Golf Club in Naples.\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The transition is designed to &#8220;protect the integrity of the golf experience by prioritizing access, course conditioning and service, while ensuring the club continues to operate at the highest standard for years to come,&#8221; Duckett said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The goal of the golf course renovation was to enhance playability for all skill levels, while preserving the original character and intent of the design.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The clubhouse was redesigned to create a more refined, functional environment that supports both daily use by members and elevated social experiences.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The investments have been characterized as a &#8220;strategic commitment to the club\u2019s future,&#8221; ensuring its long-term sustainability and generational appeal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cOur goal was to create a more focused, consistent, and member-first environment in every aspect of the club,\u201d said Jon Chapman, CAVU&#8217;s director of golf operations, in a statement. &#8220;From course conditioning and pace of play to the overall rhythm of a round and the way members experience the clubhouse and daily services, every detail has been thoughtfully refined to deliver the high standard our members expect and deserve.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The club is located at 7335 Premier Drive, off Golden Gate Parkway, minutes from downtown Naples.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Laura Layden is a business and government reporter. Reach her by email at laura.layden@naplesnews.com.<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"gnt_em_cp_cw_i\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/83532056007-gwb-logo-bandon-dunes.jpg\" data-gl- decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\"\/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Feb. 20, 2026, 10:00 a.m. ET The Naples Grande Golf Club has been renamed CAVU Golf Club following&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":163668,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[31,28,30,29,36258,36259,940,36251,39,2209,30031,941,96,300,34],"class_list":["post-163667","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-florida","tag-accessfree","tag-florida","tag-florida-headlines","tag-florida-news","tag-sstssportsgolfcourses","tag-sstsncourses","tag-tagbeaches-islands","tag-tagclubs-organizations","tag-tagflorida","tag-taggolf","tag-taghotels-accommodations","tag-taglocal-affiliate-travel","tag-tagoverall-positive","tag-tagsports-news","tag-typestory"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163667","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=163667"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/163667\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/163668"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=163667"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=163667"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=163667"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}