Dunes Golf & Beach Club

The course

The golf at Dunes Golf & Beach Club

Nothing else in the area carries this combination of pedigree and difficulty. Jones routed it in 1948 alongside the ocean at 9000 North Ocean Boulevard, and the numbers have kept pace with the modern game: par 72 over 7,165 yards with a slope of 147, the highest in this batch by a clear margin. Grant Forrest holds the course record at 63. The private designation and resort style mean access usually runs through a package rather than a walk up tee time.

The greens are what players talk about. Reviewers report stimp readings around 13 and possibly 14, and several note the surfaces were faster than on previous visits. On a course of this length, greens at that speed leave very little margin, and approach play from the wrong side of the hole becomes punishing. Reviewers describe the conditioning as fantastic and outstanding rather than merely good, and the practice facility, which includes a range, putting green, chipping green and practice bunker, earns its own praise. Given the green speeds, time on the putting surface before the round is well spent.

The review record is the strongest here and it is worth stating precisely. Across 189 reviews the average is 4.75, with 152 five star ratings, 29 fours, six threes and a single review each at two and one star. The sampled comments contain no substantive gripes at all, which is rare. Players call it the best on the beach and the best course they have ever played, and the appeal of playing a venue that hosts professional golf comes up directly. Staff and layout both draw consistent positive mention. Reviewers describe the layout as good and the facilities as amazing, and several say they would go back. The only realistic caution is the difficulty itself. A slope of 147 and greens running at 13 will expose anyone whose short game is not sharp, and a high handicapper is likely to spend more time in the round than they enjoy.