St. Johns Golf Club's History of Improvements
There have been many changes since I started here in November 1988. County Road 207 was a two-lane road with 4 lights, and Cypress Links Boulevard was not paved. The clubhouse was not finished, and the front nine was complete but not open as it was still growing in. The population in St. Johns County was approximately 77,000, and food after 8 pm was limited to fast food.
Fast forward to 2026: 207 is now four lanes with 10 lights. Cypress Links Boulevard has been paved and resurfaced, and the course and clubhouse were both renovated in 2022, refreshing most of the major parts. The population of St. Johns County has grown to approximately 346,000, and St. Augustine is now a major foodie destination.
Over the first 38 years, the facility saw many growth and infrastructure issues as it aged. The 2022 renovation project had a long list of goals: to improve drainage, replace the irrigation system, re-grass greens, tees, and fairways, rebuild bunkers, complete continuous cart paths, enhance the practice facilities, and refresh the clubhouse.
Upon reopening in November of 2022, we were met by an influx of excited players who were thankful that this project was finally complete. A common sentiment among long-time patrons was appreciation and a desire to keep conditions improving for the future.
Some of the improvements can be seen in a major reduction in closures due to wet conditions after rain. Some of this was achieved by having continuous cart paths, but the majority was achieved by reshaping fairways, allowing for quick surface drainage, along with some additional drains on holes 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15 (to a new pond), 16, 17 & 18. We have identified areas right of 4 green and short left of 13 that have recently had new drains added during the last aerification of the golf course.
This is where I ask for your help. We are starting to see wear in areas where it would be avoidable with a little extra care. Golfers have a tremendous impact on course conditions. If every player consistently followed a few simple practices, the quality of the golf course would improve significantly.
Here are some of the most important habits:
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Repair ball marks – Fix your own pitch mark and, if possible, one more. A properly repaired ball mark heals in days instead of weeks.
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Replace or fill divots – Replace the divot with the provided sand mix to fill the divot completely.
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Rake bunkers properly – Smooth all footprints and club marks, then place the rake where the course requests. Always rake towards you to cover the footprints as you exit the bunker.
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Keep carts where permitted – Obey cart path rules, keeping carts (all four tires) on the paths around greens and tees and on par three holes, stay out of wet or damaged areas, and avoid driving close to bunkers.
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Avoid unnecessary wear around greens – Enter and exit from different locations rather than creating worn paths, and keep push carts and golf bags away from collars and putting surfaces.
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Protect the cup – Remove and replace the flagstick carefully, avoid damaging the edge of the hole with your putter or flagstick, and don’t lean heavily on your putter while waiting.
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Respect teeing grounds – Spread out your practice swings and tee markers by teeing up in different areas of the tee box instead of always using the center.
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Take practice swings wisely – Avoid taking deep practice swings that remove turf, especially on dormant or stressed grass.
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Dispose of trash properly – Use waste and recycling containers, empty cigarette butts in designated receptacles, and don’t leave broken tees or other debris on the course.
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Keep pace of play – Efficient play reduces congestion and excessive traffic on tees and around greens, helping spread wear more evenly.
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Respect maintenance staff – Give crews the right of way and avoid hitting until they are safely out of range. Their work benefits every golfer.
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Report issues – If you notice a broken sprinkler head, damaged bunker rake, hazardous tree limb, or other maintenance concern, let the golf shop know.
As a rule: Leave the course better than you found it. Repair a ball mark, fill a divot, rake the bunker, and show respect for the course. If every golfer did just those four things every round, course conditions would improve dramatically.
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