The Loxahatchee Club – Played June 2024
- Rankings: None of my four lists
- Location: 1350 Echo Drive, Jupiter, Florida
- Year: 1985
- Original Architect: Jack Nicklaus
- Additional Work By: David Heatwole, Troy Vincent, & Greg Letsche
- Course Access: Private
- Walking Rules: Caddies & Carts Available
Score Card Information:
- Black: 7,240 yards, Par 72, 75.9 Rating/153 Slope
- Gold: 6,703 yards, Par 72, 73.4 Rating/148 Slope
- Blue: 6,307 yards, Par 72, 71.6 Rating/141 Slope (Men’s), 77.9 Rating/151 Slope (Women’s)
- White: 5,902 yards, Par 72, 69.7 Rating/135 Slope (Men’s), 75.6 Rating/146 Slope (Women’s)
- Red: 5,405 yards, Par 72, 67.4 Rating/129 Slope (Men’s), 72.9 Rating/140 Slope (Women’s)
- Green: 4,583 yards, Par 72, 63.9 Rating/121 Slope (Men’s), 68.1 Rating/126 Slope (Women’s)
A family wedding had me heading down to South Florida in June. That’s not an ideal time to be down that way but then I got The Loxahatchee Club lined up. The warm weather didn’t dampen my spirits at the course or the wedding. It was a great trip overall!
Loxahatchee was built as part of a private residential project. Despite being a Florida housing development course the Jack Nicklaus routing doesn’t feel cramped or intruded on by the homes. I couldn’t find much else in the way of history, so let’s get right into the tour.
The club’s logo is the first thing I’d like to point out. It’s elite!
Hole 1 – 334 yards – Par 4
The first hole at Loxatchee is a gentle opener where a driver isn’t required. Fairways and greens is the name of the game out here.
Hole 2 – 157 yards – Par 3
While the water might worry you, there is plenty of room to favor the left side. There’s no need for a hero shot.
Hole 4 – 509 yards – Par 5
I didn’t get photos of every hole and shot because I was focusing on taking in the day. This is a difficult driving hole with the water up the right side.
Hole 6 – 332 yards – Par 4
Precision reigns over strength with the hazard guarding this fairway. Take care to not run out of fairway on your tee shot.
Hole 7 – 393 yards – Par 4
This entire hole feels like a punchbowl with everything feeding toward the middle. It doesn’t play that way though and the green has plenty of slope.
Hole 8 – 479 yards – Par 5
The “suggestion box in a precarious location” is a trope that I love to see at golf courses. The joke doesn’t get old for me. Here is the version at Loxahatchee.
The hole itself is a beautiful one with the water up the right side. Once you get to the green, the water stays in the equation.
Hole 9 – 373 yards – Par 4
The final hole on the front is a straightforward test. You’ll need to avoid the fairway bunker.
If you find the fairway, the approach shot is a green light opportunity.
Hole 10 – 387 yards – Par 4
Bunkers dot the fairway on this hole. The pro tip might be to play from the adjacent fairway on the right. There are no bunkers over there!
Hole 11 – 336 yards – Par 4
There is ample room between the bunkers on the left and the water on the right. Depending on your distance, you can take on the bunkers. The hole moves to the left.
Hole 12 – 175 yards – Par 3
What you see is what you get here. Avoid the right side at all costs.
Hole 13 – 526 yards – Par 5
My guy Jack loves a hazard on the right side of a hole. This one is no different. There is plenty of room out there though.
Hole 15 – 322 yards – Par 4
If you have some firepower, take a shot at this green. There isn’t much to dissuade you from pushing your drive up as far as possible.
Hole 16 – 525 yards – Par 5
Finding the fairway is imperative if you want to get home in two. The hole opens up once you get into the fairway.
Going for the green is hair-raising with all of the water around it.
Hole 17 – 151 yards – Par 3
The angled green here means you need to control your distance. Avoiding the back bunkers is a good strategy.
Hole 18 – 381 yards – Par 4
This hole gave me TPC Sawgrass vibes even though there is more room up the right side. The fairway is wide enough that you can fit a draw or fade into it.
I have not been shy about stating that Jack Nicklaus is not my favorite architect. Most of that is rooted in the fact that we don’t necessarily like to see the same things. However, that didn’t seem to be an issue at Loxahatchee. There was the typical Nicklaus fade bias but the course felt quite playable with a draw. Fantastic conditioning for the summer and a great host made for a great day!