Jupiter & Palm Beach Gardens Private Membership Options

dpb5031 · Oct 30, 2018

Moving full-time to Jupiter, FL from NJ in 30 days and looking for any and all insights about the area. I'm pretty familiar in general, but it's still not the same level of knowledge as those who have lived there. Plan is to rent for 1 year minimum until we figure out exactly where we'd like to buy.

Here's my deal. I'm 50, married 26 years with 2 grown daughters, one out on her own, the other still in college (D1 golfer). I'm retired from my first career. Wife and I have no geographic restrictions for our current careers. We're tired of cold winters and NJ taxes plus we have family down there.

We've belonged to the same private club in NJ for 24 years. I'm currently a 0 GHIN index, but usually hover around a 2 or 3. I play around 100 rounds annually. Wife doesnt play, but enjoys many friendships with my golf buddies' wives.

We don't necessarily need or want to live in a golf community or directly on a course, but being close to our club is a bonus and I wouldn't want more than a 20 min commute to play.

I'm only interested in fully private clubs but I'm not interested & can't afford a massive initiation fee. About $25k is my limit for upfront equity, and up to around $12k all-in for annual dues. We're heading down ASAP to pick a rental and I'm not in a huge rush to choose a club.

So far I've played and narrowed it down to the following clubs:

1. Tequesta CC

2. Bear Lakes CC

3. Turtle Creek CC

4. Jupiter CC

5. The Fox Club (in Palm City and a great course but a bit outside of our desired area)

All suggestions, comments, insights welcome on the both the golf scene and real estate. Thanks in advance!

Bluefan75 · Oct 31, 2018

Any reason you are completely set on Jupiter? Based on your numbers, a little further up the treasure coast may open up a number of options for you.

otw · Oct 31, 2018

#2 my favorite on your list. None would make you unhappy

dpb5031 · Oct 31, 2018

Bluefan75 wrote:

Any reason you are completely set on Jupiter? Based on your numbers, a little further up the treasure coast may open up a number of options for you.

There are a number of reasons we're choosing Jupiter. Most importantly my wife loves the area. As you might imagine, she's somewhat uncertain about this move to begin with (moving away from my daughter who's getting married in NJ in a year), so it's critical that she's happy.

Airport proximity is another important factor as she travels frequently for work as a national sales team leader for a major company. PBI will be real close but it's a small airport with somewhat limited options, so having FLL conveniently down 95 is another bonus.

Also, we have family both slightly North up on Hutchinson Island, but also right in Jupiter and down in Davie, so again...convenience.

I've found much better real estate values up in Stuart and Palm City, but finding a golf club that's the right fit may be more challenging. I love The Fox Club, but I'm not certain about the club's future so I'd hate to buy in the area with that uncertainty.

I also think belonging to a club that is open to members from outside of a restricted development is more desirable for me. Finding a good competitive regular game is important to me and there are more young guys and better players at the clubs I've listed than most development courses.

Thanks for the comments and keep 'em coming!

dpb5031 · Oct 31, 2018

I also should add that during our rental period I was thinking I might join Abacoa for a season even though it's a semi-private. I have a feeling we're going to end up renting very close to there, so it might be a good risk-free temporary option while I feel out the other options and try to decide where to purchase.

Tim Gavrich · Oct 31, 2018

It's up towards the Fox Club, but you might check out Banyan Creek, which is a redesigned private club that used to be the secondary course at Martin Downs. It's still getting going and might check some the boxes you've got. I played it in April and was pleasantly surprised by the course.

ebrasmus21 · Oct 31, 2018

OP - your best source of information we be if BNGL sees this thread.

Schley · Oct 31, 2018

ebrasmus21 wrote:

OP - your best source of information we be if BNGL sees this thread.

I was just going to post the same thing. BNGL, paging BNGL

dpb5031 · Oct 31, 2018

Schley wrote:

ebrasmus21 wrote:

OP - your best source of information we be if BNGL sees this thread.

I was just going to post the same thing. BNGL, paging BNGL

I sent him a PM with a link to this thread. Hopefully he'll chime in...

jpt1101 · Oct 31, 2018

Before I even saw your list I was thinking Tequesta CC. Should fit your price range and is a solid course, and geographically makes sense. Abacoa is not a bad option if you don’t go fully private, but it is a public course and can get crowded during peak season.

Wedgefromhere · Oct 31, 2018

You may want to reconsider Bear Lakes CC since it's not "fully private". The public has access from May - October via the South FL PGA Golf Pass.

dpb5031 · Nov 1, 2018

Tim Gavrich wrote:

It's up towards the Fox Club, but you might check out Banyan Creek, which is a redesigned private club that used to be the secondary course at Martin Downs. It's still getting going and might check some the boxes you've got. I played it in April and was pleasantly surprised by the course.

