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The Polo Club of Boca Raton
Well-established and financially strong, this premier, private golf club is meeting the needs of the next generation of club members without sacrificing its signature lifestyle
F
or many of us, by the time we can
to enjoy that golf by being in great shape is part of
dedicate a good portion of our days
the equation.
to golf, our agility and power are
One of the ways the Polo Club accomplishes that
nowhere near where they were in
and distinguishes itself is through its spa. There, the
our prime. Like Ponce de León, we
club’s fitness trainers work hand in hand with the golf
would gladly search the far ends of the globe to recapture our youthful swing and ensure years of enjoyable rounds with our playing partners. They just may have discovered that secret at The Polo Club of Boca Raton. Over the past five years, the Polo Club’s golf program has gone in a modern direction. Using their considerable infrastructure, large staff of golf pros, and the precepts of TPI (Titleist Performance Institute), this has become a destination that helps golfers recapture their youth through training. Today, it’s no longer enough to have great golf available. The ability
WINTER 2012
ABOVE: Water abounds on the courses but there are few forced carries. BELOW: The new Barefoot Café offers members a casual setting to mingle with friends.
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and a clubhouse expansion are also in the club’s current master plan. They have accomplished all this without an assessment. In fact, members here have never been hit with one. On the golf course, the club is already promoting the game to the next generation by taking one of their courses and integrating it for kids. In the afternoon, kids (and their parents and grandparents) can play six holes for $6. The program has been so successful they have had to extend the concept to both courses. The golf here, by the way, is excellent. The Equestrian and the Club are two very good courses. The Equestrian ABOVE and RIGHT: The new pool complex offers a striking, yet romantic, setting where members can relax. BELOW: Sculpted bunkers and lakes typify the layouts of both courses.
pros to produce maximum results for members. “I was in the case study with one of Polo Club’s certified professionals and found it to be absolutely fantastic,” says member Gerry Zusel. “The key to improving my swing was through strength and flexibility. TPI helped me reduce my handicap by four strokes.” The Polo Club, the second largest country club in the nation in terms of membership (more than 1,700), is definitely not your grandfather’s country club. While respecting tradition and the luxurious lifestyle that its members enjoy so much, the club has embraced forward-looking growth. Amenities, like the new resort complex with family-friendly, resort-style pools that opened this past November, are being built for the next generation. New family dining options
presents more challenging green complexes, while the Club is more forgiving, yet both are very playable Tim
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Freeland designs. This being Florida, there is plenty of
members and the service, provided by 550 employees
water to navigate, but few forced carries.
in season, is impeccable.
Despite its name, the Polo Club was originally built
For such a large community, one of The Polo Club’s
around tennis in 1986. The developer of the new
biggest strengths is how close the membership is—
community hired Chris Evert as touring pro, and the
the incredible array of activities and opportunities to
club hosted the Virginia Slims of Florida for years.
gather help bring everyone together.
With 28 courts, more than 600 tennis memberships,
That largeness, though, allows the club to offer
and a well-rounded competitive program, they were
something for everyone, from condos for the members
voted the number one private tennis club in the world
flying in from Europe or Boston to
in 2010 by the Professional Tennis Registry.
multi-million dollar custom estate
Once described as like “a cruise ship on land,”
homes. No matter what size house or in
the club offers a very active social program. In
which of the 24 communities you live,
addition to health and wellness programs, cultural
every home features high ceilings,
offerings both on and off the property, and their
garages, and a golf course or lake view.
popular cabaret series, members are entertained by
With so many options, you have the
some of the biggest acts in the business: the Beach
ability to upsize or downsize your home
Boys, Air Supply, and the Pointer Sisters to name
without moving to another community.
just a few. Located on 1,100 meticulously manicured acres five
Yes, this is a terrific lifestyle, but not inexpensive. You have to live at the club
miles from downtown Boca Raton and seven miles
to be a golf member (real estate runs
from the beach, the community boasts one of the
from $300,000 condos to $3 million
most comprehensive and spectacular clubhouses any-
homes), but if you can take years off
where. (Not to mention, at 145,000 square feet, one of
your golf game, there really is no way to
the biggest.) There are plenty of dining venues for
put a price on that.
WINTER 2012
ABOVE: The tropical, zero edge resort-style pool
The Polo Club of Boca Raton 5400 Champions Boulevard Boca Raton, Fla. 33496 561.995.1200 PoloClub.net
CLUB PAR: 72 YARDAGE: 6,671 YEAR FOUNDED: 2002 ARCHITECT: Tim Freeland
EQUESTRIAN PAR: 72 YARDAGE: 6,766 YEAR FOUNDED: 1985 ARCHITECT: Tim Freeland
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The entrance to the 145,000-square-foot clubhouse
THE POLO CLUB OF BOCA RATON 5400 Champions Boulevard Boca Raton, Fla. 33496 561.995.1200 PoloClub.net