It’s hard to keep up with Michael Keizer.
The son of Dunat Bandon founder Mike Keiser, he started in the family business decades ago working on the base team at the Oregon resort. He kept his head down and was allergic to the special treatment. More than a few colleagues had no idea who he was.
So much for anonymity.
Since co-developing Sand Valley in Wisconsin with his brother, Chris, Michael Keizer has branched out on his own, pushing forward with major projects in three different states.
the first, Dunes Rodeolocated about an hour from downtown Denver, will welcome the Founder’s Game this year to its Bill Coore-Ben Crenshaw design before opening to the public in 2027. A second 18-hole course is already in the works. Meanwhile, in East Texas, Wild Spring Dunes recently opened eight holes for pre-play at a Tom Doak design ahead of its full debut next fall.
Now comes news of the latest addition to Keizer’s fast-growing portfolio.
Construction is officially underway at Old Shores, a destination golf development in Florida’s Panhandle, just inland from the Gulf’s sugar-white beaches and the well-traveled 30A corridor. As with Wild Spring Dunes, Keizer has partnered with Doak, marking the fourth collaboration between the acclaimed developer and architect.
The result won’t be your grandfather’s golf course in Florida, with its palm-lined fairways and fountain ponds. The sand-based country is home to longleaf pines, open savannahs, spring-fed rivers, and an elevation change uncharacteristic of the Sunshine State—roughly 40 feet from bottom elevation. There are even more dramatic moves on the surface where a second course will go. Perhaps most striking at Old Shores are the natural “sinks,” wide, overturned dunes that create dramatic angles and compelling shot demands. Never mind Florida. Doak described the holes as unlike anything he’s seen on a golf course anywhere.
Formation is currently underway, with lead associate Angela Moser in place. Preliminary play on select holes is anticipated as early as late 2026, with a full opening planned for fall 2027. A second 18-hole course is already in design, along with a short course.
While Old Shores is envisioned as a larger living community – complete with a walking village, dining options and outdoor recreation – golf will anchor the destination experience approximately 30 minutes north of Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport.
Founder membership and real estate are now being offered. For more information, click here.