I just checked out Banyan Creek's website. The course looks good but may be a bit speculative since it's still not fully established. Important that there's a decent men's group with lots of regular games, but it will be worth checking out once I'm down there. One huge positive about it is that homes up in the Palm City area are a great value relative to Jupiter /PBG. You certainly get a lot more for your money.

bnr204 · Nov 1, 2018

if you're willing to join a place a bit further south, i can think of 4 places worth looking into in the west palm beach / lake worth area: Banyan GC, Banyan Cay (right near the airport, may be out of your desired price range), The Falls (though there are rumblings the course may go NLE for homes w/in next 5-10 years, so double check up) and Wellington National. wellington nat'l used to be public but went private and will certainly be within your budget. again these aren't all that close to jupiter, more like 45 minutes but you're in a desired area. i'd also look into what the situation is at ironhorse preserve and the pga facilities in port st. lucie. abacoa for a year would also be satisfying for you. ive played a good amount of golf in the greater region (ft. lauderdale up through jupiter)

BNGL · Nov 3, 2018

Thanks for the message, I have been away for a bit vacation then opening the club up so it has been busy busy for me. Uhm from your list I have played all but Turtle Creek. The Fox Club is the best club on that list in my opinion it used to be the European hang out (Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke, Luke Donald, etc) but that has now shifted to Bears Club like everyone else. It is a great golf course, although as I understand it they are adding facilities such as tennis and a pool (adding or expanding) which could be great to attract new members but I love that it is just a golf club. As someone else mentioned something to consider would be PGA Golf Club is PSL, but it is not fully private just semi private, and if I remember correctly will be up for sale shortly (at least that has been the rumor, they recently off loaded Saint Lucie Trails golf club across the street so that place is in trouble financially I would reckon) There is however a "hidden gem" of a club called Legacy Golf and Tennis Club, it is a quality course with a terrific short game facility including a short course and legitimate putt putt course (it is a terrifically delightful little thing, lots of fun!!!). But they do close to 50k rounds a year. I would encourage you to look more north of Jupiter area, unless you are dead set on Jup/PBG area because it is ridiculously expensive. Vero Beach is a fine quiet town, that is reasonably close to airports (in between FLL and MCO via turnpike its about an hour) and has some really good golf almost as good as Jupiter area if not better. That being said I do not know any of the clubs rates.

If I had to reorder your list, I would go

Fox Club-A great golf club full of great players..some great players hang out here.

Bear Lakes-Two great tracks, Brooks just became a member and occasional PGA Tour players will play. There has been some spotty conditioning issues, but I know they recently hired a new super and assistants and I have heard and seen improved results so it should be a thing of the past.

Tequesta CC-ok layout in my opinion nothing like oh my god I gotta go play it, but it is a good course and can have some of the fastest greens around, if you're into that.

Jupiter CC-never been a fan, played it a couple times and it is just blah to me.

Turtle Creek GC-never have played it

I am not sure the rates on this place but Hobe Sound GC is a very nice little track in Hobe Sound, I thoroughly enjoy playing there and know the crew out there quite well and they do a marvelous job! The one bad thing about it is the rattle snakes...which are quite common on that whole ridge/area. I saw the most beautiful rattler out there though, five feet and fat! but it had the most intricately symmetrical pattern on his back that I have ever seen.

Also consider the Palm Beach Par 3, I am sure they offer some sort of players card or reduced rate for frequent players, but that is by far the best golf course for the money. It is all par 3s, but its on both sides of the island (ocean and river) and is impeccably maintained. We play it quite often and have a blast when we go out there.

jmtbkr · Nov 3, 2018

Turtle Creek is my favorite on your list. Too far away for me to be a member. Neighbirhood is older and not gated ( important to me).

I live in PGA, but belong to Eastpointe.

Bear Lakes is semi private/public and old.

Jupiter CC, need to be a resident and then there is a waiting list.

Abacoa, I’ve been on the list for 4 years and I’m only #38. Also mostly public.

dpb5031 · Nov 9, 2018

Ok, thanks to everyone for the input. We've rented a place in Abacoa. This is temporary (1 year) until we decide exactly where we want to buy. I'll continue researching private clubs once I'm down there and will most likely just hang my hat Abacoa until I decide where I want to join.

1b!ggolfnut · Nov 11, 2018

Turtle Creek would be my choice

dpb5031 · Nov 23, 2018

Four days til the move. We are downsizing significantly and thankfully the buyers of our house in NJ are buying a bunch of our furnishings. We have also given tons away to friends and family plus filled three 24' box trucks for the Rescue Mission. There's a 20 yard dumpster in my driveway for anything not making the cut and it's already about 2/3 full.

