Santa Lucia River Club (Port Saint Lucie, FL)

I should preface my opinion on the River Club by detailing the results from the 2019 Ryder Cup. Out of 32 guys, only 2 broke 90! (Yes I was one of them.) We were playing the blue tees at 6,174 yards but it had a slope rating of 145! With the wind blowing 15-30 mph, it was one of the most ridiculously hard rounds of golf I’ve ever played.

(The 400/369 yard par four eighteenth is fronted by wetlands with a view of the Port St Lucie River behind the green. It’s an exact approach shot with little room to bail out. Into the wind, this brute plays very difficult.)

The River Club was designed in 1992 and renovated in 2006 by Jack Nicklaus. The renovation involved landscaping, bulkheading the lakes, and regrassing the tees fairways and greens. Visually the course beautiful. It’s presented very well and is in great condition. 

(The 185/173 yard par three fourteenth is played over a waste area to a green set at a diagonal. Several engaging pin placements, including the front pin in the picture, makes a par a well deserved score.) 

This is my third Nicklaus course, and every single one plays hard. I’m not a fan of his architecture. They’re overly penal in my opinion. Many of the greens have small sections to them, and it’s imperative to be in that section to have a chance at birdie or to make a par. Between the water, sand, and the slope, missing the green results in a difficult recovery shot. Hitting the green but on the wrong section usually results in a three putt. For class A players, it’s a strong test, but for average players it’s not fun. My friend who lives down here commented that the last time he played here, he didn’t turn in a card because he couldn’t finish some of the holes. 

(The 196/175 yard par three seventeenth. The pin is in the front left corner. The only shot that holds to this spot is high cut. 32 men and not one person hit the green. From the right bunker to the pin is downhill, so a draw leaks off the front.) 

(This pic shows just how small the pinning area can be. There’s not much room to get the ball below the hole. Most players were coming from the fringe or rough behind, and lagging to the pin.) 

Most of the holes here at the River Club revolve around water. They’re constantly doglegging left or right and the golfer is picking when to be aggressive or laying back. The aggressive play is almost always rewarded. It results in a better angle, shorter iron, and more options to get at the pin. The weaker player is punished for not taking on the challenge by being forced to hit a much tougher approach shot. 

(The 345/338 yard par four eighth illustrates the bias towards the long hitter. This is the view for a long drive over the left fairway bunker. As one can see, the green slopes to the water, so the player can hit a wedge left of the flag and spin it close. The short player comes in further right, so his approach is all carry. While there is a backstop, chances are an extra club is used and he’ll be looking at a devilish putt down the slope.)

(The 549/486 yard par five second can be reached in two but the second shot best be perfect to find this green. The right greenside bunker has a shoulder that pitches the ball towards the water. For the player laying up in right side of the fairway, a delicate pitch is required to get close. The water eats into the green so the rear left portion is very dicey.) 

The River Club played quite difficult the day we were there, so I really wonder how good or bad the course plays on a daily basis. The river is obviously very close so I reckon it’s windy more times than not. If one loves very difficult courses than this place will suit you fine. I give it a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour). It is private so worth an invitation. 

Abacoa Golf Club (Jupiter, FL)

Abacoa Golf Club was designed by Joe Lee in 1999 and is home to the UFA golf team. It’s in excellent condition and is exactly what comes to mind when one thinks of Florida golf which is a lot of sand and a ton of water. 

(The 457/405/376 yard eighteenth hole requires cape style shots both off the tee and into the green. This finishing hole demands exacting shots with no leeway for error. It’s a terrific way to end any round or tourney.)

Abacoa has water on 14 holes and golfers will find themselves often times trying to figure out how aggressive they want to be. There’s several risk/reward holes, and the player striking the ball well and feeling confident in his game has the opportunity to post a good round. 

(The 423/397/373 yard par four seventh is a classic C-shaped hole where the player must decide how much he’s willing to risk off the tee.) 

 

(The gorgeous clubhouse at Abacoa is a sight to behold. It sets the mood the moment one steps onto the property, and is the perfect place to relax after the round.) 

Several times Joe Lee asks the player to hit his approach over the corner of the water. The ability to strike the ball off a tight lie and judge the wind with the appropriate trajectory is vital. Sometimes it’s prudent to take an extra club or play to side. 

(The 404/367/347 yard fourteenth is a short par four with a shallow valley fronting.)

The greens at Abacoa are beautiful. They roll fast and true. The slopes in the greens usually go towards the water, and the shoulders off the bunkers make specific pinning locations for tournament play. 

(The thirteenth is an absolute beast of a par three, especially from the two back tees! Playing 235/184/138 yards, it’s all carry over water to a heavily back to front sloped green. Time and again, players who came up short were able to up n down for par while those who were above the hole three putted for bogey.) 

