Beautiful scenes, palm trees, putting greens, no tee times, world-class caddy program, championship golf course, flourishing gardens, grand slam caliber European clay courts, pickleball, padel courts, a private gateway to the Atlantic Ocean.
But is it worth the price tag?
The Shell Bay Golf Club designed by retired professional golfer Greg Norman opened Tuesday, October 3rd in Hallandale Beach South Florida with a price tag for a membership at only a measly $1 million. When compared to the cost of a membership at Augustana National Golf Club, host of the Masters, ranging from $250,000- $500,000, it makes even that seem affordable.
The club boasts of being for “connoisseurs of life well lived” with the promise that members can simply walk onto the course and start playing without waiting. Norman said in a media release that “the course at Shell Bay will be one of the most unique, pure golf experiences I have ever designed.”
The club’s location is set on a 150-acre plot of Intracoastal Waterway, just north of Miami, providing more than enough land to accommodate the “18-hole private golf course.” Clocking in at 7,254 yards in length, the course is flanked by a 20,000-square-foot clubhouse, a 12-acre practice facility, and a nine-hole par three course.
Norman continued, “Completely isolated from its surroundings, the walkable layout will capture the true essence of the game with immaculately conditioned fairways, sweeping sandbelt-style bunkers, and contoured greens that test every club in your bag.”
“It will be a place where you can totally immerse yourself in the game.”
What Norman doesn’t say in his media release is that this leisure is at the expense of $1 million dollars.
Additionally, if you’re looking to avoid spending your life savings on this membership and would instead like to acquire it by becoming a resident of the 108 penthouses and other accommodations overlooking the course, you are out of luck. Residents, despite paying a minimum of $3 million for a unit or $11 million for a penthouse, are still required to pay the additional fee for the golf course.
If $11 million can’t even get someone on this golf course, then maybe they are right to say money can’t buy happiness.
Keel Brossard wrote this story for the “soft news” assignment in his senior English class, Communication Analysis and Production. It has been lightly edited for clarity and formatting.
