The Nicklaus family is lining up a luxury overhaul of the Lake Worth Golf Club site that would turn the shuttered municipal track into a private, members-only playground built around golf, wellness and high-end hospitality. Swapping a public course for an exclusive retreat could reshape who gets waterfront access and kick off a local fight over what happens to public land and public money. Lake Worth residents and officials are already zeroing in on how permits, timelines and compensation for the city will play out.
As reported by the South Florida Business Journal, the family behind Jack Nicklaus wants to reposition the former club as a private golf and hospitality venue. According to the Business Journal, the concept leans on membership, wellness amenities and upscale lodging, although a full master plan and construction schedule have not been publicly released.
City meeting materials and a stormwater application from the City of Lake Worth show the course has struggled with chronic drainage and erosion issues along the Intracoastal, problems the city has been tackling with targeted repairs. Those stormwater filings lay out plans to install outfall check valves, reline existing pipes and reinforce the living shoreline that runs beside the course.
That backdrop helps explain why private money has kicked the tires before. In January 2025, a group that included Jack Nicklaus floated a beachfront redevelopment concept that would have renovated the course and added hotels, reports Stet News. Even supporters have voiced mixed feelings, with Mayor Betty Resch telling the outlet the course is "the best bargain and most beautiful course in Palm Beach County" at the same time commissioners weighed short-term fixes to keep stray golf balls from hammering nearby homes.
What This Could Mean For Players And The Public
Turning a municipal layout into a private club would cut public tee times and shift who benefits from the revenue the site generates, according to city records. The city budget from the City of Lake Worth reports that the golf operation recently logged more than 47,000 rounds and brought in over $1.5 million in revenue, numbers officials are likely to keep close when they size up any sale or long-term lease proposal.
What’s Next
Specifics on zoning, leasing terms or a possible sale were not included in the Business Journal report, and the project will need formal submissions to the city before any real redevelopment work can begin. Expect a familiar drill: developer presentations, planning staff review and public hearings in front of the City Commission. The pace will hinge on whether the proposal is structured as a long-term lease or a sale of city-owned land, along with state and county permits that have to be cleared.
Because the course is a municipal asset, any sale or long-term lease would almost certainly need City Commission approval and public notice, and it could invite legal scrutiny over valuation and public benefit. City meeting records will set the ground rules for that review, and neighbors along with regular golfers are likely to push hard for transparency on deal terms and any guarantees for continued public access or other community benefits.
