JACARANDA GOLF CLUB (954-472-5836)
East Course
Florida Golf Course Review - October, 2006
General information
Over 5 million dollars in renovations have been completed at the Jacaranda Golf Club. The East Course is now
open with its new layout, and the West Course is slated to re-open with its new configuration sometime in
December of 06. Both courses have undergone design changes, and updates to the layouts also include the re
-seeding of all green complexes with Tif Dwarf, and the re-seeding of all fairways with Paspalum. Tee boxes and
bunkers have also been renovated. On our mid-October 2006 visit, we observed the fairways on the East Course to be some of the finest playing surfaces we have encountered in Florida!
Jacaranda has long been considered to be one of the top golf facilities in SE Florida...now that stakes are
higher, as the recent updates have elevated the property to an even higher level.Golf facilities now include two
beautiful championship courses, a spacious targeted grass range, short game area with sand bunker, plus large
practice green. Clubhouse facilities include a nicely stocked pro shop, wonderfully appointed locker rooms with
showers for men and women, banquet/outing facilities, plus a restaurant and lounge with outdoor patio.
On both courses, there are permanent markers on the cart paths at 100, 150 and 200 yards, and sprinkler heads
are measured to the front, middle and back of the greens. Pin placement sheets are posted on all carts, which
are also equipped with rear covers to protect clubs from inclement weather. The scorecards for each course
have individual hole diagrams with measurements from the tees to the hazards (water and bunkers) - a much appreciated feature.
The photos in this review are of the EAST COURSE, as the West course was not yet open during our October
2006 visit. The East features 5 sets of tee boxes that are quite evenly interspersed, affording golfers of all skill
levels with an opportunity to choose a set that matches their game. The tips measure a formidable 7247
yards/133 slope, while alternate sets play to 6891 yards/128 slope, 6376 yards/122 slope for men and 142 for
women, 5747 yards/119 slope for men and 125 for women, and 4923 yards with s slope of 110 for men and 118 for ladies.
The East presents generous but undulating fairways, with significant bunkering (80 in total) situated greenside or
along the landing zones off the tee. Some of the bunkers are built into mounding complexes with sod faces and
high lips. Land in these on the fairways and the results can be quite penal...gamble and successfully negotiate
the traps, and palyers will be rewarded with great scoring opportunities. This is the result Bobby Weed strived for
when he structured the re-designs. Water comes into play on 15 holes - mostly on the perimeters, with only the
beautiful par three 17th demanding a forced carry. We toured the West Course prior to its opening and found the
front nine to be more player friendly with less undulation and more open bunker and green complexes, while the
back side was extremely rolling and presented some very challenging approaches. The variety should please the vast majority of golfers.
The fairways on both courses are ample and are usually tree lined. Green complexes are raised and sloping,
with sales and collection areas awaiting offline shots. Tropical landscaping that includes plenty of palm trees
provides aesthetic beauty, particularly around the newly sculpted tee boxes. The overall conditioning from tee to
green was quite lush on our October visit. In addition to improvements on the layouts themselves, Jacaranda now
features new cart paths, stone markers and renovated on-course restroom facilities. Bobby Weed completed the make-over of both courses, which were originally designed by Mark Mahannah.
Jacaranda was a nice golf experience prior to renovations. With significant tree loss due to recent hurricane
damage, the current updates were necessary and welcome - these recent improvements now make this a MUST
PLAY in SE Florida. We highly recommend a round here! Updates on the West layout including slope ratings
and yardages will be published shortly...look for updates before the end of 2006. For more info, visit our page for the property, with direct link to the Jacaranda website by clicking here.
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