Stuart, Florida's Treasure Coast is home to five standout golf courses worth your time: Sailfish Point Golf Club, Hammock Creek Golf Club, Sailfish Sands Golf Course, The Florida Club, and Martin Downs Golf Club — spanning private, semi-private, and public access across a range of budgets and playing experiences.
Keep reading for a full breakdown of what makes each course unique, what you'll pay, and which one is the right fit for you.
Sailfish Point Golf Club — Private, Oceanfront, and Nationally Ranked
Sailfish Point sits at the southern tip of Hutchinson Island where the Atlantic Ocean, St. Lucie Inlet, and Indian River all converge — and that geography defines everything about the experience.
This was Jack Nicklaus's ninth-ever Signature Course, and it remains one of his most scenic designs anywhere.
Every single hole carries a water view, which is less a marketing claim and more just the reality of where the course sits.
The standout holes say a lot about the overall character of the layout:
- 18th (“Window to the Sea”) — a 443-yard par 4 that plays directly toward the Atlantic, with the green perched above the beach
- 12th (par 3) — often compared to the famous 17th at Kiawah Island's Ocean Course, except Sailfish Point's version came first by a full decade
- 14th — the longest hole at 614 yards, running directly along the St. Lucie Inlet shore
Coastal winds off the nearby Gulf Stream shift daily, so the course plays differently every time out.
A $7 million renovation wrapped up in early 2022, and the changes were comprehensive — Paspalum fairways, TifEagle greens, redesigned bunkering, updated irrigation, and an expansion from four to seven tee sets (3,935 to 7,088 yards).
The practice facility was rebuilt from scratch with two driving ranges, a 10,000-square-foot putting green, and TrackMan technology.
Where it stands nationally: Golf Digest ranks Sailfish Point #67 in Florida with a 4.1/5 panelist rating. Golfweek has placed it as high as 4th among Florida residential courses and 47th nationally. It also holds Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary certification.
Access is genuinely limited. Membership is capped at 285 — there's currently a waitlist — and initiation runs approximately $150,000 (split between a POA capital contribution and a golf capital contribution, plus a renovation assessment).
Annual dues add another $42,000+ on top of that. Members play with no tee time policy, meaning they show up and go.
Hammock Creek Golf Club — The Public-Accessible Nicklaus Design
Hammock Creek holds a notable distinction: it was the first course in Florida co-designed by Jack Nicklaus and his son Jack Nicklaus II, built in 1996.
The layout winds through natural pine forests and Florida wetlands, with wide fairways that keep the round moving and multi-tiered greens that add strategic depth. TifEagle Bermuda greens, installed during a 2013 renovation, draw consistent praise for their speed and quality.
Five tee sets stretch from 5,045 to 7,131 yards, making it genuinely playable across skill levels — though the 143 slope from the back tees makes clear this isn't a pushover for better players.
The back nine is widely considered the stronger half, anchored by a few holes worth knowing before you play:
- 11th (par 4, 454 yards) — the #1 handicap hole, demanding off the tee and on approach
- 12th (par 3, 218 yards) — requires a precise long iron over water
- 9th and 15th — substantial par 5s at 577 and 564 yards respectively, where course management pays off
The course has been the permanent home of the Golden Bear Tour since 1996, which speaks to its competitive credibility beyond just the Nicklaus name.
Green fees (March 2026):
- Morning (public): $159.95
- Loyalty Program morning rate: $129.95
- After 2 PM: $79.95
- Juniors: $99.95 or less
Rates ease up in April and drop further through summer, so timing your visit matters if budget is a factor.
GolfPass rates Hammock Creek 4.1/5 from 481 reviews, with 97.4% recommending it — numbers that reflect a course punching at or above its price point.
The most consistent criticism is pace of play, with seven-minute tee intervals occasionally producing slow rounds. Worth factoring in if you're booking a morning weekend tee time.
