The Naples Grande Golf Club has a new look — and a new name.
After a major renovation to the clubhouse and golf course, the club has rebranded. It’s now a fully private, members-only club.
The new name: CAVU Golf Club.
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.
Although the club and resort — about six miles apart — have the same owners, they now have distinct identities of their own.
The name CAVU comes from an aerospace term meaning “clear ahead visibility unlimited,” suggesting smooth flying and a steady forward momentum ahead.
With the transformation, golf club members will still have access to the Naples Grande’s amenities, including its three pools and beach.
The changes to the golf club’s operating model mark “a notable shift in how premium Florida clubs are balancing exclusivity with hospitality partnerships,” said Bo Wood, with Windsor Woods Consulting, a communications consultant for the owners.
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.
The changes in the golf club’s operating model come amid “surging membership demand,” Wood said.
“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,” he said.
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.
In a statement, Rob Duckett, Henderson Park’s managing director for golf and club operations, said: “This evolution represents a strategic investment in both the long-term strength of the club and the quality of the member experience.”
He added: “We have seen sustained and growing demand for membership, particularly following the completion of the renovation, which confirmed the market’s appetite for a truly premium, private offering.”
The transition is designed to “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,” Duckett said.
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.
The clubhouse was redesigned to create a more refined, functional environment that supports both daily use by members and elevated social experiences.
The investments have been characterized as a “strategic commitment to the club’s future,” ensuring its long-term sustainability and generational appeal.
“Our goal was to create a more focused, consistent, and member-first environment in every aspect of the club,” said Jon Chapman, CAVU’s director of golf operations, in a statement. “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.”
The club is located at 7335 Premier Drive, off Golden Gate Parkway, minutes from downtown Naples.
Separately, the Naples Grande Beach resort’s biggest renovation ever will begin in April, as the busy season winds down.
While Henderson Park has not shared how much it will spend on the upgrades to the resort publicly, it will be a big investment.
“They are going to be completely repositioning the property to create a world-class destination. They are going to elevate everything,” said David Cesario, the vice president and managing director for the resort.
The renovation will require a temporary closure and temporary layoffs.
The plan is to reopen all of the improved areas by December, with a roughly nine-month window to complete construction.
The resort sits at the end of Seagate Drive, opposite Pine Ridge Road, near U.S. 41, steps away from Clam Pass Park in North Naples. Nearly 40 years ago, it opened as the Registry Resort in 1998. It has changed names and ownership multiple times since then, including a brief period operating as the Waldorf Astoria Naples.
The golf club opened in 2000.
The club’s golf course has been named one of North America’s “Top 100″ by Golfweek Magazine and has ranked among the “Top 50” in Florida.
Laura Layden is a business and government reporter. Reach her by email at laura.layden@naplesnews.com.
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This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Naples Grande Golf Club rebrands as CAVU, moves to private membership
Reporting by Laura Layden, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Naples Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
