I played here in March of 2019 with dear friends Lori and Fred G who are members, plus Clarke and Trish and EJ and Vita, the gang that went on safari in 2016. This is from the Club’s website: John's Island Club is a private, member-owned club located in the John's Island community in Vero Beach , Florida. Nestled between three miles of sandy beaches along the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon, the Club offers classic to casual dining facilities, three 18-hole championship golf courses, 17 har-tru clay tennis courts, singles & doubles squash courts, pickleball courts, a state-of-the-art fitness center, two croquet lawns and an outstanding calendar of social and recreational activities.The Club has one of the best golf courses I have played, and has a delightful club house. There are three courses, but the west is considered one of the best in the state, and it seems a reasonable description. Tom Fazio designed this course, and it has some interesting elevations as it has been built on a sandbar. One of the few courses in Florida that is not very flat.
Some of the holes are really fun, with testing approach shots and tough green. 17 stands out for me. Almost a blind shot uphill after a long drive. This pic doesn’t really do it justice:
From the course description: Great risk reward par five. Look for the pin’s location on the tee box. A good tee shot up the right gives you the best opportunity to see you approach shot to this hidden green. The layup can be tricky up the left. Make certain to hit enough club to get to the top of the hill.
Some other pics I took on the day we played:
The hole in one on the plaque was an amazing achievement. Not an easy hole at all: uphill and dog left. And a par 4.
Short uphill par four. Drivable for the long hitter or the more conservative play is to hit a fairway wood or hybrid left of the big pine tree that splits the fairway. Club selection on your second shot is at a premium here going into the severely two tiered green.