About Sailfish Sands Golf Course

Formerly known as Martin County Golf Course, Sailfish Sands Golf Course offers an 18-hole championship golf course and a 9-hole course, designed by renowned golf course architect John Sanford.

Sailfish Sands features a full-length grass driving range and 20 covered hitting bays where guests can compete against friends, playing fun games and virtual courses on interactive game screens while enjoying food and drinks from the fully equipped restaurant & bar.

Awards & Recognitions

2024:

2023:

2022:

Golf Range Association of America Top 50 Public Facilities

2021:

About John Sanford

John Sanford is a well-recognized name and leader in the golf industry. He is a past President of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) and has over 30 years of experience in golf course design, completing over 70 new designs and renovations in his career.

John is a graduate of Louisiana State University (1981) with a bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture. He spent five years practicing landscape architecture before landing his first golf course design in 1986. This experience allowed him to integrate the course into the surrounding land uses while maintaining the natural character of the site.

John was the Lead Golf Course Architect and Project Manager on Granite Links Golf Club and Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, both involving public landfill to golf course transitions.

John has traveled the globe working in Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East and throughout the United States. Designing courses on sites throughout the world with diverse conditions has given Mr. Sanford experience and perspective that is unique in the field of golf course design.

Play on History

Sailfish Sands Golf Course is located adjacent to the City of Stuart in Martin County, Florida, and is part of the Florida Historic Golf Trail. In the early 1920’s, plans were developed for a new 18-hole golf course, tennis courts and clubhouse to be built as part of the St. Lucie Golf Club and Tennis Court Club.

Golf course architect William Langford was hired to design an 18-hole layout. Amateur golfer Hugh Willoughby, Jr., of Newport, Rhode Island and Port Sewall, supervised the work on the course.

In 1925, nine holes of the golf course officially opened and were known as the St. Lucie River Country Club. In 1947, the county acquired the 9-hole golf course and renamed it the Martin County Golf & Country Club.

The golf course officially opened as a complete 18-hole golf course in 1963. Over the years, the county added another nine holes and by the late 1980s, the last nine holes were added to the existing 27 holes to complete the 36-hole layout.

Golf course historical photo showing a group of golfers

Golf course historical photo showing two men playing golf

Golf course historical photo showing the old course

Golf course historical photo showing a man swinging a golf club

Historical images courtesy of Sandra Thurlow.