Jonathan’s Landing Golf Club (The Match)
Alex Elias
Courtesy of Patrick Koenig (@pjkoenig)
Formerly a 1989 Arthur Hills–designed course, The Match at Jonathan’s Landing Golf Club (Old Trail), transformed by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner, strays from the typical South Florida–style golf course.
“It really is different because the course doesn’t have any houses 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.
Because the fairways are not lined with houses and most of the water is situated along the perimeter, Hanse and Wagner were able to utilize native-covered sand scrapes, as well as bunkers, as a defense on adjacent holes.
“Hanse’s design ties the holes together tremendously,” said Ben Spector, Assistant Golf Professional at Jonathan’s Landing Golf Club. “For example, Holes 1 and 18 share bunkers positioned between the two fairways, so a miss to the left on either hole can find the same bunker—some of the deepest on the property, with native-grass islands.”
On a very flat piece of property, the architecture does the heavy lifting. Hanse and Wagner designed a varied set of greens, featuring the punchbowl third, the long, narrow fourth, and the “Dustpan” seventh.
“The greens are the defense of the golf course,” said Werner. “Hanse and Wagner give the golfer options, requiring commitment to each shot. On certain holes, you must play away from the flag and trust the contours to bring the ball closer.”
Drawing on their work at Ohoopee Match Club, Hanse and Wagner designed the course with match play, not stroke play, in mind.
“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,” said Werner.
Referencing the Par-5 2nd as “the prettiest and most strategically demanding hole on the course,” Werner explained, “With a large water hazard along its right side, the tee shot invites players to take on as much risk in order to shorten the hole and gain a better angle to a narrow green that slopes from back to front, featuring a false front.”
On the back nine, the Par-4 13th is reminiscent of the Par-3.5 14th at Ohoopee Match Club. At 298 yards, the drivable Par-4 features a slightly elevated, severely contoured green, protected by a greenside bunker, five bunkers positioned sixty yards short, and a steep run-off behind the green.
“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 run off the green,” said Spector. “I’ve made eagle, birdie a handful of times, and I’ve bogeyed the hole more often than I’ve made par.”
In transforming a relatively flat and monotonous property, Hanse and Wagner delivered a unique, challenging, and enjoyable course that has cemented The Match at Jonathan’s Landing Golf Club as one of the top courses in the Palm Beach/Jupiter area.
