It’s a bright winter morning on the practice tee. The balls are all mounded in their neat little pyramids. The sun is just rising over the Atlantic Ocean, two miles to the east, and its rays are breaking through the stand of pine trees that line the adjacent first fairway. A few early-risers are busy on the range honing their games for their morning round. Suddenly, the serene silence is broken, as someone shouts — “LOOK!!” — as the startled golfers look up from their practice, a herd of wild black boar have just crossed over the first hole and are heading through the pines to the practice range. The herd is in full gallop with 6 or 7 smaller young ones bringing up the rear. As they head into the pine forest on the other side of the range, suddenly the two bald eagles that make their nest in the large pines, stir from their perch and one heads off to find breakfast for the new family that includes 2 eaglets.
Scenes like this are common at the Creek Course at Hammock Dunes. It is possible to encounter all types of wildlife; hawks, osprey, egrets, ibis, blue heron, rosetta spoonbills, wood storks and alligators among many others. This course is “SPECIAL”; it is cut out of the marsh and live oak hammocks and pine forests. It doesn’t have nor will it ever have homes or other intrusions. It is a wildlife habitat with many environmentally sensitive areas that run throughout the course. Lost balls on this course are truly lost as retrieving them from these areas is prohibited or unhealthy. Golf and nature co-exist side-by-side.
The Northeast Coast of Florida is a true golfers paradise; the Creek Course at Hammock Dunes is probably the most challenging from a true golf perspective, but all the courses, both public and private offer an abundance of scenery and wildlife. The ocean, the Intracoastal Waterway, the marshes and the St. Johns River come into view and play on many of our courses. Come enjoy the golf, as well as the sights of this special area!
Course Descriptions
Click on any of these courses for a more detailed description.
Hammock Dunes - Links Course
A Tom Fazio designed seaside masterpiece (private, equity).
Hammock Dunes - Creek Course
A very challenging Rees Jones layout surrounded by low-country nature at its best (private, equity).
Grand Haven Golf Club
Excellent Jack Nicklaus Signature Course along the Intracoastal Waterway (private, non-equity).
The Ocean Course at Hammock Beach
Spectacular oceanside Jack Nicklaus Signature Course opened in 2000 (semi-private).
The Grand Club - Matanzas Woods
Designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay. Opened in 1986 (semi-private).
The Grand Club - Pine Lakes
Designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay. Opened in 1980 (semi-private).
The Grand Club - Cypress Course
Gary Player designed in 1990 (semi-private).
