There's a golf course off Military Trail, right where Boca turns into Delray, that sits behind a manned gate inside a 55+ community. It's easy to drive past and assume it's residents only, but Boca Delray Golf & Country Club says it in all caps on its own website: you do not have to be a resident of Boca Delray to play. The course is a full 18 holes at par 60, and it says pace of play should never run past three hours. You get a real round of golf and most of your day back.

What You're Getting Into

The layout is 12 par 3s and 6 par 4s, and it plays 3,071 yards from the back tees. The short card is a little misleading, though. The course winds around the community's lakes, and 14 of the 18 holes make you carry the ball over water to reach the green. The greens are small and undulating, so your score really comes down to accurate irons and a sharp short game.

This is not a pitch and putt. Golf Advisor named it one of the Top 25 Short Courses in the U.S. in 2019, and it's the kind of place where a low handicapper can still walk off annoyed with a three-putt. If you're newer to the game it's still a friendly way to play 18, as long as you're comfortable getting the ball airborne over water.

When you finish, the 19th Hole makes breakfast and lunch to order. Its dining area and veranda look out over the putting green and the first tee, which makes it a nice spot to settle the bets. The tee time booking page also lists a $15 lunch add-on you can tack onto your round.

There's more going on here than tee times, too. The course runs lessons, clinics and social events, plus men's and women's leagues with both 9 and 18 hole divisions.

The Insider Move

Here's what most people don't know: you can book online, but public tee times only open one day in advance. Residents get three days and members get even more, so the move is to book the day before, either through the Book A Tee Time button on bocadelray.golf or by calling the golf shop at 561-495-1616.

Timing matters once season starts. From November through April, the women's association plays Tuesdays at 9 AM, the men's association plays Wednesdays at 9 AM, and Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons switch to a 1:30 PM shotgun. If you want a quick round on your own schedule, plan around those two days. And leave the metal spikes at home, because they're not allowed.

What Golfers Are Saying

Reviews on Golf Advisor keep coming back to the pace and the water. One reviewer said he and a playing partner finished 18 holes in about two and a half hours and saw plenty of birds along the way. The same golfer cautioned that it isn't a pushover for brand-new players, since even from the forward tees you often need to carry the ball around 70 yards to reach the green. He also called it a great place for experienced golfers to sharpen their short game. Another described water on most holes, small greens with real slope, a well-stocked pro shop and a nice restaurant.

If You Get Hooked

The course sells 4, 6 and 12 month memberships starting at $1,200 with greens and cart fees included, and you don't have to live in the community to join.

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