St. James Bay Golf Club

About
Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
---|---|---|---|---|
Black | 72 | 6601 yards | 72.0 | 139 |
Blue | 72 | 5979 yards | 69.8 | 124 |
White | 72 | 5439 yards | 67.5 | 118 |
White (W) | 72 | 5439 yards | 73.6 | 120 |
Green (W) | 72 | 4667 yards | 69.3 | 111 |
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Black M: 72.0/143 | 397 | 162 | 307 | 423 | 404 | 194 | 506 | 488 | 399 | 3280 | 350 | 183 | 372 | 433 | 371 | 522 | 380 | 168 | 542 | 3321 | 6601 |
Blue M: 70.0/131 | 356 | 141 | 293 | 383 | 347 | 178 | 453 | 423 | 380 | 2954 | 300 | 166 | 337 | 416 | 346 | 473 | 343 | 146 | 498 | 3025 | 5979 |
White M: 67.6/122 W: 73.3/125 | 336 | 123 | 269 | 363 | 310 | 148 | 406 | 389 | 342 | 2686 | 274 | 158 | 313 | 391 | 318 | 439 | 306 | 121 | 433 | 2753 | 5439 |
Green M: 64.5/116 W: 69.7/117 | 285 | 100 | 213 | 304 | 267 | 141 | 368 | 297 | 290 | 2265 | 232 | 139 | 287 | 337 | 259 | 372 | 285 | 104 | 387 | 2402 | 4667 |
Handicap | 7 | 17 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 13 | 9 | 3 | 14 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 18 | 8 | |||
Par | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 36 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 72 |
Handicap (W) | 9 | 17 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 10 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Food & Beverage
RestaurantAvailable Facilities
Clubhouse, Meeting FacilitiesAvailable Activities
Swimming, BilliardsAvailable Sports
Fitness, TennisAccolades
Reviews
Reviewer Photos
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Photo submitted by SCDoc on 12/26/2016
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Hole 2, Par 3 - Do not look at the water! Photo submitted by guyopie on 10/27/2013
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Hole 10, Par 4, Second shot - Glad I laid up! Photo submitted by guyopie on 10/27/2013
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Photo submitted by Felix9448340 on 02/25/2013
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Photo submitted by 12122012 on 10/31/2012
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Photo submitted by 12122012 on 10/31/2012
Excellent Golf For This Area
This is a rare find for golf in the Panhandle. I have played this course since it opened some 10 plus years ago. It has always been in excellent condition. It is somewhat challenging until you learn how to play it. Several forced carries and numerous bunkers. GPS on carts is very useful. It is a must play if opportunity is available.
Great Course, Great Atmosphere
The course conditions were fantastic! The greens were mint and the fairways were plush. It's a fairly tricky layout, kinda tight, but very rewarding when you put the ball where it needs to be. Overall a very fun course to play. The restaurant (Crooked River Grill) was delicious after our round. They had some great items that our whole group enjoyed and the service was awesome. Will definitely be back to play again soon!
Friendly staff, great layout and value
Always enjoy the challenge of this course. Some of the tee boxes and greens could use some detailing but doesn't detract from the game at all. Especially if you're scrambling a lot. Might have to keep the driver in the bag if you're having trouble keeping it straight!
Great design
Our league played here today and it is in much better condition than the previous reviews mentioned. The tee boxes could use some new sod, but everything else was in good condition. Very cool design, shot making strategy is required on many holes. The GPS system in the carts really helps navigate this track. The staff was amazing too! This course is a must play on the “Forgotten Coast”!
They destroyed a gem of a course
My group has played this course every year for about 15 years. Two years ago ownership changed. So did course maintenance. This year the major downturn only worsened. 75% of the tee boxes are now crab grass and/or barren. 50% of the fairways are have major dirt patches with crabgrass clippings affecting roll and lies. The greens are in good shape. Even during the recession, this course was in great shape. I fear it will never come back.
Terrible golf course
Visiting St George Island and wanted to golf near by and there not many options. Most holes have forced carries over wetland from tee box. Tee boxes and fairways in terrible shape. Hitting off hard pan on many holes. Greens were pretty good. Won’t go back. Not enjoyable. Nice GPS on carts doesn’t make up for the course.
Woof
Dog track...This place has really gone down hill and not sure what happened. Might be because of hurricane a few years ago but it’s overgrown and overpriced. Payed $65.00 and should be about half that. Tee boxes Crab grass, bare spots, matted grass. Fairways look like they were flooded awhile back, lots of ground under repair but no repairs happening. Bright side is golf carts were really nice with great GPS and Bluetooth but money should have been put into maintenance. Not much choice to play in area and not sure I’ll play it again. Super disappointed
