File photo
Key Points
- Rock Springs Ridge HOA granted Tamarack Golf Management a 99-year rent-free sublease to restore and operate the closed golf course.
- The clubhouse and driving range are set to reopen on May 1, 2027, with the first 18 holes reopening in late 2027 and nine holes in late 2028.
- Tamarack will finance all restoration costs while residents continue paying toward the HOA’s 15-year lease-to-own acquisition funded by increased dues.
The Rock Springs Ridge homeowners association has granted Tamarack Golf Management a 99-year, rent-free sublease to restore and operate the community’s closed golf course, according to representatives of both parties. The clubhouse and driving range are targeted to reopen May 1, 2027.
The arrangement calls for Tamarack to finance the rehabilitation while residents continue paying toward the HOA’s separate acquisition of the property, HOA President Simon McKenna said in an interview with The Apopka Chief on Oct. 29.
“As an HOA, we’re extremely pleased,” McKenna said. “It was a dream for us to be able to reopen the golf course.”
Tamarack owner Rocky Hodge confirmed the 99-year arrangement in a Monday interview. He said the first 18 holes are targeted to reopen between October and December 2027, followed by the remaining nine holes in late 2028.
The HOA continues paying toward the property’s acquisition through a previously announced 15-year lease-to-own agreement, funded by increased resident dues. McKenna said that agreement covers 310 acres and permits subleasing for golf course use, while Tamarack will fund the restoration.
“We are not investing anything in the golf course,” he said. “That’s purely up to the Tamarack Group.”
Hodge said the total investment has not been determined. Tamarack expects to have more details about the clubhouse and course renovation costs within four to six weeks.
The company took over responsibilities at the property Oct. 1, including utilities, Hodge said. It is still conducting due diligence and working with the HOA on approvals for the planned improvements.
The clubhouse will undergo a complete renovation. Hodge plans to preserve the course’s existing layout and ground elevations while replacing grass and repairing irrigation, with irrigation work expected to continue into early 2027 before new grass is planted.
“The layout was really nice, so I don’t foresee us having to do any massive renovations or massive changes to the golf course,” Hodge said.
Resident benefits are still being developed, but Hodge said the agreement requires a minimum 10% discount. Details will address access to golf, the clubhouse and driving range, including different membership and guest arrangements.
Hodge said growth in Rock Springs Ridge and surrounding communities gives him confidence in the course’s prospects. Tamarack also plans a golf academy lodge serving about 15 to 40 full-time students, with that component anticipated in 2029 or 2030.
McKenna said the partnership developed through a roofing contractor who had worked at the clubhouse and suggested a connection with Hodge. The HOA had considered other proposals, but Hodge’s was the strongest, he said.
The sublease contains investment and condition requirements, according to McKenna. Both McKenna and Hodge declined to provide the agreement to The Apopka Chief. McKenna said residents can review it through the HOA’s resident portal.
The arrangement does not affect the HOA’s separate tortoise preserve property or ongoing consideration of a potential sale of that land, McKenna said.
Tamarack Golf Management also manages Stoneybrook West Golf Club in Winter Garden. The Stoneybrook West homeowners association selected the company in 2022 as part of an effort to restore golf operations, according to Winter Garden commission minutes.