West Palm Beach’s first new private golf club in 25 years prepares for its debut

West Palm Beach, Florida is a center of top-class golf, but new private clubs are rare in the city.

Count the Dutch pipe as a rarity.

The project, scheduled to open this fall, represents a major transformation of the former Banyan Cay Resort and Golf, a once financially struggling property that will be converted into an exclusive members’ club.

The redesign will see a multi-million dollar renovation of an existing Jack Nicklaus Signature course under the direction of Nicklaus Design. The result is new fairways, redesigned bunkers and greens, all aimed at improving the playability, flow and appearance of the course. The course will be lined with fresh landscaping featuring native vegetation, including Pipevine, a flowering vine that provides habitat for swallowtail butterflies.

The three developers behind the project – Witkoff Group, Access Industries and PPG Development – call Dutchman’s Pipe the first new private club in West Palm Beach in 25 years. The prime land it occupies is in the heart of the affluent city, just east of I-95 and a short drive from Palm Beach International Airport.

“Land is extremely scarce in this area, making new golf clubs within five miles of Palm Beach Island extremely rare,” said Alex Witkoff, co-CEO of the Witkoff Group.

In addition to a recently renovated course, Dutchman’s Pipe promises modernized practice facilities, including a 300-foot driving range and 8,000 square feet of short game area, as well as amenities such as a fitness center, day spa and recreational facility with tennis and pickleball courts.

Membership is by invitation only, and the initiation fee is $300,000 to $350,000.

Josh Sens

Golf.com Publisher

Josh Sens, a golf, food and travel writer, has been a contributor to GOLF Magazine since 2004 and now writes on all GOLF platforms. His work has been published in The Best American Sportswriting and he is the co-author, with Sammy Hagar, of Are We Having Any Fun Yet: the Cooking and Partying Handbook.