Apogee Golf Club (West Course)
March 2024 – So my second full round of 2024 was similar to my first – a brand-spanking new Gil Hanse golf course that is part of a bodacious, sprawling, multi-course golf project. The first was Field’s Ranch and the second is the Apogee West Course. Among the differences between the two is that Apogee will be super exclusive and has matured a bit better – even though it was only open for its third month when I played. Being in SE Florida also helps with the latter versus being north of Dallas.
The area west of Hobe Sound where Apogee is being built is a burgeoning golf area. Multiple high-end, super exclusive courses are being built here to accommodate the boom of big-money golfers coming to the area flocking from the liberal states’ tax and spend policies. Different than a lot of these clubs, Apogee isn’t part of a residential community.
When completed, Apogee will feature three courses: The West (Gil Hanse), the East (Tom Fazio II son of the legend and Mike Davis of USGA fame) and the North (Kyle Phillips most known for his design at Kingsbarns). Plus the resort will feature nearly 60 cottages for travelling members, a ginormous clubhouse and a host of other amenities. Currently only the West is open with a temporary clubhouse – which is the house that was on the property that has been fitted out to serve as a clubhouse. I know that sounds bad, but even this temporary clubhouse is better than a lot of private clubhouses I’ve been and has a great outdoor bar and patio area to enjoy drinks right off the 1st hole (temporarily, but the 2nd hole when the clubhouse is complete and the course re-routes).
So the initiation here is a half million and I have no idea what the annuals are nor what guest rounds cost etc. The club was founded by Stephen Ross – owner of the Dolphins – and Michael Pascucci – a private investment guy who also owns Sebonack and The Bear’s Club. The early members seem to want to maintain their privacy so I won’t divulge our hosts but just say they were fabulous hosts and we had a great time.
I talk a little about the West Palm area as a guys’ golf trip destination in my PGA National (Championship) write-up. It pays to be connected in the area as the public offerings are meh. On this particular trip I also had to venture down to Ft. Lauderdale and snuck out for nine at Palm Aire. Sub meh. In fact, I was going to do a review of Fort Lauderdale as a Guys’ Golf Trip destination and simply write one word for anyone who took my click bait: Don’t. But there are some good eats there and here (as I discuss in my Bear’s Club and PGA National reviews). I forgot to add Buccan where we ate again here in Palm Beach. Good eats.
To the course. So if you’ve ventured through any of my reviews you know I am a bogey golfer who tries to review a course from a bogey golfer’s perspective. Well, I shot a 76 here and finally figured out how to break 80. Only play 15 holes. Yes we played after a board meeting in West Palm and couldn’t get all 18 in. So obviously I do not have 18-holes worth of photos. The course is so new that there’s not a lot of detail out on the web-i-verse. In fact, be careful if you are coming here as both Apple Maps and Waze took us 15 minutes away when we plugged it in. I was very surprised that my Wingman already had the course so included the hole layouts from there. I didn’t keep the scorecard so I think the Wingman will show yardages from the middle tees which are probably pretty close – we played the course to around 6,100 yards. The course isn’t even rated or sloped yet.
This is one once the clubhouse is done but we played as the 18th. Actually we skipped 15, 16 and 17 and played the 18th and here to wrap up our round. Mid-length par 5, doglegging right. I smashed it left and couldn’t find it – my only lost ball of the day. So don’t do that but as it takes a huge drive to beat the dogleg, left fairway is the spot.
Two is a shortish par four – fairway is pretty wide and like all holes at Apogee West (and is the design theme among all of the courses) there is an open run up to the green. Two has the craziest or one of the craziest greens on the course and my photo below doesn’t give it justice. Picture of our group on the tee me, Nick, Todd and Scott.
Another dogleg right for the third. Again left is the spot on the fairway to be. I think the caddies told us that this is the #1 handicap but don’t take that to the bank. I had sand trouble here around the green.
The fourth is a long par three, I almost forgot to snap a pic so I got this one of the green.
I think I matched up the correct photo but who knows. Five is a driveable par four. There’s two of them here and something you always see at a Gil Hanse course (from my limited experience at least).
Six is a par 5, 558-yard beast with Apogee’s own little version of hell’s half acre pictured above from where my drive should’ve landed and below where I was in two after having to punch out of where my crappy drive did land.
Seven is a little dogleg right around the garbage. I was starting to fire up some pars and birdies around this time but Scotty was seeing me par for par so couldn’t beat them on our six-hole match.
Eight’s a great little par three and shows off how quickly Apogee is growing in. Nice birdie here for me to go one-up on our match.
Tough golf here – #9, a left dogleg with a waste bunker protecting the short cut. Below is a shot of the approach with the club house standing sentinel beyond – though a sentinel under construction at this time.
There’s a little water left from your drive and right of the green on 10. The first time water really comes into play.
Another short par four – you see where the 225 yard drive puts you? Yup that’s where I was but luckily right before the hazard and another par.
No photo of 12 and by now we were starting to chase the sunlight. This is a tough and long par four and think my par/birdie streak ended.
Thirteen and a little par three. Forget how I did here but we decided that we were gonna need to skip some holes at this time.
The 14th is another driveable par 4 and in fact I nailed my drive and ended up beyond the green. Another par here but lost to a birdie 😦
We skipped 15, 16 and 17 so no photos sorry.
Funny but 16 (a par three) plays 10 yards shorter than 14 a par four. Oh that funky Gil Hanse.
Seventeen looks pretty straight forward.
Eighteen is a brutal par 4. I think I ended up with a five here but the hole is longer than one of the other par fives – that funky Gil Hanse. All in all Apogee is a great experience. I rank it more on its future than present but even without the frills, this is a good course that should be in the conversation very soon among Florida’s best. Unlike Fields Ranch I don’t see Apogee as a tournament course though with three courses they certainly could play host. In all, if you run with guys who can pony up a half million to join, then get your ass on here. I hope to come back when the clubhouse and other courses are complete and add to my review and possibly West’s ranking on my personal top 100.
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