The Ranch

The Ranch is sited on a 3,800-acre rustic ranch, just 20 minutes from the beaches of Hobe Sound.  The Bakst family, owners of the celebrated Friar’s Head on Long Island, instantly fell in love with the rugged and picturesque site.  Historically named the Calusa Creek Ranch, the site is incredibly diverse with grassy pastures, wetlands, oak hammocks, pines flats and cypress domes.  It is still an active ranch, currently home to approximately 800 Brangus cattle, and Kenny Bakst intends to continue to operate a significant cow calf operation on the property.  It’s also a haven for outdoor enthusiasts with 1.5 miles of frontage on the St. Lucie Canal.

The plan includes two eighteen-hole golf courses and a 175-acre practice facility comprising a 10-hole full-length practice layout, a 11-hole short course, a massive undulating putting green, an extensive short-game area, and a 360-degree practice range.

The flow of holes was very important to us, as was the distinctiveness of the two courses. The site characteristics will help to differentiate the courses from each other, and we will employ traditional design elements reflecting their differing landscapes.  The East Course will be broader and bolder, with sweeping views across the entire golf course, while the holes on the West Course will weave in and out of upland pines and prairie land to provide a more intimate walk through nature.

Construction is expected to commence in 2025.

Roles:  Rod Whitman, Dave Axland and Keith Cutten (Golf Course Architects)

ARTICLE:  The founder of Friar’s Head shares his plans for a new 36-hole golf club in Florida (July 2023)