Stillwater Golf and Country Club

Detailed description of Stillwater Golf and Country Club

Stillwater Golf and Country Club is a semi=private 18-hole golf course located in St. Johns, Florida.

Stillwater first opened for play in 2022. Bobby Weed designed the course.

Located between Jacksonville and St. Augustine, the course serves as the centerpiece for an active adult gated community in St. Johns County. Within Stillwater’s 18-hole routing, Bobby Weed has creatively designed loops of three, six, nine, and 12 holes that start and finish near the clubhouse.

With tees measuring from 4,760 yards to 6,745 yards, Stillwater was designed with an eye toward environmental stewardship. With only 70 acres of irrigated turf of 148 total acres, the course realizes a number of environmental benefits. Up to 25 million gallons of water are to be saved annually from non-irrigated areas; Tiff Bermuda fairways, tees, and approaches will use 38% less water than similar varieties; an absence of traditional rough—all fairways are efficiently mowed using a single height of cut—will reduce maintenance; non-irrigated centipede grass in the native areas offer contrasting swaths of color; and 18 acres of shell screenings replace cart paths, reducing maintenance and delivering visual contrast.

Bunker maintenance is intense labor and financial commitment to clubs. Stillwater counters this with sod wall EcoBunkers. Unique to North Florida, layers of artificial sod are stacked at 55- to 60-degree angles to fortify the bunker edges and create the visual appeal of Scottish-style pot bunkers. These fortified bunkers yield a striking aesthetic, are environmentally sustainable, and aid the club’s bottom line. Also distinct to Florida’s First Coast, elegant lay-down walls are used in lieu of traditional vertical bulkheads. Planks of treated timber are seamlessly tied together, then stylishly angled from the water to the playing surface. Stillwater’s inspiration came from Pete Dye’s similarly styled walls at South Carolina’s Long Cove Club, where Booby Weed assisted.

Stillwater’s 16-acre practice facility will be a rain-or-shine, year-round destination. The lighted driving range has covered hitting bays equipped with Toptracer Range. Players of all skill levels can receive instant feedback on their swing and distance data. The practice facility also includes three putting and chipping greens, highlighted by a 16,041-square-foot, Himalayan-style putting course. Designed with moderate slopes, swales, plateau, and terraces, it’s ideal for practice or for putting contests.

“Stillwater delivers terrific shot values with ample playing areas that encourage the old-style game of low running approach shots,” Bobby Weed said. "It is incumbent upon us as architects to be good stewards of the environment, while simultaneously designing courses that create interest, flexibility, and fun. We accomplished these goals at Stillwater.”