My only complaint was the attitude that permeated the staff. There’s plenty of trouble here to find oneself taking too much time to finish a hole. While I’m all for maintaining a good pace, to have the monitor give five warnings on one hole is unnecessary and redundant. For the record, we finished in 4:10.

(The 546/517/489 yard par five seventeenth is a beautiful hole that plays alongside the water. It’s reachable in two with the right conditions, but water does jut out a little bit in front of the green. Together with the eighteenth, these two finishing holes create a lot of drama.)

Abacoa was the highlight of the 2019 Ryder Cup event that I play in. While it possesses the standard water and sand design challenges that are found throughout Florida, the conditioning bumps it up a notch in my eyes. Its definitely worth seeking out if you’re in the Jupiter area. I give Abacoa a 6 (very good)(worth driving two hours). 

Okeeheelee Golf Club (West Palm Beach, FL)

I’m not a big fan of twenty-seven hole golf courses. The architect usually has to compromise a superior routing to fit the extra nine holes in. Typically that means awkward doglegs and distances.

(The 464/425 yard ninth hole on the Eagle nine makes for an excellent ending hole. It doglegs right around the lake. The player willing to risk an aggressive line over the hazard will cut off a significant amount of yardage.) 

Okeeheelee was designed by Roy Case in 1995. It sits on a beautiful piece of property owned by the Palm Beach County park system and offers great views of the lake. It’s a municipal course that hosts numerous rounds each year, and is played by a wide ranging skill set of golfers. 

(The view of the clubhouse and practice green from the ninth tee. For a municipal golf course, the setting is first rate and is one of the reasons why it’s very popular with visitors and locals.)

Roy Case is known more for his work with landfills and his ability to engineer golf courses on brownfields. (His work with Eric Bergstol at Bayonne GC in New Jersey is his best known design) Okeeheelee is way different and is on the other side of the spectrum with natural beauty. In his interview with Golfclubatlas in February 2008, he mentions Okeeheelee multiple times. It’s obviously a source of great pride for him, and the fact that it was going to host it’s 1,000,000 round that year is validation of his philosophy. 

(The 395/386 yard par four seventh hole on the Heron nine is a cape hole featuring dramatic carries from the tee and into the green.) 

Okeeheelee does a lot with little. It’s not overly bunkered and while there’s water everywhere, it’s placed in spots where it can be avoided. There’s no intimidated carries from the tee, and does a good job making average players feel confident. The greens however are quite challenging. Many of them have the high point in the middle with the left and right sides sloping away. Obviously putting up and over the high spot demands deft touch. Case also did a good job placing the greens in the highest spots. The par three ninth instantly comes to mind as the player tees off next to the lake and hits uphill to a green on a knob with fall offs on all sides. 

While the golf is good at Okeeheelee, the amount of wildlife increases the pleasure of playing here. My playing partner remarked he felt like he was in Jurassic Park because there were so many iguanas on the tee boxes. Toss in the birds and other creatures that make the lake their home, and it adds up to a grand day of golf. Yes there are some awkward holes that have weird doglegs, but overall, a really nice place for the locals and visitors alike. I give Okeeheelee a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-40 min). 

Hibiscus Golf Club (Naples, FL)

The 2019 golf season begins in the beautiful city of Naples Florida at Hibiscus Golf Club. Like most courses here, it intertwines with the housing community that lines many of the fairways. 

(From the back tees, the par three eighth presents an intimidating tee shot over water. The pic makes the gap look narrow but there’s plenty of room to shoot the ball through.) 

Hibiscus was designed by local architect Dave Wallace in 1969. The course plays nicely around several ponds, and Wallace’s use of the canals that connect all the ponds together is used nicely too. 

(The 326/306 yard fifth has water down the left. Note the yellow hazard stakes where the canal crosses the fairway. The player must decide if it’s to his advantage to take it on.) 

Architecturally, the most interesting thing is how Wallace designed greens. The pads start 50-70 yards short, so the player must fly every approach to the pin. Any shot that is short will not bounce on. This makes the yardages play a bit longer than expected. Bunkers are placed at varying distances from the green, allowing for some exacting pin locations. 

The other interesting feature is the canals that connect the water hazards together. In the winter months, they are dry and players can actually play recovery shots from them. This nuance can make for some exciting play and maybe tempt golfers into trying something they otherwise might not attempt. 

Hibiscus is in good shape, and the greens putt very well. Being in an affluent location like Naples, it caters to a more casual crowd that wants to enjoy the game and get some exercise. I give it a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-40 mins). A terrific clubhouse awaits as you finish your round too. I feel like Hibiscus will be here for a long time.