Sailfish Point is by all accounts an oceanfront community, yet this fairly limited description doesn’t come close to painting the entire picture.
Seeing, in this case, is believing.
This 532-acre luxury development just south of Stuart, Florida is a veritable private island, surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian River and St. Lucie Inlet.
Its nationally-ranked Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course meanders through the waterways, wetlands and coastal dunes that define Sailfish Point’s Hutchinson Island setting. The first time they play it, golfers are blown away by the course’s stunning collection of unobstructed water views.
There’s the 614-yard par-5 14th, with the St. Lucie Inlet in the background …
The 520-yard par-5 10th with the ocean in the distance and a massive lake running the entire length of the hole…
And the 443-yard par-4 18th, with the Atlantic as its backdrop, for starters.
Ask 18 members about their favorite hole and you’re likely to get 18 answers.
And even those answers could change in 2021 and beyond.
As Sailfish Point Golf Club approaches its 40th birthday next year, Nicklaus Design has been retained to lead a full-scale renovation of the entire layout.
While more details will be available in the months ahead, here’s a preview of what’s to come.
Enhanced Playability
Many golf courses built in the 80s and 90 emphasized power over precision and difficulty over playability. While Sailfish Point was never known as one of Nicklaus’ overly penal designs, the passing of time has impacted the course on many levels.
The 2021 renovation will yield an eminently playable layout, one that sets up perfectly for players of varying ages, abilities and ambitions.
First, new forward tees will be installed on all 18 holes, creating a 4,500-layout optimized for slower swing speeds. Members will reach more greens in regulation, pace of play will improve, and overall enjoyment will skyrocket.
In all, there will be six sets of tees capable of producing 10 different playing combinations. The back tees will stretch to 7,111 yards, enabling Sailfish Point to continue hosting competitive member and PGA sectional events.
Second, the masterplan calls for a 15% reduction in formal sand bunker area. “Team Nicklaus” is quick to point out, however, it will retain the signature high-flashed bunkers, one of the course’s signatures. New advanced-tech bunker liners will hold sand in place during those heavy afternoon storms.
Third, the putting surfaces on several greens will be expanded to their original footprint. This sounds like a small tweak, but larger greens allow for additional pin placements. And returning greens to their previous dimensions helps them accept and reward well-struck approach shots.
Just Like New (Holes)
Members asked for full review of the 315-yard par 4 seventh hole, and Nicklaus Design responded with an inspired solution adding additional playability and strategy to this short two-shotter.
Essentially, No. 7 will be a completely new hole.
Long hitters will have an opportunity to drive the green, and the forward tees will be shifted right to create a better angle of play for shorter hitters. To accomplish this two-fold objective, the green will be shifted slightly and rotated, and the open area short and right of the green will be converted to a fairway pad.
Golfers laying up (the majority) will have to negotiate two bunkers flanking the fairway landing area. One will be brand new – the center fairway bunker will shift further out and to the left. Tee boxes could also be raised to offer a better view of the hole too to green.
Other holes with major changes include three, 11 and 12.
On the par-4 third hole, the green will be moved back to the newly installed sea wall to open up stunning views of the Intracoastal Waterway. At the par-4 11th, the green will shift left toward the water and a new bunker will be installed between it and the cart path.
The green on the par-3 12th hole will be completely redesigned, tees expanded, and the left greenside bunker reduced in size to create more bailout space. Every hole on the golf course will be positively affected in some way, shape, or form.
Game Improvement Haven
Game improvement is of utmost importance to private club members, according to surveys by the Club Management Association of America (CMAA). And golfers who steadily improve their handicaps are more likely to not only stick with the game but play up to twice as frequently.
The masterplan includes significant changes to the Sailfish Point Practice Area that will make one of the leading game improvement facilities in Southeast Florida. The range core will be redesigned with new target greens, providing the look and feel of an actual par 4 to help golfers visualize shots.
The rear hitting area will be raised and shifted slightly backwards toward the water tank. The front tee will be slightly raised for better views and widened to offer additional practice stations. The practice putting green will be enlarged and softened to create maximum usable space.
Future is Now
According to PGA Director of Golf Vic Tortorici, the golf course will close in spring of 2021 and is scheduled to reopen by Thanksgiving. With the growing number of members calling Sailfish Point home year-round, the new- practice facility will have its work cut out for it in keeping their golf itch scratched.
“It will be up to the challenge,” says Tortorici. “We’re widening the south tee so it will accommodate up to 23 golfers and the north tee can fit 20. They’ll love the amount of turf we have to hit from. It will be 30 days until we have to cycle back to a teeing area.”
And according to Tortorici, interest in golf memberships is rising as the Treasure Coast real estate market heats up. People from densely populated areas in the Northeast and Midwest, as well as points south like Miami-Dade County, are cashing out their primary residence to invest in their “vacation home for life.”
Home ownership is required for all membership types at Sailfish Point. A variety of move-in-ready luxury residences are available to suit a diverse array of buyers, from lock-and-leave townhomes and condos to sumptuous villas and spacious estate homes. Just as importantly, activities and amenities abound.
A recently reimagined 60,000-square-foot clubhouse offers myriad dining options, two-story fitness center, aquatic center, tennis courts, full-service spa and access to a staggering five miles of pristine beach.
“We had a lull in March, April and the first part of May like everywhere else, but activity ramped back up in June once businesses started reopening and there was more clarity about our path forward,” says Sailfish Point Realty Broker and Managing Partner Kristen Cheskaty. “We’re anticipating a robust fall and peak season as people realize more flexibility by working remotely or opting for early retirement.”
For more information about the golf course, real estate, and Sailfish Point lifestyle, visit www.sailfishpoint.com.