Old Palm Golf Club

I was recently fortunate enough to play Old Palm Golf Club through a reciprocal program, and I am incredibly glad I took advantage of the opportunity. It might sound like a bold statement, but in my opinion, Old Palm is the single best golf course I have ever played in Florida.

The conditions here are absolutely immaculate; there is truly not a single blade of grass out of place. The visual design features are stunning, from the perfectly geometric, rectangular tee boxes sitting on beds of coquina shell, to the fescue clusters and the waste areas that closely mimic classic UK and Irish links bunkers. While the course is lined with beautiful mansions, the routing is so spacious and well-designed that the homes never actually come into play.

The service matches the conditioning. Forecaddies are mandatory here, and our caddie, Tom, was outstanding—extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and a major value-add to our round. Afterward, the men’s locker room and adjoining bar area blew me away with its surreal atmosphere, excellent food, and great beers on tap.

The only minor downside was that the practice facilities were closed for a major renovation. However, I hear they are bound to be best-in-class, and I sincerely hope I get the chance to return next year to try them out. There is absolutely nothing negative to say about Old Palm—it is officially my favorite track in the Sunshine State.

if you get the opportunity to play this course, let alone 4 times in a week, you have to just simply take a step back and remind yourself that life is good, and relish in that moment. Dont worry about your score, as this course is very tough and is a training ground for PGA pros. I actually FELT like a PGA pro for a few days: golfing with a caddy each time, getting range time with Pro-V1 range balls, and staying at the host member's mansion. I did not get to meet Lee Westwood or Raymond Floyd, but rather got treated and pampered as if I was among them, you will too.