A Guide to Great Golf on Florida’s East Coast

While South Florida has been luring golfers with year-round play for decades, a renewed appreciation for the sport during the pandemic has brought about a new wave of growth. The National Golf Foundation recently released that 41.1 million players hit the links in 2022, with a record 3.3 million players joining the game for the first time. As the interest in golf rises nationwide, playing in Florida has become the hottest new commodity. Home to nearly 70 golf courses within a 20-mile radius, Florida’s Treasure Coast is the state’s epicenter of golf activity. Social beginners and avid golfers alike enjoy some of the nation’s best links, many designed by legends of the game. Let’s take a closer look at some of the Treasure Coast’s top golfing destinations.

Favored Treasure Coast Golf Destinations

A highly desired area for golf aficionados, long waitlists have led to many visitors being locked out of private golf options. Luckily, the Treasure Coast is home to public and daily-fee semi-private courses for all skill levels. Sailfish Sands is a cherished public course in Stuart and was just renovated to include an 18-hole championship course, and an innovative reversible nine. Hammock Creek Golf Club in Palm City is a daily-fee course, with five sets of tees for all skill levels. Florida’s Treasure Coast is also filled with golf destinations that are attracting golfers to the game in innovative ways. In Stuart, the Shores of North River Golf Club provides a par-66, Arthur Young-designed course where southern oak and pine trees accentuate the Old Florida landscape. With high demand and high levels of play, however, overcrowding has become an issue at many of these public and semi-private options.

Rare Waterfront Championship Golf

For the avid golfer, there’s no better way to enjoy the beauty of Florida’s Treasure Coast than on Harbour Ridge’s championship golf courses. This private yacht and country club along the North Fork of the St. Lucie River is one of the only Clubs in the area with two championship golf courses. The River Ridge is a Pete & P.B. Dye-designed par-72 course that winds through natural wetlands, high bluffs, and towering trees to overlook the quiet waters of the St. Lucie River. Designed by Bobby Weed, Golden Marsh is set amidst a 20-acre nature preserve, surrounded by natural lakes and marshes that add both an element of beauty and challenge to the course.

Members not only appreciate the natural sanctuary each course provides, but also the varying tees that provide fun for all ages. “Both courses have five sets of tees, which is great for golfers of all skill levels,” shared Harbour Ridge Member Jeff Steinberg. “There are many different golf groups that play at different handicaps. The Pro Shop does a great job pairing you up with people who match your skill levels, and generally your group all plays from the same tees.”

PGA Professionals Help Perfect Your Swing

Off the greens, Harbour Ridge Members enjoy an expansive practice facility that mimics every element of the courses, including a double-sided practice range, multiple short game areas, and a large practice putting green. A full team of PGA Professionals coordinates golf training, group clinics, and full swing schools for beginners and advanced players alike. Along with teaching how to perfect Members’ swings, the team also plans numerous tournaments and social events to ensure fun for every skill level. Organized weekly events, holiday tournaments, and over 25 years of major championship traditions guarantees Members enjoy plentiful memorable moments throughout the year.

Assistant General Manager and Director of Golf Joe Beezup agrees that PGA Professionals are all working towards one common goal- to take care of the Members. “We have five Class-A PGA Professionals, two Associates, and a PGA Professional who is our merchandiser on staff at Harbour Ridge,” shared Beezup. “We all work together to provide the best experience for our Members, and everyone has aspirations to make it further into the private club industry.”

Custom Golf Club Fittings

For those looking to hit the links for the first time, finding the proper golf clubs are a crucial first step. The Golf Shop at Harbour Ridge is home to innovative technologies that assist in equipment purchasing decisions. Members can reserve a fitting session, where the Club’s Master Fitter Dan Ridgway would assess Member’s strengths and abilities. From there, the Eagle’s Bay Indoor Golf Simulator is used to set up the proper gear. Powered by GC Hawk technology, this innovative indoor space utilizes an overhead-mounted launch monitor to provide the game’s most accurate performance data. After picking the clubs, Members can head to the outdoor driving range, where Trackman technologies allow Ridgway and his team to properly assess which clubs are the best fit for Members’ individualized game.

“A fitting consists of finding the right shaft, length, and grip size that best meets a Member’s playing style,” shared Beezup. “Combining top brands like Ping, Callaway, and TaylorMade with the innovative GC Hawk and TrackMan technologies ensures our Members have access to the best resources necessary to build a more efficient golf game.”

An Enviable Waterfront Lifestyle

Harbour Ridge’s two championship golf courses are just one of the resort-style amenities that make the private residential country club lifestyle at Harbour Ridge second to none. Harbour Ridge offers the very best of boating and golf course living. The 45,000-square-foot Clubhouse is the heart of our community, where residents can focus on health and wellness with the tennis program, full-service spa, aquatics center, and spacious fitness facility with physical therapists on hand. Harbour Ridge is also home to three private marinas, with a combined 98 slips for boats up to 80 feet in length. An active calendar of events keeps resident Members active with everything from fishing and golf tournaments to waterfront dinners.

The wide variety of homes for sale within the Harbour Ridge community offers varying price points and styles to suit every need. All single-family homes and condominiums have stunning views of the St. Lucie River, lakes golf courses or nature preserves. Move-in-ready rental residences are also available for seasonal residents. Our complimentary digital brochure shares an even closer look at the amenities and lifestyle offered within this waterfront community. Visit HarbourRidge.com or call 772-336-3000 for more information.