Delaire Country Club

Delaire Country Club's Lakes/Hills routing combines two nines designed by Joe Lee, a prolific Florida architect whose work throughout the state emphasized strategic use of water and native vegetation. Lee shaped hundreds of courses across Florida from the 1960s through the 1980s, developing a reputation for layouts that balanced playability with the region's flat terrain and abundant wetlands. Brian Bowles later contributed renovation work that updated the course while maintaining Lee's original design principles. The Lakes nine, as its name suggests, features water hazards that come into play on multiple holes, requiring golfers to navigate carries and approach shots over or alongside ponds and canals. The Hills nine offers somewhat more elevation change than typical South Florida courses, though the undulation remains modest by national standards. Together, the two nines present a variety of hole types and strategic challenges suited to the region's sandy soil and subtropical climate. Delaire operates as a private country club community in Delray Beach, positioned in the coastal corridor between West Palm Beach and Boca Raton. The club serves a membership drawn largely from seasonal residents and retirees, typical of many South Florida clubs established during the region's residential development boom. The course layout reflects the era's emphasis on integrating golf with residential neighborhoods, with homes lining many fairways while preserving playable corridors and strategic interest for members.