Conditions are headed downhill...
I play this course several times a year. Lately, the conditions have really gone downhill. This course used to always be in pristine shape, from tee to green. The past year or so the tee boxes and fairways have developed bare spots, and I have yet to see any maintenance staff working to improve. Also, I guess they gave up on cutting down the brush in the forced carries. There are several holes where you can barely see the pin anymore looking over. They used to keep this trimmed down and looking nice. Now it looks like they just don't want to bother going in the swamp to cut anything.
Course is still in a beautiful setting. However, they removed themselves from GolfNow and no longer offer any deal times. At $70 on the weekend, this course is overpriced for the condition it is in currently.
Natural setting.
Very good course in a beautiful natural setting. Lots of water and marshland so bring extra balls. Greens are in excellent condition. Some fairways could use some work. Several natural areas you are hitting over have bushes and trees which have grown and make the entire landing area not visible from the fairway. Really needs some maintenance in those areas. It wasn’t like that 3 years ago and it detracts from the experience. That said it’s a good course I would recommend.
Back again after a couple of years
We have not played here in 2 years. Course is having some rough times now from what i remember previously. The fairways are having some issues with loss of grass and weeds. The course is very overgrown on the sides and in areas that you have to hit over. This creates blind shots and you cannot judge distance now. Greens are pretty nice but slow. The course needs a big time grooming and thinning out so it will open up the course and give longer views. It is in a very pretty setting. I hope that they will spend the money soon to get the course cleared up.
Not so good
Last time I played St. James Bay was 8 years ago and it has gone downhill.
Course marking
You have to play position golf, and that's as advertised. What makes it so unfair is there are no course diagrams to show you where and how far to hit. There are many blind shots. And unless you have played it, you can't know how to hit. They need guidelines, course layouts, with distances, signs, maps or gps. Something! Some Tee boxes in poor shape. Fairways somewhat rough, but greens were superb! I will play it again, with some foreknowledge. Not many other choices in the area.
Best course in the area for the money.
They are trying hard to restore this course to it's former glory. So far a success. Can't beat the value.
St James Bay
St. James Bay is a great layout whose difficulty lies in a number of forced carries over environmentally sensitive areas off the tee. Unfortunately the plant growth in most of the areas now obscures any view of the landing area in the fairway. The fairways and tee boxes have suffered from CoVid related lack of maintenance while the condition of the greens remains very good. The staff was great everywhere on the property.
good but not what it used to be
For the Tallahassee area its a really good course. It was once one of the best in FLA but it doesn't stack up to its previous version The carries over the "roughs" i are fine but have not been trimmed in awhile Its fun to play and that's what matters
Better have some Top-Flites!
About a 1 hour drive from Tallahassee. Beautiful area, course is beautiful but extremely challenging. No margin for error - particularly on tee shots. A golf app on your phone is a must to understand what you need to hit off the tee. Fairways were in average shape (at best) but greens were fantastic. VERY high potential for lost balls so stock up on some Top-Flites before you play here.
Up for auction
Sad to see this once beautiful, well maintained course turn into a such disaster. Most holes “cart path only” so you don’t tear up the little bit of dried out brown grass that’s left. Greens aren’t far behind!

New Superintendent started 3 days before you played. I encourage you to come back, show us you made the above comment, and receive a complimentary round. If our recovery impresses you just please share your positive experience!
4.3133 stars
Very nice scenery. Fairways chewed up but still enjoyed very much compared to most courses. Happy I found this place and thanks for participating with golf now.

Hey Chris- Thanks for playing a round with us! We appreciate you. We did have an issue with our fairways, however we have a new Superintendent and he has made great strides in the last few weeks. We would love the opportunity to show you.
Saint Janes Bay
Course was in fair condition. First time I had been there where it was not in tip top shape. But still was a joy to play.
Thank you for playing our course! You are right to suggest extra golf balls. We are an Audubon Certified Signature Course- one of less than 60 in the world, which is why there are so many hazards. Our fairways are improving every day so we would love to see you back soon.