It's amazing how much crap you accumulate over the years. Even after purging as much as we have the move is still going to cost over $15k.

Moving sucks, but I cant wait to get down there!

jmtbkr · Nov 23, 2018

Hope you are using a name reputable moving company. You will have breakage, it’s unavoidable. Don’t know if the extra insurance is worth it tho.... you usually get $0.60/lb, which covers nothing. Then they want the balance in cash, before they open the truck up to unload....then the real bs starts.

Keep us informed where you’re moving to a what club yoult join

dpb5031 · Nov 24, 2018

jmtbkr wrote:

Hope you are using a name reputable moving company. You will have breakage, it’s unavoidable. Don’t know if the extra insurance is worth it tho.... you usually get $0.60/lb, which covers nothing. Then they want the balance in cash, before they open the truck up to unload....then the real bs starts.

Keep us informed where you’re moving to a what club yoult join

We are using a large and reputable United Van Lines mover (Bohrens) with locations near us here in NJ and also West Palm Beach and Stuart. We've really done a good job of purging, so I'm hoping to knock a few bucks off of the estimate. We're also doing a lot of packing & labeling ourselves, so hopefully that minimizes losses and damages.

We don't take possession of our rental in Abacoa until Dec. 15th, so heading to mother-in-law's place in Greenville SC for a week (or maybe less 😉), then will stay the remainder with my cousin in Jupiter. She's got 7200 SF, so they probably wont even know we're there...lol! Can't wait...

gatorMD · Nov 24, 2018

Trump Jupiter is a nice course.

Seminole is a solid course

Old marsh

Bears club

Medalist

Tons of good options down there.

dpb5031 · Dec 3, 2018

gatorMD wrote:

Trump Jupiter is a nice course.

Seminole is a solid course

Old marsh

Bears club

Medalist

Tons of good options down there.

I've played all the courses you've listed with the exception of Seminole. They're all fantastic, but also well beyond my budget. That said however, if you can get me into Seminole I'd probably figure out a way to scrape together enough to make it work...lol!

Aaronwilson_95 · Dec 3, 2018

If you’d like to come out to Wellington National I can hook it up with the membership director . 18 holes some good games and players

Also it’s about 15 from pbi inland so would be worth looking at . At your age it’d 2500 initiation and roughly 500$ a month and a 1400$ cart plan

CrazyCoolie · Dec 6, 2018

gatorMD wrote:

Trump Jupiter is a nice course.

Seminole is a solid course

Old marsh

Bears club

Medalist

Tons of good options down there.

Why did you leave out Lost Tree??

Bluefan75 · Dec 7, 2018

CrazyCoolie wrote:

gatorMD wrote:

Trump Jupiter is a nice course.

Seminole is a solid course

Old marsh

Bears club

Medalist

Tons of good options down there.

Why did you leave out Lost Tree??

Because he didn't want to be seen as advising someone to slum it?

CrazyCoolie · Dec 7, 2018

Bluefan75 wrote:

CrazyCoolie wrote:

gatorMD wrote:

Trump Jupiter is a nice course.

Seminole is a solid course

Old marsh

Bears club

Medalist

Tons of good options down there.

Why did you leave out Lost Tree??

Because he didn't want to be seen as advising someone to slum it?

It is a great slum though

eagles1 · Dec 7, 2018

You'll be missed in NJ, Dewey.

Godspeed.

dpb5031 · Dec 11, 2018

eagles1 wrote:

You'll be missed in NJ, Dewey.

Godspeed.

Thanks buddy!!! Come visit soon!

jerebear21 · Dec 11, 2018

You’re not going to like the food in south Florida, especially coming from jersey.

Have some mutual friends at Jupiter hill. They rave about it so something to look at.

jmtbkr · Dec 11, 2018

jerebear21 wrote:

You’re not going to like the food in south Florida, especially coming from jersey.

Have some mutual friends at Jupiter hill. They rave about it so something to look at.

Pizza down here SUCKS!

Miss my Brooklyn pizza

th6252 · Dec 11, 2018

jerebear21 wrote:

You’re not going to like the food in south Florida, especially coming from jersey.

Have some mutual friends at Jupiter hill. They rave about it so something to look at.

when i used to go down to jupiter to visit friends, i'd go with all seafood (grouper and mahi in particular). but yeah, the food down there isn't all that great outside of seafood. decent thai and cuban places though, but forget about italian or chinese...or decent deli sandwiches. why does the bread baked down there taste like sawdust?

Jupiter & Palm Beach Gardens Private Membership Options

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