HAMMOCK BEACH RESORT
🇺🇸 Palm Coast, FL, USA
Designed by Jack Nicklaus
The Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort sits along Florida's Atlantic coastline in Palm Coast, a stretch of the state's northeast shore between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach. Jack Nicklaus designed the course, which opened in the mid-2000s as the resort's signature layout. The routing takes advantage of the oceanfront property, with several holes playing directly along the water and offering views across the dunes and beach.
The course occupies rolling terrain unusual for Florida, with elevation changes that provide strategic interest and varied shot values. Nicklaus incorporated the natural coastal landscape into the design, routing holes through native vegetation and preserving the dune structure where the property meets the ocean. The layout features wide fairways balanced by substantial bunkering and green complexes that reward precision in approach play.
Hammock Beach operates as a resort destination, and the Ocean Course serves as the centerpiece of the golf offerings. The property includes lodging, dining facilities, and additional recreational amenities typical of a coastal resort development. The course is accessible to resort guests and outside play, functioning within the broader Florida golf market that caters to both winter visitors and year-round residents.
The combination of oceanfront holes, the Nicklaus design pedigree, and the resort infrastructure has established the Ocean Course as a notable layout along this section of Florida's Atlantic coast, where true seaside golf opportunities remain relatively limited compared to other regions of the state.
Reviews
What a delight to play a course in Florida that isn’t Bermuda grass. As a certified Bermuda hater (I suck on it) both the courses at hammock beach really impressed me. The ocean course is a Jack designed track that boasts the most ocean side holes in Florida. The finishing stretch of 16,17,18 are phenomenal and the closing stretch of the front 9 are also stellar. The wind on the ocean side courses plays a huge factor but the inland holes are not to be slept on. Fun short 4s, testing par 5s, and a great collection of par 3s make the ocean course a blast to play. While not the most strategic course ever(the conservatory course inland is) the ocean course is still a strong track. The use of hard pan and along side normal bunkering adds a fun aspect and the green sites are very strong. Both courses at hammock drain unbelievably well allowing the play thought the Florida showers. If your in the hammock area looking for the best course I would recommend the inland track but if your looking for the most memorable round I would recommend the ocean course.
This course was in tip-top shape when we played. Wasn’t a piece of grass out of order - also great to have a grass type other than Bermuda down here in Florida. The paspalum basically puts your ball on a tee for every shot so it plays great. Generous fairways with a great layout, a few holes border the Atlantic Ocean and a couple par 3s face directly out to it. Can definitely play challenging with heavy winds but loved this place
FAQ
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Ocean at Hammock Beach Resort has a Course Vaults score of 8.2 out of 10 based on 17 explicit golfer ratings.
Ocean was designed by Jack Nicklaus.
Yes. Ocean at Hammock Beach Resort is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Ocean is 72.
Ocean plays 7,777 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Ocean is 144.