Rio Mar at Rio Mar Country Club

Rio Mar Country Club sits along Florida's Treasure Coast in Vero Beach, where the course occupies land shaped by the region's characteristic flatness and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. Herbert Strong designed the layout in the 1920s during Florida's first major development boom, when architects worked to create strategic golf on terrain that offered little natural elevation change. Strong, who also designed several courses in the Palm Beach area during this period, routed Rio Mar to take advantage of native vegetation and water features that define the coastal landscape.

The course reflects the architectural principles of its era, with relatively open fairways framed by palms and tropical growth, and greens that rely on subtle contouring rather than dramatic slopes for defense. Water comes into play on several holes, typical of South Florida designs where drainage and irrigation considerations often dictate routing decisions. The layout requires accuracy more than length, with strategic bunkering and the occasional forced carry over wetlands or lateral hazards.

Rio Mar operates as a private club serving the Vero Beach community, maintaining the traditions of a member-focused facility where golf is central to club life. The course has undergone periodic updates over the decades to accommodate modern maintenance practices and playing standards, though it retains the fundamental character of a Golden Age Florida design. The setting remains relatively intimate compared to larger resort properties in the region, with the course winding through established residential areas that have grown up around the original routing.