On July 22, the Florida Golf Association will administer one of dozens of final qualifying tournaments for the U.S. Amateur at a course that may have the most unique name -- Dutchman's Pipe. The name stems (excuse the pun) from a species of evergreen vine which grows natively throughout the property.
It's far from the generic club name that goes in one ear and out the other. And the completely redesigned course is the real story.
We sent Lawson Wlodkowski out to see what players will face as they try to punch their tickets to Merion. Here are his playing notes:
I arrived at Dutchman's Pipe and was greeted by friendly staff before heading down to a beautiful practice range. There, I met the director of golf, Matt Cain, originally from Montana but a Florida transplant of the last few years. I was excited to be given a first-hand tour by Matt - a perfect host and fine player.
The property has a long history. It was established in 1969 as the President's Country Club, which originally operated 36 holes before financial troubles set in, and later became Banyan Cay Resort. In January 2024, the Witkoff Group acquired it and reimagined it as Dutchman's Pipe — keeping the original Nicklaus design while undergoing an extensive renovation and enhancement to the entire course and property.
Dutchman's Pipe is now an exclusive members-only club that also provides access to PGA Tour players, including Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau, and Neal Shipley, who regularly practice at the Club. It's a rare combination of accessibility and exclusivity that truly sets the club apart.
As I expected, the conditioning is excellent: the fairways are pure, and the greens roll true at a fair, medium speed. Nicklaus's design leans on risk-reward, with several drivable par 4s that tempt you into go-for-it decisions, and creative hole names like Full Throttle and Purgatory to match. Throughout the round, you get great views of water in a very natural setting - very unique for a course located less than 10 minutes from both Palm Beach Island and Palm Beach International Airport.
A couple of my favorite holes:
This one's called "Purgatory" for good reason. Miss your approach shot, and you might wind up in the pot bunker in front, wondering what you did to deserve such a fate. The thing about pot bunkers guarding greens is that they look innocent and small, but the surrounding slopes drain everything towards them.
Not pictured are Nos. 12 and 16, where water guards the entire left side of the fairway, all the way to the green. Staying clear of these "penalty areas" and others on the course will be key to players' success during the qualifier.
I'm hoping to get out on July 22 to watch the final holes as the U.S. Amateur field starts to take shape. The Florida Golf Association does an amazing job administering these qualifiers.
