Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Golf Resort
Florida is almost completely surrounded by water, but you can count the number of public courses with true ocean views on one hand. One of the few and perhaps the best can be found at Hammock Beach Golf Resort, north of Daytona and south of St. Augustine on the Palm Coast of Florida.
The Ocean Course at Hammock Beach is also one of Jack Nicklaus’ most fun and playable designs. But it’s hardly the only golf offering at this wonderful seaside resort that continues to evolve. Hammock Beach also offers The Conservatory Course, a Tom Watson creation that’s a little more inland.
The Conservatory is arguably the better tournament course, having played host to several high profile events, including USGA qualifiers and PGA section events. It’s a course that has a classic Florida look with lots of variety and tremendous holes.
But despite the excellence of The Conservatory, Hammock Beach is known for being next to the Atlantic Ocean, and The Ocean Course is certainly the star of the show. It has an interesting history, and has evolved into one of the best courses open to the public pretty much anywhere.
It, too, has a tournament history, having played host to a PGA Tour Champions tournament – The Ginn Championship at Hammock Beach in 2007-’08 won by Keith Fergus and Bernhard Langer, respectively. The event was short-lived. But General Manager Brad Hauer, who has been at Hammock Beach for nearly 20 years, will tell you it might have featured the best field on the senior tour back then. The combination of an excellent course at a prime location no doubt attracted players.
The views, the breeze, and the beauty of The Ocean Course combined with the outstanding layout and challenge of The Conservatory are a dynamic duo.
“I’d put these two courses up against any other two in the state,” said Hauer, referring to any other 1-2 combo in Florida.
Let’s talk about the golf
If you’re a fan of seaside golf in America, The Ocean Course is a must-play. There are six holes that run alongside the Atlantic, the most of any course in Florida. It’s here where you can feel the stiff ocean breezes, so being able to flight the ball is a valuable skill. More than that, though, the views are simply incredible when you reach these holes. The rest of the golf course isn’t too shabby either.
But one of The Ocean Course’s most endearing features is its turf, which came as a result of a near catastrophe in 2017. That year, Hurricane Milton submerged much of the turf with seawater, killing acres of Bermudagrass. Officials had a decision to make: They could replace the damaged turf with more Bermuda, or they could try another type of grass. They went with the latter, re-grassing the course with Platinum seashore paspalum, a salt-water tolerant variety that thrives in this environment. It’s on greens, fairways, surrounds, and tees, and gives the course a plush, bright green look that really pops. It’s also fun to play on.
As for the 7,201-yard, par-72 course that opened in 2000, the non-ocean holes are plenty interesting and can be difficult, but the draw are those ocean views, which include the eighth and ninth, and the finishing stretch – 15-18, which is known as the Bear Claw.
The eighth is a par-3 that plays directly into the ocean, so most of the time, you’re fighting a one- or two-club wind. The ninth is a long par-4 that often plays into the wind right along the beach, so getting there in two requires two solid shots. The green has a steep slope on the left, so missing it there is a super difficult up and down.
The Bear Claw, like the name implies, can be a tough stretch, although the 17th, is a relatively short par 3 that plays toward the Atlantic, will yield a fair amount of birdies. The 15th is a long uphill par-4 playing back toward the ocean, while the par-4 16th is a dogleg left that long hitters will be tempted to to try to drive. It plays around a lake with very little area to land the ball, so it comes with a good bit of risk for those who go for it.
Finally, the beautiful and often photographed 18th, plays along the beach. Again, the wind can make it difficult to hit this 466-yard par 4 in regulation.
The Conservatory came along in 2006, and good players will talk about tackling this course from the tips, which hardly anyone does. That’s because it’s 7,776 yards with a course rating of 78.2. So unless you have to, or just want to do it once, it’s too much work from there for just about any player.
But play the right tees, and you’ll have a blast. The course features several lakes, the dirt from which was used to build up mounds, greens, and create a variety of lies. Much of the cart paths and waste areas are cocina, which you play from, and the conditioning on this course is pretty much flawless all of the time.
The course, however, is named for the British-style glass domed clubhouse, which is filled with tropical plants, memorabilia, artwork and tremendous views. There’s a pub-style restaurant/bar inside, too, so it’s a great place to hang out after the round.
As for the course, there are no holes that aren’t interesting. Watson, known for his five Open wins, pays homage to links golf with characteristics that provide openings to greens, allowing players to bump the ball onto the putting surface as an option.
The signature hole is the par-3 eighth, which has an island green with an area to miss to the right. But it’s hardly the only highlight. Most holes have water that comes into play, like the dogleg left par-5 ninth with a lake down the entire left side.
Certainly one of the more interesting holes is the 377-yard par-4 15th. It plays over water with a lake and bunkering down the entire right side. Long hitters, especially if they are not playing the tips, often take a shot at hitting this green off the tee.
And then there’s the finishing hole, with a panoramic view of the golf course from an elevated tee. It’s a 603-yard par 5 that long hitters can reach in two shots, but there is water down the entire left side of this dogleg left.
Restaurants, spa, and accommodations
While the golf is exceptional at Hammock Beach Golf Resort, it’s just part of the picture. Accommodations are outstanding, especially the ocean-view suites in the main tower (lease-backs are also available in the other towers). The one bedrooms feature kitchenettes, living room, and bathrooms with large soaking tubs and walk-in showers.
There are magnificent indoor and outdoor pools, tennis and pickleball, hiking trails, and of course, beach access.
And the dining, which features six different restaurants, is exquisite. Two of our favorites are Stix Authentic Sushi and Delfino’s Italian Chophouse. The latter features the flavors of Italy with black Angus meat selections, fresh seafood, and an extensive wine list.
If you love craft beer, however, you can enjoy local brews at Loggerheads Sports Pub and watch games on its many big screens.
There are lots of options to get to Hammock Beach Golf Resort. Orlando offers the most direct flights, then it’s about an hour and a half drive. The Jacksonville airport is a little closer, And Daytona also offers flights and is only about a half hour away. Daytona is set to expand its airport, too, so there will probably be more options in the near future.