Florida's Million-Dollar Golf Experience Provides Luxurious Lush Greens And Coastal Views

Golf is often considered a luxury sport, and for good reason. It is expensive and sometimes elitist, with strict rules to join, play, and even enter the clubhouses. While not every golf course or club is exactly like that, many are designed for those who need to burn a little extra money. However, none have ever felt quite as elite as the new one that opened up in Florida in 2023, known as Shell Bay Club. This golf enthusiast's dream isn't cheap, with initiation fees costing upwards of $1 million. 

Shell Bay Club is located near Miami, America's rudest city and a very popular vacation destination in Florida. Technically, the club is in Hallandale Beach (above) but it's only 20 miles north of the heart of the city, and is counted as part of Miami's metropolitan area. Despite being in a crowded portion of Florida, it manages to offer privacy and a sense of peace to anyone who lives, golfs, or uses the other amenities at this club. 

Relatively new for a golf club, Shell Bay opened in the beginning of October 2023. It features a private 18-hole course that is completely isolated and measures 7,254 yards, as well as a 9-hole course and practice facility that stretches across 12 acres, boasting all the bells and whistles to help golfers to improve their swings and up their games. The club is situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway, making for stunning coastal views, especially from the golf course.

Shell Bay Club's course was designed by Greg Norman, who is responsible for more than 100 golf courses around the world, including one in Exuma at Sandals Emerald Bay Resort near Coco Plum Beach, one of the most picturesque stretches of sand in the Caribbean. The legend was asked to come in and conceive a course fitting for the club's quality and price point, and he delivered. There was already a course, once part of the Diplomat Golf Resort, but to make the design more modern and befitting of such a setting, the original was completely discarded and a new course was conceived.

It was a lot of work, even requiring every single lake on the property to be filled in and moved. In addition, over 4,000 trees were planted, and several different species of smaller plants. The course focuses on risk as well as chances to make some impressive shots. Not only is it good enough to be a fitting course for members of the club, but the goal was to make it available for a PGA Tour or LIV Golf event as well.

Though the price seems steep, there's good reason: Golf is a sport in high demand. Many luxury clubs cost several thousand dollars to join with some even setting players back over a quarter of a million dollars. Additionally, new clubs are even more sought after in the Miami area, with Shell Bay Club being one of the first ones built in 25 years.

It sounds like the dream golfing destination, but it comes with a steep price. The initiation fee for a membership started at a cool $1 million, which has increased to $1.34 million since then. There is no golf-only membership, but the fee covers admission to a few other programs instead, including the Shell Bay Yacht Club. 

Shell Bay offers space for 48 boats as well as options for chartering. There are also courts for racquetball and pickleball, spas, pools, open social rooms, entertainment rooms, gardens, fitness centers, and a shop where you can buy most if not all of the golf gear you'll need to feel confident on the course, in case you forgot to pack something or just want some new equipment. You may even find a tool you didn't realize you needed, such as a laser rangefinder to keep track of distances while on the course. A club also wouldn't be complete without a clubhouse, and Shell Bay's is an impressive 20,000-square-feet, packed to the brim with amenities and a restaurant, as well as lush, enjoyable greens to play on a beautiful views of the water. 

Residences here opened in 2024, and by purchasing one, owners get free access to the social aspects of the club, though there will be an additional fee for a golf membership. Each residence comes with a butler service and plenty of stunning views. The minimum price for a unit is $3 million, but some housing options can cost upwards of $11 million. There will also eventually be a boutique resort, expected in 2025, for out-of-area golfers who purchased a membership.