Course Review & Guide
Stuart, Martin County
Best For
Arthur Hills designed this 18-hole championship course in 1989, and it remains one of Stuart's most respected private clubs. Willoughby is a gated, member-owned community of 375 homes on 403 acres in south Stuart, developed by Erling Speer as a private golf retreat, and every homeowner is a member of the club. The course winds through towering palms, shading pines, lakes, and nature sanctuaries over gently rolling terrain the club compares to North Carolina's best. In 2024 the club closed the course for a $4.64 million restoration with the Arthur Hills organization that replaced the greens, bunkers, fairways, tees, practice range, and putting areas, returning the layout to its original intent with a few playability changes, and it reopened on December 1, 2024. The 25,000-square-foot clubhouse was renovated at the same time and gained a new covered patio. The par 72 plays 6,616 yards from the Black tees with a 72.3 rating and 133 slope, and eight tee options run down to 4,252 yards, so the course suits a wide range of games.
Par 72 (36 out, 36 in) · Yardages from the club's 2026 scorecard · Ratings and slopes per FSGA
| Tee | Yards | Men's Rating / Slope | Women's Rating / Slope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 6,616 | 72.3 / 133 | 78.4 / 142 |
| White | 6,225 | 70.2 / 131 | 76.3 / 139 |
| Gold | 5,905 | 69.2 / 128 | 75.2 / 135 |
| Gold/Green | 5,771 | 68.4 / 126 | 74.2 / 133 |
| Green | 5,567 | 67.5 / 124 | 73.2 / 132 |
| Green/Silver | 5,306 | 66.2 / 121 | 71.6 / 126 |
| Silver | 4,987 | 64.5 / 117 | 69.4 / 123 |
| Blue | 4,252 | 61.7 / 113 | 65.9 / 118 |
Willoughby community site plan (2026) from the club, showing all 18 numbered holes, the practice range, nature sanctuaries, and the clubhouse.
The course is only a couple of seasons removed from its 2024 restoration, which replaced the greens, bunkers, fairways, tees, practice range, and putting areas after a turf removal program began in February 2024. Golf and Grounds Superintendent Jason Riley oversaw the work and had already extended the life of the previous greens well beyond industry norms. The undulating fairways give the course a rolling character unusual for South Florida, and steep-faced bunkers demand accurate iron play. An earlier 2007 program brought a new irrigation system, structural course improvements, a full bunker restoration, and expanded practice areas. Contact the club for current conditions and cart policies.
Current Weather
Willoughby Golf Club
Coordinates
27.1580° N, 80.2339° W
Elevation
23 ft
Climate
Humid Subtropical
Avg. High
Seasonal: 75°F-91°F
Stuart has a humid subtropical climate with mild, drier winters and warm, humid summers that support year-round golf. Peak season from November through April brings comfortable mid-70s highs. Summers push into the upper 80s and low 90s with typical afternoon thunderstorms from June through September.
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From Alex Haigh
“Willoughby is the sleeper pick on this list. It doesn't have the name recognition of some of the bigger clubs, but the Arthur Hills layout is genuinely excellent: those rolling fairways make you forget you're in Florida. It's a tighter, more intimate club where everybody knows each other, and the course rewards shot-making over pure power. I always tell people: if you want to feel like a member somewhere, not just a name on a roster, Willoughby is it.”
Private. Members and their guests only.
There is no public play. Members host guests under club guest policies; guest fees are not published. Equity Golf members' golfing fees are covered by annual dues except for a cart or trail fee.
Willoughby does not publish initiation, equity, dues, or HOA figures on its website. Details are from the club website and FSGA and are subject to change; contact the membership office for current information.
For homeowners who purchase an Equity Golf Certificate. Priority golf with tee time reservations, with all golfing fees covered by annual dues except a cart or trail fee, plus full Clubhouse, tennis, fitness, and pool privileges.
For new residents who are working professionals and want mainly afternoon golf at a reduced upfront cost. Golf any time May 1 through October 14, and after 1 PM Monday through Saturday from October 15 through April 30, with Sunday golf all day. Also available to existing residents as a step toward Equity Golf.
Every home or lot owner who does not choose golf pays an initial contribution for full Clubhouse, tennis, fitness, and pool privileges.
For Treasure Coast residents living outside Willoughby: Full Golf (family golf and range privileges, paying only cart or trail fees, plus Clubhouse, pool, and tennis), House (Clubhouse, Cabana, tennis, pool, dining, and social events), and Tennis (family tennis and pickleball with league eligibility, plus Cabana and pool).
Willoughby Golf Club is a Florida homeowners association owned and directed by its members and managed by a professional staff. All residents are members through ownership of their home.
Contact the Director of Membership & Marketing at (772) 220-6000 for current categories, availability, and fees.
Willoughby does not publish initiation, equity, dues, or HOA figures on its website. Details are from the club website and FSGA and are subject to change; contact the membership office for current information.
The golf calendar runs from competitive multi-day tournaments, headlined by the Willoughby Cup, to casual nine-hole leagues, couples events, and guest days. The club also honors its late Professional Emeritus, Hall of Fame PGA professional Errie Ball, who played in the inaugural Masters at Bobby Jones's invitation in 1934 and taught at Willoughby until he was 98.
The spot to celebrate a great round with friends, in the clubhouse renovated in 2024.
A setting for private dinners and special occasions.
Casual, open-air poolside dining and sunset gatherings, added in 2015.
Five well-lit Har-Tru clay courts with play from morning to night, private instruction and group clinics, Guest Days, Club Championships, and Pro Night exhibitions.
Two professional-grade, enclosed pickleball courts added in 2021, part of a busy racquet sports culture.
A lakeside 4,800-square-foot fitness center opened in 2018, with group classes for all levels, functional training, personal and semi-private training.
Physical therapy services are available on site, with Cleveland Clinic on property weekly, and the Clubhouse pool rounds out the wellness offerings.
Downtown Stuart's riverfront restaurants are about 10 to 15 minutes north.
Memorial Park anchors downtown Stuart, Halpatiokee Regional Park offers trails and paddling to the west, and Stuart Beach on Hutchinson Island is about 20 minutes east.
Historic downtown Stuart on the St. Lucie River has boutique shopping, dining, the Lyric Theatre, and the Stuart Heritage Museum.
On Hutchinson Island, the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center and the Elliott Museum make easy afternoon trips.
3001 SE Doubleton Dr, Stuart, FL 34997
Contact
Membership comes with home ownership at Willoughby, and non-resident memberships are offered too. Reach the club at (772) 220-6000 or willoughbygolfclub.com, or contact us for local context on Stuart golf and homes in the community.
