Report: Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus were involved in plan to put golf courses in Florida state park

NBC News is reporting that Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, two of the biggest names in golf, were included in the Florida plan to put golf courses in Jonathan Dickinson State Park. The network cited a representative for the legendary golfers who confirmed their interest in the project.

The Palm Beach Post reported last week that two companies founded by Nicklaus, but with which he is no longer affiliated with, flatly stated they were not involved in the state park proposal. But the statement also made clear they were not speaking for Nicklaus.

Plans by the Department of Environmental Protection to add golf courses, lodges and pickleball courts in nine state parks drew an outburst of anger, especially the part of the plan that included putting golf courses in Dickinson, a state park on the Palm Beach-Martin County border not far from Woods’ Jupiter Island home and Nicklaus’ North Palm Beach home.

On Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis distanced himself from the plan, saying it was “half-baked” and “leaked to a left-wing group to try to create a narrative.” He said that there had been some calls for improvements at state parks, but that the DEP needed to go back to the drawing board.

Documents were leaked to environmentalists a week ago showing plans for the installation of three public golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson as part of the state’s 2024-2025 Great Outdoors Initiative.

The fervor of discontent that followed led to the state postponing public meetings that were scheduled.

NBC News said Eugene Stearns, who represents Nicklaus, said Woods and Nicklaus would do course-design work on the project.

“There were actually going to be at least two courses; one would be a Tiger course and one would be a Jack course,” Stearns told NBC News.

Stearns said Nicklaus would have done the work free of charge.

“For Jack, it was a charitable issue,” Stearns told NBC News.

Nicklaus Companies, which is no longer affiliated with founder Jack Nicklaus, told The Palm Beach Post it was not associated with the recent golf course plans. The statement from Nicklaus Companies emphasized that it was from the firms — Nicklaus Companies and Nicklaus Design — alone, not Jack Nicklaus personally.

Nicklaus Companies reiterated that it had nothing to do with the courses at Jonathan Dickinson and called the project an “ill-conceived plan.”

“We cannot comment on what other parties may be doing, but Nicklaus Companies and Nicklaus Design oppose the development of golf courses in Jonathan Dickinson Park or any other Florida state park,” a statement sent to The Palm Beach Post said. “If asked to participate in such a project, we would decline.”

Jack Nicklaus resigned from Nicklaus Companies in May 2022 when he was 82 years old.

“Nicklaus Companies has no inside information regarding projects he may or may not have pursued over the last two years outside of our companies,” the statement added.

In 2011, legislators tried to add golf courses to state parks through bills that would have created the “Jack Nicklaus Golf Trail of Florida.” The only park specifically mentioned in the House’s version of the bill was Jonathan Dickinson, which is nearest Nicklaus’ North Palm Beach home.

The bills were quickly withdrawn after public outcry.

A yellow-crowned Night Heron is perched on a tree branch along the Loxahatchee River in Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County, Florida. They are quite common in parts of the southeast, particularly in coastal regions. It often feeds by day as well as by night. Its stout bill seems to be an adaptation for feeding on hard-shelled crustaceans
(Photo: Greg Lovett/palmbeachpost.com)

The swift anger and outrage spurred a mysterious foundation — called the Tuskegee Foundation — that proposed golf courses for Dickinson to announce it was pulling the plug on the plan days after leaked documents revealed how the plan would change the park.

The Tuskegee Foundation withdrew its application for the golf course proposal two days after the foundation’s name was associated with the development plans.

The Delaware-registered foundation, which is not required to list the names of directors and officers in the articles of incorporation, has Florida lobbyists, including a former secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, according to Florida lobbyist records.

Before dropping its bid, the foundation said in a statement sent to The Palm Beach Post last week that the golf courses and other facilities would have told the “inspirational story of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African American military pilots and airmen who fought in World War II.”

The anger against the plan prompted the foundation to release a statement through political commentator Daniel Bongino that it was no longer pursuing the proposal.

“Serving God and Country is our daily goal,” said the statement, which Bongino posted on Facebook. “That was the spirit for the idea to bring world-class public golf to southeast Florida … We have received clear feedback that Jonathan Dickinson State Park is not the right location. We did not understand the local community landscape and appreciate the clarity. We will not pursue building in the beloved Jonathan Dickinson State Park.”

DEP spokeswoman Alex Kuchta said in a statement late Sunday that the proposal was withdrawn.

“The Florida Department of Environmental Protection appreciates the Tuskegee Dunes Foundation’s good-faith proposal for a public golf course at Jonathan Dickinson State Park,” Kuchta wrote. “While they are withdrawing their proposal, the foundation worked with the state to pursue a project that would have created a public, world-class golf course for all, while supporting veterans, first responders and their families. Their plan to honor the Tuskegee Airmen was noble.”