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Boca West Country Club
An unwavering commitment to extraordinary service and amenities has made this private residential country club one of the best in the country
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t is no small feat to be named the nation’s
“We are in the member-pleasing business,” says Jay
top private country club (nine years run-
DiPietro, club president and general manager. “We
ning nonetheless) by the Platinum Clubs of
understand what people want and don’t want. We
America. But in Boca Raton, a city rich with
work hard at it. And we recruit and hand pick the
the world’s finest private clubs found any-
nicest, friendliest, most attentive people in the world
where, that numero uno ranking among the elites and
to work here.” More than 800 of those hand-picked
the bragging rights that come with it just might be
employees work in the club during peak season.
the most satisfying honor. Boca West Country Club, perfectly situated on 1,400 lushly landscaped acres between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, isn’t just one of the topranked clubs in the country. With more than 6,000 residents, it is also one of the largest. Everything is bigger than life here, from the magnificent clubhouse, sports center and spa to the four championship golf courses to the six separate dining venues that rival the top restaurants of any major city. And while the club’s size allows it to skillfully handle any member function, and serve 900 for dinner in the clubhouse, Boca West’s biggest asset isn’t its grand scale, but its staff.
ABOVE: The clubhouse can accommodate a variety of social events. BELOW: A waterfall serves as the backdrop at the 18th green on Fazio II.
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ABOVE: The golf experience overall is first class, starting with the lush landscaping. RIGHT: The 506-yard 18th on Palmer I features a nifty “beach bunker.” FAR RIGHT: With more than 30 courts, tennis is huge at Boca West. BELOW: The Spa lobby’s waterfall sculpture
The members appear to be well pleased. Thirty five percent of them live here year round, a figure double or better that of other southern Florida communities. They love it so much that they can’t wait to tell their friends about the place. That “word of mouth” is the main factor in selling homes. Even in lean real estate years, Boca West will still sell an impressive 100 homes a year. “Our members support our club because they treasure it here,” says DiPietro. “They are proud of their club.” What’s not to be proud of? The
member tournaments typically attracting 500 partici-
the facilities seem forever young
pants, multiple courses are a necessity. Palmer I, the first course completed here, is a true
refreshed. Started in 1970, the club
championship golf course and often the venue used
has never had an assessment and
for big tournaments. Fazio II, with its waterfalls at the
everything looks brand new. The golf experience, like every-
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1997 and offer not just great golf, but lots of it. With
community, the clubhouse, and all because everything is constantly
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Jim Fazio and Pete Dye, have all been rebuilt since
9th and 18th greens that spill over hand-sculpted stones, is considered the most aesthetically pleasing.
thing else, is first class. The four
When they hired Dye to design course IV, they told
golf courses, by Arnold Palmer,
him they wanted a Pete Dye course that was playable.
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Boca West Country Club 20583 Boca West Drive Boca Raton, Fla. 33434 561.488.6934 BocaWestCC.org
Palmer I PAR: 72 YARDAGE: 7,220 YEAR FOUNDED: 1997 ARCHITECT: Arnold Palmer
FazIo II “I’ll build you a golf course I would want to play
poolside casual to elegant fare in Panache,
every day,” Dye said. And he did exactly that.
and the venues are designed to serve
There are so many details that enhance the golf experience. Laser finders in every cart eliminate looking
every taste. Likewise, there are a number of op-
for yardage on sprinkler heads, while the paspalum
tions for living in this paradise. Condo-
turf on the Fazio and Dye courses handles the south
miniums from the $100,000s to $8 mil-
Florida climate beautifully and hardly ever presents a
lion homes in re-gated neighborhoods
bad lie. In addition to separate locker rooms and card
are available. One of the convenient
rooms for men and women, they each have their own
membership perks is the ability to select
extensive pro shops as well.
the option that suits you best on an
While golf may reign supreme, tennis flourishes
PAR: 71 YARDAGE: 6,811 YEAR FOUNDED: 2005 ARCHITECT: Jim Fazio
Palmer III PAR: 72 YARDAGE: 6,753 YEAR FOUNDED: 1999 ARCHITECT: Arnold Palmer
Dye IV PAR: 72 YARDAGE: 6,954 YEAR FOUNDED: 2006 ARCHITECT: Pete Dye
annual basis. While social membership is the
here, too. More than 30 Har-Tru courts, a full sched-
minimum, every year you can pick and choose what
ule of tournament and social events, an active junior
other memberships you would like, including
program, a new Tennis Center (opened April 2013),
individual golf memberships.
BELOW: Members can choose from six different dining venues.
and exhibitions by some of the sport’s best players, keep things busy courtside. You can’t spend any time here without discovering that food is a very big deal at Boca West. The club has a well-earned reputation for providing its members an incredible dining experience. The food is so good and so appreciated, members have no need to travel outside the gates for gourmet dining. DiPietro never forgot advice he received early in his career: “Some people play golf, some people play tennis. Everybody eats.” And eat they do. The club serves a remarkable three quarters of a million meals a year through its six restaurants. The menus, from
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BOCA WEST COUNTRY CLUB 20583 Boca West Drive Boca Raton, Fla. 33434 561.488.6934 BocaWestCC.org
The cascading water feature at the club’s Aquatic Center