St. Johns Golf Club
4900 Cypress Links Blvd. St. Augustine, FL www.sjgc.com Phone: (904) 209-0350 Visit website Map Contact course

Located just a half-mile off I-95 outside St. Augustine, St. Johns Golf Club is a cut above the traditional county-operated golf course. Beginning with its 27-hole Robert Walker layout that allows the course to entertain group outings and individual play at the same time, St. Johns is atypical of many First Coast golf operations.

Each of its three nine-hole designs offer unique challenges, from the "traditional" Florida golf layout on the North nine to the shorter, par- 35 South nine with its extra par-3, to the toughest of the three, the East nine, with water prevalent in nearly every hole of its 3 par-3s, par-4s and par-5s. But while they differ in their makeup, all three courses are straightforward, no-nonsense tests from any of the four sets of tees measuring from under 5,000 yards up to 6,800 yards with a slope rating in the mid-130's.

Attesting to the quality of the well- manicured layout is its annual hosting of the St. Augustine Amateur, which attracts amateurs of all ages, especially the region's top junior players, in search of national ranking points. The two par-3s on the North nine will likely require two different clubs, one over water to a bulkheaded green, and while the second is the longer of the two par-5s, the ninth, has water down nearly the entire left side of the hole, making for a fabulous finish.

On the South nine, the par-5 third appears reachable on the scorecard, but the demanding second shot over water to a bulkheaded green encourages a layup as the smart play. Similarly, the shortest of the three par-3s, the seventh, requires delicate distance control to carry the pond and horseshoe-shaped bunker to get to the table-top green.

The East nine has offered many a lowhandicapper the chance to shoot 32, or 42, challenging players right from the get-go with two forced carries on the very first hole, one out of the corner of your eye off the tee and one that demands your full attention at the green. The East nine is more than a hundred yards shorter than the North nine, with both par-5s reachable in two (allegedly), but with hazards prominently in play on nearly every hole, it is clearly the most challenging.

Small and large group outings are always welcome at St. Johns. The friendly and professional staff and on-site restaurant can cater to your particular golf-party needs as well as banquets and other gatherings. Hero's 19th Hole restaurant serves breakfasts and afternoon grill fare daily and head pro Wes Tucker and teaching pro Tom Stecker offer insights into improving your game that go beyond the latest video instruction techniques available to the best ideas in course management, all on the huge all-grass practice facility with putting and chipping greens.

The fully stocked pro shop is one of the few in the area that does its own club repairing and is always offering shop specials through St. Johns Web site, www.sjgc.com. Log on to learn more about St. Johns, or call (904) 209-0350 to make a tee time at St. Johns Golf Club. A cut above.