A Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner Design That Strays Away From "Florida golf"

Alex Elias

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Formerly a 1989 Arthur Hills-designed course, The Match at Jonathan’s Landing Golf Club, designed by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, strays away from the normal Florida golf experience.

“It really is different because the course doesn’t have any properties in between the holes, which you would normally find on a South Florida course,” said Jared Werner, Head Golf Professional at Jonathan’s Landing Golf Club.

As the property has the benefit of the fairways not being lined with houses and much of the water on the perimeter of the property, Hanse and Wagner were able to utilize their distinctive bunkering as a defense on adjacent holes. 

“The layout is so different than the typical Florida course because at most other courses you can’t see the next hole. Here, Hanse’s design ties the holes together tremendously,” said Ben Spector, Assistant Golf Professional at Jonathan’s Landing Golf Club.

As a complement to the open playing corridors, Hanse and Wagner designed a varied set of greens, including the punchbowl third, the long and narrow fourth, and "Dustpan" seventh, among others.
 
“The greens are the defense of the golf course,” said Werner. "Hanse and Wagner give the golfer options, requiring players to commit to their shot selection. With certain hole locations, golfers are required to play away from the flag and allow the contours of the green to bring the ball closer to the hole."

Designed with match play, not stroke play, in mind, Werner said, “The design forces players to decide how aggressive they want to be and opens up the possibility for every club in the bag to be used.”

​Highlighting the Par-5 2nd, referring to it as “the prettiest hole on the course,” Werner said, “With a large water hazard along its right side, No. 2 challenges you to decide how aggressive you want to be off the tee in order to be gain a better angle to a green that from back to front is very narrow and features a false front.”

The Par-4 13th is perhaps the most evident example of the risk/reward on The Match. At 298 yards, the drivable Par-4 features a slightly elevated, severely contoured green, which is protected by a greenside bunker and five bunkers positioned sixty yards short.

“When you’re standing on the tee, you think it’s an easy hole but if you carry it even slightly long, a short chip can quickly go off the green. I’ve made an eagle, birdie a handful of times, and probably bogey more that I’ve made par,” said Spector.

In transforming a relatively flat and monotonous design, Hanse and Wagner vastly delivered in designing a unique, challenging, and enjoyable course that has cemented The Match at Jonathan’s Landing Golf Club as one of top courses in the Palm Beach/Jupiter area.