In South Florida’s rarified air of private golf that includes architects such as Doanld Ross, Jack Nicklaus, George and Tom Fazio, Pete Dye, Rees Jones and Gil Hanse, the mission is simple: Stay ahead or fall behind.
Jupiter Country Club, despite a good Greg Norman-designed golf course and a location as the northern “gateway’’to golf in Palm Beach County, was beginning to slip into that “fall behind.’’ category. That’s why the owner, Invited Clubs, is partnering with visionary architect Agustin Piza for a complete remodel of its course that sits just off Florida’s Turnpike and Indiantown Road.
It’s Piza’s first serious foray into golf course design in the U.S.
“My desire is to be in cool corners of the world,’’ said Augustin, who is best known for his work in Mexico – and most recently for creating virtual/simulator holes for the TGL indoor golf. “So, it was a beautiful feeling to get the call from the Invited Group.’’
The project will span two years with work on the first nine holes, wrapping up this coming November. Remodel work to the second nine holes will begin in 2027 with a completion date of November 2027.
Drawings for the remodeled seventh hole at Jupiter Country Club
“Jupiter Country Club is an opportunity to create something special for the members… something unique … something with a little accent to it,’’ Piza said. “We want to create a carousel of emotions. Every single hole should tell a story – and then everyone comes out and says “Wow what a story.’ That big story is the composition we are looking for.’’
Basically, Agustin Piza and his team are transforming Jupiter Country Club’s wide open fairways into a unique experience with a touch of homage to golf’s “Golden Age,’’ of architecture, when legends such as Seth Rayor and Charles Blair Macdonald created diagonal hazard lines and greens orientations to make players think rather than simply bomb and gouge.
“They are all about principles of art,’’ Piza said.
“I was lucky enough to live and work in the UK (he holds a Masters Degree in Golf Course Architecture from the University of Edinburgh), so I was able to see and study all of those masterpieces of golf.
https://www.invitedclubs.com/clubs/jupiter-country-club
“When you design something – even if it’s a sculpture – you’re working with diagonal lines in relation to horizontal lines. It’s what gives the artwork movement. That’s what we look for in our designs – and obviously remodels – how we can create an artistic composition that is more dynamic to the eye.’’
Among the more visually appealing changes – water will play a more integrated role in the remodel – with select lakes expanded and repositioned to frame greens, influence decision-making, and heighten the visual drama of key holes. Every element of the remodel, Piza said, has been approached with intention, ensuring that each bunker, green contour, and landing area serves a strategic purpose within the overall design.
“South Florida is full of great courses and great designers. Jupiter Country Club is a place we take very seriously. We want to implement a little bit of history, but at the same time imagine the future to design for the present. The Club needs to be at that next level – and that’s what everybody is so excited about.’’
Photos Courtesy of Piza Golf