Jack Nicklaus unveils NOKOSI, a new Nicklaus family club coming to The Palm Beaches
- Jake Nicholas
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
The Palm Beaches are about to welcome one of the most exclusive new golf and lifestyle clubs in the country—and it's being driven directly by the legacy of Jack Nicklaus.
NOKOSI: A Nicklaus Family Club, newly unveiled by Jack Nicklaus, his family, and TWG Global, is rising on the site of the former Sherbrooke Golf & Country Club in central Palm Beach County—roughly 20 minutes from Palm Beach International. The project introduces a private, design-forward destination that blends championship golf with a broader vision of wellness, longevity, and everyday living, and marks the first project from a newly formed development group led by Gary Nicklaus and the Nicklaus family in partnership with TWG Global. Construction is currently underway, with preview play anticipated in late 2026.
The name itself sets the tone. Rooted in the Seminole word Nokosi, meaning bear, the club is built around themes of quiet strength, resilience, and a deep connection to the land—an identity that runs through every layer of the project, from the architecture to the master plan to the member experience.
For Nicklaus, the project is deeply personal. A South Florida resident for nearly 60 years, the 18-time major champion is once again leaving his thumbprint on the region where he and Barbara raised five children, 24 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren, with a tenth on the way. NOKOSI, he says, is built around that same idea of family, connection, and a club culture designed to last for generations.
At its core, NOKOSI is anchored by an 18-hole course designed by Nicklaus himself—part of a portfolio that spans more than 325 courses worldwide—but this project carries a deeper level of involvement. Unlike traditional Nicklaus-designed courses, NOKOSI is one of a select number of clubs owned by the Nicklaus family, positioning it as a more personal expression of the brand's philosophy and long-term vision. Expect strategic shot values, a layout that rewards thoughtful play, and the kind of fair-but-memorable design that has defined the Nicklaus signature for decades.
The club is being conceived as a fully integrated experience. Plans include a central clubhouse, a dedicated Health, Wellness and Longevity Center, a Learning Center, a Range House, a Pro Shop, and a series of comfort stations woven throughout the course—each carefully positioned to enhance the rhythm of the game and the journey across the landscape. Clubhouse and amenity construction is scheduled to break ground in fall 2026.
Design plays a central role in defining NOKOSI's identity. The clubhouse and surrounding buildings are being designed by Spina O'Rourke + Partners, the West Palm Beach-based architecture firm known for shaping some of South Florida's most distinctive hospitality and private club environments. Their approach reimagines the timeless character of Old Florida through a modern lens—where heritage and hospitality meet under a canopy of live oaks, palms, and golden light. In place of predictable stucco and tile, the architecture leans into handcrafted authenticity: wood shake roofs, weathered cypress siding, deep porches, and shadowed verandas that blur the line between indoors and out. The result, as the firm describes it, is a campus that feels "settled, not built; discovered, not designed."
Materials carry the same intention. Weathered wood, coquina stone, woven textures, and aged metals are paired with a palette of sand, moss, and soft blues, echoing Florida's coastal-meets-hammock ecology. Interiors layer white oak, cane, linen, stone, and patinated metals to create spaces that feel as if they've always belonged—anchored by crackling hearths, screened porches overlooking moss-draped oaks, and wellness terraces catching the morning sun.
Beyond golf, NOKOSI reflects a broader shift happening across high-end private clubs, where wellness is no longer an amenity—it's a core pillar. The inclusion of a dedicated longevity and wellness component places the club within a growing category of lifestyle-driven destinations, where recovery, performance, and long-term health are integrated into the daily member experience.
That positioning sets NOKOSI apart within Palm Beach County's already competitive golf scene. While the region is home to some of the most established private clubs in the country, this project introduces a newer model—one that merges legacy-driven golf design with a modern approach to how members live, train, and spend time beyond the course. Operating as strictly private with limited membership, NOKOSI is leaning into family, quality of experience, and long-term member relationships rather than scale.
With construction underway and a late 2026 debut on the horizon, NOKOSI is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched private club launches in South Florida—one that extends the Nicklaus legacy into a new era defined as much by lifestyle as it is by the game itself.