Sailfish Sands Golf Course — A Century-Old Municipal Course Rebuilt for the Modern Game
Sailfish Sands started life in 1925 as the St. Lucie River Country Club, making it one of the oldest courses on the Treasure Coast.
Martin County took ownership in 1947 and eventually grew the property to 36 holes. What exists today, though, looks nothing like what came before — an $8 million+ revitalization completed between 2021 and 2023 stripped the facility down and rebuilt it with a clear sense of purpose.
The renovation made a deliberate tradeoff: it reduced the layout from 36 to 27 holes and returned 80 acres to native habitat in the process. The result is a tighter, more intentional property.
The championship 18 features tight fairways, small greens, and water on nearly every hole — it plays shorter than most area courses at 6,221 yards from the tips, but the compact design and prevailing winds keep it honest.
The more unusual addition is the Sands 9 — Florida's first reversible 9-hole course. It plays clockwise one week and counterclockwise the next, which means the same piece of real estate produces two genuinely different routing experiences depending on when you show up.
The practice facility deserves its own mention. It's arguably the best public range in the region:
- 13-acre grass driving range with 20 climate-controlled hitting bays
- Toptracer and TrackMan technology throughout
- LED glow balls for night sessions
- Interactive game screens
- A 14,000-square-foot clubhouse with a full-service restaurant and bar
Green fees (2026):
- Residents: $76.95–$81.95 before 11 AM / $36.95–$40.95 after 2 PM
- Non-residents: $96.95–$101.95 before 11 AM
- Veterans receive resident rates; juniors get 50% off
The accolades back up what the numbers suggest — this is a well-run public facility. Sailfish Sands has earned the ASGCA Environmental Excellence Award, multiple Golf Range Association of America Top 50 Range designations, a Golf Inc.
Development of the Year honorable mention, and the GolfPass Golfers' Choice award for Florida in 2023. It's also an official Florida Historic Golf Trail member, a nod to its century-long roots.
The Florida Club — The Highest-Rated Daily-Fee Course in the Area
The Florida Club is the most celebrated publicly accessible course in the Stuart area by golfer vote, and the pedigree behind it helps explain why.
Designer Dick Gray started his career as a greenkeeper at Pete Dye's legendary Crooked Stick Golf Club and later worked alongside Dye on Loblolly in nearby Hobe Sound.
He brought that background to this 1996 design, which winds through ancient oaks, pines, and palmettos in a classic Old Florida parkland setting. A full renovation in 2018 sharpened what was already a well-regarded layout.
The greens are what most players talk about first — large, fast, and consistently maintained to a standard you'd more commonly associate with private clubs. That reputation alone draws a lot of repeat visitors.
The closing stretch from 16 through 18 is where the course makes its strongest impression:
- 16th — a peninsula green nearly surrounded by water, demanding a precise approach
- 17th (par 3) — water runs the entire left side, leaving no margin for error
- 18th (par 4, 461 yards) — a dogleg left requiring a mostly-carry approach over water to a green framed by the clubhouse
It's a finishing sequence that rewards ball-strikers and punishes loose swings in equal measure.
Green fees (peak season 2026):
- Standard morning rates: $100–$160
- GolfNow hot deals: frequently available in the $77–$101 range
- Twilight: $70 or less
- Summer memberships: from $51.64/month
The numbers golfers assign it are hard to argue with. GolfPass rates The Florida Club 4.6/5 from 1,774 reviews — a “TOP PICK” designation with 97.6% recommending it.
It ranked 18th among all Florida courses in the 2024 GolfPass Golfers' Choice awards. Conditions score 4.5/5, layout 4.7/5, and friendliness 4.7/5. For a daily-fee course, those are private-club numbers.
Martin Downs Golf Club — Championship History, Budget-Friendly Rates
Martin Downs carries the most decorated competitive résumé of any publicly accessible course in Stuart. The Osprey Creek layout has hosted PGA Tour Qualifying School, U.S. Open local and sectional qualifiers, and the Honda Classic qualifier — credentials that reflect the fundamental quality of Charles Ankrom's 1981 design rather than just favorable geography.
