Seminole Golf Club
A 1929 Donald Ross design on a sandy ridge by the Atlantic in Juno Beach, Seminole is widely held to be the finest course in Florida and one of the greatest in the world. A par 72 that Ben Hogan used to sharpen his game before the Masters, it is fiercely private and a true bucket list name for the traveling golfer.
Photo via Google, contributed by Mike Wolfe.
The verdict
Seminole sits in the conversation for the best course Donald Ross ever built, and for the best course in the state of Florida. Opened in 1929 on a low ridge of sand a short pitch from the Atlantic in Juno Beach, it makes the most of the only real elevation for miles, with fairways that tumble off dunes and a famous ring of bunkers that frame nearly every shot. The wind off the ocean is the course's great defender, turning a moderate yardage into a searching test of control.
Our verdict: Seminole is a pilgrimage, not a tee time. It is one of the most private clubs in the country, closely tied to the legend of Ben Hogan, who tuned his game here every spring before the Masters. A traveling golfer almost never plays it without a member, so we treat it as the centerpiece of a wider Florida itinerary built around courses you can actually book. For the region, see our guide to golf in Florida and the best courses in Florida.
Seminole Golf Club at a glance
- Opened
- 1929
- Designer
- Donald Ross
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 6,836 yds
- Type
- Coastal parkland
- Access
- Private
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from course records and recognized rankings: a Donald Ross design that opened in 1929, playing as a par 72 of about 6,836 yards on a coastal sand ridge. Seminole is a private members club with no public access and no published green fee, so any play is as the guest of a member. There is nothing to confirm on price, but always confirm access arrangements directly before traveling.
The holes worth the trip
Seminole's genius is in how Ross used a single sand ridge running parallel to the ocean. Holes climb onto it and drop away from it, so the player is forever judging stance, wind and the run of the ball rather than reading a number off a card. The bunkering is the most photographed in American golf, hundreds of them arranged so that almost every approach must be flown over sand to a firm, subtly tilted green.
The closing stretch is the course's signature. The par 4 closing hole, played back toward the clubhouse with the wind often hard against, is one of the great finishers in the game, demanding a long and exact approach to a green guarded by deep sand. The short holes are equally celebrated, each angled differently to the prevailing breeze so that no two play alike on the same day.
Because access is so rare, Seminole works best as the dream entry on a Florida list you can otherwise complete. A practical trip pairs it in spirit with the public Pete Dye test at TPC Sawgrass Dye's Valley on the First Coast and the resort championship of Innisbrook Copperhead on the Gulf side, two courses a visitor can book.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A private members club; no public tee times, play is as the guest of a member only |
| Green fee | No published green fee; this is a private club, not a resort or daily fee course |
| Booking window | Arrange any visit well ahead through a member; there is no public booking channel |
| Handicap and dress | Traditional members club etiquette and dress code apply; confirm with your host |
| Getting there | In Juno Beach, about 25 minutes north of Palm Beach International Airport |
| Best months | Late fall through spring are ideal on the Florida coast; summers are hot and humid |
Access details verified June 2026. Seminole is a private members club with no public access and no published fee, so there is no price to confirm; the point to settle in advance is the invitation. Always confirm access arrangements directly with your host before traveling.
Where to stay nearby
Seminole has no lodging of its own, so a trip is based in the Palm Beaches. Juno Beach, Jupiter and Palm Beach offer a deep range of oceanfront resorts and boutique hotels within a short drive of the club, with fine dining and the Atlantic on the doorstep.
Because a round at Seminole hinges on a member's invitation, we build the bookable golf around it. The Palm Beach area is an easy reach for the rest of South Florida, and a longer itinerary can add the Gulf coast and Orlando courses to fill the calendar.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around Juno Beach.
Build a Florida golf trip
Seminole is the dream round we plan an entire Florida trip around, with the bookable courses, the right base in the Palm Beaches and the logistics handled. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Seminole Golf Club questions
Who designed Seminole Golf Club?
Seminole is a Donald Ross design that opened in 1929 on a coastal sand ridge in Juno Beach, Florida, and is regarded as one of his finest works.
What is the par and length of Seminole Golf Club?
Seminole plays as a par 72 of about 6,836 yards, a moderate length on paper that the ocean wind and Ross's bunkering turn into a searching test.
Can the public play Seminole Golf Club?
No. Seminole is one of the most private clubs in the United States, with no public tee times; play is only as the guest of a member.
Why is Seminole Golf Club so famous?
Seminole is celebrated as perhaps the best course in Florida and one of Donald Ross's masterpieces, and is closely tied to Ben Hogan, who tuned his game there each spring before the Masters.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; Seminole is a private members club with no public access or published fee, so confirm any access arrangement directly with your host before traveling. Last reviewed June 2026.