Course of the Week: Stillwater opens as North Florida’s first new 18-hole golf course in two decades

Bobby Weed Golf Design (“BWGD”) and the Northeast Florida division of Lennar announce the grand opening of Stillwater Golf and Country Club, the first new 18-hole layout in North Florida in 20 years. The golf course debuts as the hallmark of Lennar’s active adult gated community in St. Johns County.

Stillwater’s golf course routing. (Photo: Bobby Weed Golf Design)

“This incredible Bobby Weed-designed course sets Stillwater apart from any other active adult community in the region,” Matt Figlesthaler, vice president of sales and marketing for Lennar Jacksonville, said. “With bundled golf club memberships, beautifully-designed new homes, world-class amenities and weekly events, residents at Stillwater will experience the ultimate active lifestyle at a tremendous value.”

Within Stillwater’s 18-hole routing, BWGD has designed “loops” of three, six, nine and twelve holes that start and finish near the clubhouse.

With only 70 acres of irrigated turf (148 total acres), the course includes:

• Up to 25 million gallons of water saved annually from non-irrigated areas
• TifTuf bermudagrass fairways, tees and approaches use 38 percent less water than similar varieties
• No rough; all fairways are efficiently mowed using a single height of cut
• Non-irrigated centipedegrass native areas offer contrasting swaths of texture and color
• 18 acres of shell screenings replace cart paths, reduce maintenance and deliver visual contrast

Stillwater’s sod wall bunkers. (Photo: Bobby Weed Golf Design)

BWGD also installed sod wall EcoBunkers. Unique to North Florida, layers of artificial sod are stacked at 55- to 60-degree angles to fortify the bunker edges and create the visual appeal of Scottish-style pot bunkers. These fortified bunkers yield a striking aesthetic, are environmentally sustainable and aid the club’s bottom line.

Stillwater’s lay-down walls. (Photo: Bobby Weed Golf Design)

Also distinct to Florida’s First Coast, BWGD installed lay-down walls in lieu of traditional vertical bulkheads. Stillwater’s inspiration came from Weed and Pete Dye’s similarly styled walls at Long Cove Club.

The practice facility includes three putting and chipping greens, highlighted by a 16,041-square-foot Himalayan-style putting course.

Bobby Weed hits the opening tee shot at Stillwater. (Photo: Bobby Weed Golf Design)

“Stillwater delivers terrific shot values with ample playing areas that encourage the old-style game of low, running approach shots,” Bobby Weed, president and founder of Bobby Weed Golf Design, said. “It is incumbent upon us as architects to be good stewards of the environment, while simultaneously designing courses that create interest, flexibility and fun. We accomplished these goals at Stillwater.”

Additional Stillwater community amenities available only to residents will include a clubhouse with an on-site restaurant and pro shop, resort-style swimming pool, fitness center, pickleball and tennis courts.