The course winds through 83 acres of native Florida terrain, and prevailing easterly winds push the effective playing length well beyond the measured 6,930 yards from the championship tees.
A couple of holes set the tone for what kind of test this is:
- 2nd (par 4, 382 yards) — the #1 handicap hole despite its modest length; a sharp dogleg left wrapping around a large lake that threatens both the tee shot and the approach
- 4th (par 3) — demands a full carry over a pond from the back tees, no bailout available
Green fees (2026):
- GolfNow hot deals: $50–$68
- Peak walk-up rate: ~$85
- Afternoon rates: ~$50
It's the most affordable of the five courses here by a clear margin, which makes the competitive history even more relevant — you're getting a layout that has tested tour-level players for well under $100.
The honest caveat is condition. New ownership took over in 2021 and launched a multi-phase renovation covering cart paths, greens, and tee boxes, with Chippers restaurant added as part of a broader clubhouse overhaul.
The work shows in the numbers — GolfPass sits at 3.1/5 overall from 1,735 reviews, but that score is being dragged down by a conditions rating of 2.7/5 during an active renovation period.
The layout itself scores 4.0/5 and friendliness 4.2/5, which tells you the bones are solid. Multiple February and March 2026 reviews specifically note that management's attention is starting to show across the property. If you can play it at the right price and set expectations accordingly, the value case is straightforward.
How to Choose the Right Course for Your Trip to Stuart
Here's a quick snapshot of all five side by side:
| Course | Type | Yardage | Rating/Slope | Peak Fee | GolfPass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sailfish Point | Private | 7,088 | 75.0 / 148 | ~$150K initiation | 4.1 (Golf Digest) |
| Hammock Creek | Semi-private | 7,131 | 74.6 / 143 | $160 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Sailfish Sands | Public | 6,221 | 70.0 / 122 | $77–$102 | 4.0 / 5 |
| The Florida Club | Public | 6,905 | 72.9 / 134 | $100–$160 | 4.6 / 5 |
| Martin Downs | Semi-private | 6,788 | 73.5 / 132 | $50–$85 | 3.1 / 5 |
For most visiting golfers, the decision comes down to a few clear priorities:
- Best overall value: The Florida Club. A 4.6 GolfPass rating from nearly 1,800 reviews, ranked 18th in all of Florida, with greens that rival private clubs — at daily-fee prices. If you're only playing one round in Stuart, this is the most defensible choice.
- Best amenities and history on a budget: Sailfish Sands. The Toptracer and TrackMan range alone is worth the trip, and the reversible 9-hole course is a genuinely unique experience. Lowest green fees of the five, with resident and veteran discounts on top.
- Best Nicklaus design you can actually book: Hammock Creek. The Sailfish Point experience isn't available to the public, so if a Nicklaus layout is the goal, Hammock Creek is your option — and it's a legitimate one, with a 143 slope and a tournament pedigree to match.
- Best round for the price: Martin Downs. A course that has hosted U.S. Open qualifiers and PGA Tour Q-School for under $85, often under $70 with GolfNow deals. The renovation is ongoing, but the layout quality is there.
Sailfish Point sits in its own category entirely. It's not a course you book — it's one you buy into, with membership capped at 285 and a waitlist currently in place.
If private club access is your world, the broader Martin County area also includes Medalist, Floridian National, and Loblolly among its private offerings, all of which rank among the finest courses in the state. The concentration of elite private golf in this corridor is genuinely remarkable for a region of its size.
Conclusion
Stuart's golf scene delivers genuine variety across all five courses — from a nationally ranked oceanfront Nicklaus Signature layout to a century-old municipal course rebuilt with modern technology, all within 15 minutes of downtown.
Whether you're after the best-rated daily-fee round in the region, a budget-friendly tee time on a championship layout, or a Nicklaus design open to the public, there's a clear answer for each.
The Treasure Coast punches well above its weight for a small Florida city, and these five courses are the reason why.
