Renovation of the Montecito Country Club will begin the first week of October.

Construction of the long-anticipated golf course renovation redesign, led by golf icon Jack Nicklaus and his team from Nicklaus Design, is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2017.

Nicklaus Design is widely regarded as the world’s leading golf course design firm, with close to 400 courses open for play in 41 countries and 39 states. Nicklaus has personally overseen the Montecito Country Club course design, making it a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course.

“We are excited to get this project underway,” Nicklaus said. “Montecito is in an ideal location, plays across a wonderful piece of property, and takes advantage of tremendous coastal and mountain views. Our hope is that the golf course design will not only highlight the existing natural features of the property but enhance them. We have been given a great opportunity on a classic site to create something very special.”

The course renovation plans include features to significantly improve the club’s efforts to conserve water, such as a new, state-of-the-art, water-saving irrigation system; a reduction in irrigated turf from 95 to 75 acres; conversion of existing potable water lines to recycled water lines for all landscape; and a more drought-resistant turf.

These initiatives, plus strategic reshaping of the course and sediment basins, will result in the vast majority of storm-water runoff being collected, routed and treated before leaving the property.

The water-wise changes also made it possible to improve the pool complex as part of the club renovation, including a family pool and lap pools. Work is expected to begin on the pools and pool-service buildings before the end of 2015.

The clubhouse remodeling is expected to get underway starting in early 2016, with reopening targeted for early 2017. Improvements will include a new member event lawn, a new golf cart storage building; updated parking lots, a new upper maintenance facility and extensive landscaping.

The final day of play on the existing golf course will be Sept. 27. Members will have the opportunity to play at the Sandpiper Golf Club or Rancho San Marcos courses during the Montecito Country Club course renovation.