Back of the Card
Location: Stuart, FL
Length: 4,979yds – 6,221yds
Architects: Langford and Moreau (1923), Ernest Smith (1963), Ron Garl (1970), John Sanford 2020
Est. 1925
Historic Significance: Not much. It’s just very old and I guess is technically a Langford & Moreau course. However, it does have one of the few reversible 9-hole courses in the country and that’s pretty cool.
Background
Originally constructed by the renowned duo of Langford and Moreau in the early 1920’s, St. Lucie River Country Club was a 9-hole course (though 18 were designed). As you can see from the CVS receipt-length list of architects above, the club has since changed hands more times than the one good phone charger in your house that everyone insists is theirs. While I believe they did their best to retain Langford and Moreau’s contributions, the course eventually ballooned to a 36-hole complex before being cut back down to nine.
Today
The course has settled on becoming an excellent hang out spot with a regular 18-hole course, a reversible 9-hole course, and one of the funnest clubhouses I’ve seen. There’s been clear investment into the practice green, TopTracer driving range, and restaurant/clubhouse/TopGolf-Lite building. Although the 18-hole course is a little short, has a 5 o’clock shadow that was getting closer to 6 or 7 o’clock when I last played it, and has only a few semi-memorable holes, this is a fun place to play.
As far as I could tell when I visited, this isn’t a course that is overly trying to preserve its history or relive its glory days. It’s a course that knows what it is (a solid muni) and is trying to be the best version of that by making strategic investments to the practice and lounge areas. If you’re in the area and want to knock some balls around it’s worth a stop. If you’re looking for a championship track with pristine fairways and greens this isn’t it, but if you want a place with a unique layout, friendly staff, and an excellent 19th hole, this isn’t a bad choice.
The History
In early 1923, Langford and Moreau were hired to develop an 18-hole golf course for the St. Lucie Golf Club and Tennis Court Club and in 1925 the first nine holes were available for play.
The course was then purchased by Martin County in 1947 and expanded to 18 holes in 1963. Ernest Smith designed the additional nine holes necessary for the expansion and Ron Garl added another nine in the 1970’s. The course eventually ballooned to 36-holes before being downsized by John Sanford in 2020 when the county hired him to help mitigate some financial constraints.
The course was renamed Sailfish Sands and Sanford incorprated portions of the old L&M course to help create a reversible nine-hole course: The Sands 9. The course currently serves as an excellent local option for those seeking competitive golf or golf-related ways to spend leisure time alike.
The Scorecard
Ease of Access:
This one is kind of tough. The course itself is not hard to get on, but it’s also not near any particular activity hub. Bottom line, if you’re playing there, you already had a reason to be in the area. It doesn’t fall within the convenient geography of everyday life.
Score: 6.5/10
Fairness: This is a tough one to score. The layout itself is fair. The course isn’t particularly treacherous, doesn’t have any ridiculous forced carries, or Kardashian-esque undulations in its greens. That’s right, all the undulations on the greens are natural and god-given. Overall, the course should receive a pretty strong fairness score, but two things get in the way. First, if a course isn’t that challenging (as this one isn’t) then the concept of “fairness” almost doesn’t matter. Second, the conditions when I played were not great. Many tee boxes sported what I call the “Manu Ginobli” aka “The Sunroof”. They had a lot of hair at the edges, but were pretty bald in the middle. The same could be said of a few fairways and greenside lies.
Score: 7.5/10
History: We’ve discussed the history at length and outside of the Langford and Moreau connection, there isn’t much historical significance to this place. Plus, there’s about as much connection between L&M and Sailfish as there is between Michael Jackson and Tito Jackson. Sure, at one point they were mentioned in the same breath. Heck, they might have even added notoriety to one another in the beginning. Now, years have passed and when you mention Michael and someone else mentions Tito you go “oooh yeaaa, I remember him.” That’s about as closely connected as you could describe them. I actually like the course more for it’s recent investments than for its history. Score: 6/10
Memorable Holes: There’s really only one that comes to mind and I sadly don’t recall which hole it is – though I do believe it is on the back nine of the main course. The hole itself is not quite as memorable as one of its hazards. You see, in the center of the fairway where an excellently struck drive would land is a small and perfectly circular water hazard. It stretches nearly the width of the fairway and is about 15 to 20 yards in diameter. I’ve never seen anything like it before and doubt I will again. Score: 3/10
Setting: The course is actually in a fairly cool location. Many of its holes are up against the Martin County Airport and it’s pretty cool to see and hear the planes taking off right next to you. A few of the holes, while not on the water, have water views. Overall, it’s a fun environment. Score: 6/10
Course Conditions: You read my Manu Ginobli comment earlier. You know how I feel about the conditions when I played it in 2023. Far from a dog track, but just as far from hosting The Masters. Overall, they were fine for a day where I just wanted to chase my poorly struck ball around and good enough for a place to get a relaxed round in with family and friends. One thing I will say though is that the county seems determined to make continuous improvements and it wouldn’t shock me if by the time you read this and play the course, this score seems dated and irrational. Score: 6/10
Doak Scale: We find ourselves somewhere between “A mediocre golf course with little or no architectural interest, but nothing really horrible” and “About the level of the average golf course in the world.” Score: 2.5/10
How Impressed/Jealous Will Other Golfers Be When You Tell Them You Played This Course: Probably not very, but this place does have two pretty unique things going for it. First, it has one of the few reversible courses you’ll find in the US. That’s excellent in and of itself. Second, It’s TopGolf-lite restaurant/clubhouse is a wonderful place to while away the hours on your own or with friends. Honestly, your buddies might be more jealous that you went there than the actual course.
Score: 6.5/10
Overall Experience: This is a good place. When it comes to this categroy, the places that score well are the places that “get it”. They get what they are, who they are catering to, and they actually care. Sailfish Sands has all of that. Friendly staff, a great place to relax, good enough conditions, and the continuous desire to improve evidenced by their consistent reinvestment into their facilities. Score: 7/10
X-Factor: No real X-factor here. Sailfish Sands lives in a world between juxtaposition and contradiction. The course is dated and could use some conditioning love, but at the same time has a Trackman range. While I wouldn’t describe the locale as “middle of nowhere” it’s also not a place you’re going to happen upon by accident. The courses aren’t traditionally great, but that’s somewhat made up for by the reversible 9. Score: 6/10
Total Score: 57/100
The Awards
Marion Hollins Best Hole Award:
Winner- The hole with the perfectly circular water hazard in the exact center of the fairway
Space Jam. Cronuts. The opening scene in Wedding Crashers. The time I played the hole with the small, perfectly circular, water hazard in the middle of the fairway. All of these are unique creations that I never could have conceived before I experienced them, but I remember where I was when I first encountered them and nothing has been able to do a passable imitation since. Truth is, that hole may not be the best one on the course, but it is certainly the most memorable one.
Lake M Award for Hazard That Will Plague You Every Round:
Winner: We don’t need to do this again, right?
At the end of the day, what I can say is this: if you’re in the area and need a good place to hang, Sailfish Sands is worth your time. The course is decent enough, the common areas and practice facilities are great, the staff is friendly, and most of all this course cares. They continue to invest in themselves in intelligent and tangible ways and I’ll never knock someone for trying to do that. If you find yourself in the area, give Sailfish Sands a shot. It promises to be a day to remember with some shots to forget. (5.9)
