Boca Rio - Florida - USA
22041 Boca Rio Road,
Boca Raton,
Florida (FL) 33433,
USA
+1 (0) 561 482 3300
23 miles N of Fort Lauderdale
Members and their guests only
Luciano Farias
Jimmy Damiano
Boca Rio was created to defend par, or certainly to make birdies difficult. Only three of the holes at this late-’60s Robert von Hagge design feature fewer than three bunkers stationed around the green, and at least one of those is the par three at No. 17. It features the largest putting surface on the course, but it also has a sizable lagoon to keep players in check.
Many of the greens are designed so that players must make two superb shots to have a chance at birdie; first choosing the risky line off the tee to provide the correct angle into tight green targets, and then executing that second shot as well. There is opportunity for those happy with bogey golf to lay up and avoid the ample hazards but what’s the fun in that? It’s a reflection of an era designed around challenge, and ample maintenance maintains its playability.
The course made its professional debut during 2020, when it hosted the inaugural LPGA Gainbridge event, won by Sweden’s Madeline Sagström. The event is scheduled to continue annually.
Reviews for Boca Rio
Daniel Hirsch
This course right here is the #1 course in Florida, and the top 20 in the USA. Everyone who has played here will agree with me. Doesn't get much better than this. The reason I think it is so low on this list is that not many can play it. there are 122 members, and the non-family guest fee is completely ridiculous. But if you get invited it is worth every penny and every second you have to travel. There is not one dull hole, but #16, 18, 7, 9, and many other holes completely stand out.
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Bold! Looking forward to your review of Seminole to see how it falls short of Boca Rio.
Responding to Ryan Book: Have you played both? I have, and Seminole is the only course in Florida that's in the same league. I still consider Boca Rio a better course.
Fair is fair! I've played neither so I have no right to doubt you. But I'd advise you to bring ammo when making so bold a claim — there are trolls in these parts with teeth much sharper than I, and the best defense against them is a review that presents firm justification for such a claim!
responding to Ryan Book: I guarantee you most of these "trolls" that say Seminole is better haven't played both of them. 5/6 of my friends that are members of Seminole didn't get into Boca Rio. They still think Boca Rio is a better course.
Daniel - to Ryan’s point on bringing some ammo to justify your claims: At this point you are in danger of shooting blanks.
Your primary arguments seem to be that:
1) Due to its exclusive nature Boca Rio is undervalued because no one gets to play it/see it/appreciate it (see respective rankings of not-exactly-public-tracks like Cypress Hill & Shinnecock Point on this website)
2) You’ve played both and prefer Boca Rio (and presumably your judgement is infallible).
Are you able to reload and explain from a golfing perspective why Boca Rio at #61 is better than Seminole at #1?
Responding to BB: Reasons why its better than Seminole:
1) Seminole GC has 2 or 3 great holes but there are holes that are just meh. Boca Rio has 1,2,9,13,14,15,16,17,18, and the rest of the holes are very solid! Seminole has 3 amazing holes: 1,2,18. The rest are good but not standing out.
2) Seminole is so "normal". Sure, the view of the ocean is nice, but I can name many other courses like this. Boca Rio is so unique. Elevation changes, forced carries, tons of bunkers, tons of water, pine straw, etc. It's almost like combining tons of different states into one golf course. Seminole is so "typical florida"
3) Boca Rio is so laid back. There are so few members that during the day of a weekday, you can literally have a 6-some as long as you let others play through. The tee-times are so spread out that it's not a problem. Seminole isn't as laid back. Boca Rio just feels like home and Seminole feels like you have to follow the rules. On the weekends at Boca Rio, you are supposed to play a legit round, but it's still got that overall laid-back vibe.
4) In Boca Rio you are so un-exposed to the rest of town. Seminole you are not. You see people on the beach, on the street for some holes. Boca Rio feels like the middle of nowhere in a good way. You know what I mean?
In conclusion, these are both world class golf courses and you should never pass up an invite to either one of these.