Underwater in the Sunshine State
Florida is underwater, and the exclusive private club Gulf Stream Golf Club in Delray Beach has essentially become one giant water hazard since the last days of October. The grounds of the St. Andrews Country Club in Boca Raton look a little better, but still show plenty of standing water, according to photos published by the local newspaper The Coastal Star on October 27. It’s king tide season once again: a combination of a full moon, strong northeast winds with gusts exceeding 48 km/h, and high surf caused water levels to rise along the coast.
The thing is, in Florida it’s no longer just about king tides on their own, but about how they interact with the steadily rising sea level across the state. Taken together, this poses a fundamental challenge for golf courses near the coast. The US Golf Association already pointed out the effects on fairways, roughs, bunkers, and irrigation systems back in 2015 in its article King Tides: A Concern For Coastal Courses In The Southeast.
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Salt damage on golf courses
King tides are especially high spring tides caused by the combined gravitational pull of the sun and moon. In South Florida, they occur mainly in autumn. Wind, ocean currents, and waves can raise water levels even further. According to the USGA, the flooding has serious consequences for golf courses: salt can accumulate in the soil and damage the turf. In addition, saltwater often seeps into the irrigation reservoirs of golf facilities. The elevated salt concentration in irrigation water negatively affects grasses, shrubs, and plants.
Sea Level in Key West Up by 15 cm
Since 2015, the situation along Florida’s coastline has become significantly more severe, as sea levels continue to rise steadily. At the Key West gauge alone, an increase of about 15 centimetres was measured between 2000 and 2023. The consequences have been clearly visible for days: on October 27, water levels at the Lake Worth Pier even surpassed the previous record set during Hurricane Nicole in 2022, according to the USA TODAY Network.
These record water levels are no longer just about flooded bunkers and fairways, though—they’re increasingly about the value of the properties lining those fairways. In Florida, the majority of golf facilities are combined with residential real estate. According to a 2025 study by Realtor.com, properties worth a total of $306.8 billion in the greater Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach area were exposed to severe or extreme flood risk. That amounted to 23.2% of the total property value in the region. However, the share attributable specifically to golf course real estate was not disclosed.
The Sunshine State Is Flood Territory
Anyone considering spending their retirement in a newly purchased property in this area should take the advice of citiesinsider.com, an information portal for people relocating, to heart.
The brief overview for the Miami region currently reads as follows:
- The average flood insurance costs $1,611 per year.
- The city expects 30 or more flood days per year, especially during the autumn king tides.
A standard homeowner’s insurance policy does not cover flood damage. If you move to Miami, you need to prepare for water. The city and surrounding areas don’t just deal with the occasional hurricane; they fight a daily battle against rising sea levels, porous soil, and overburdened infrastructure.
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Pesticide Runoff Into the Water Feared
Restrictions on golf play are clearly one of the smallest concerns for local residents. Anyone scrolling through the comments under social media posts about the flooding at Gulf Stream Golf Club, located along the Intracoastal Waterway, will find plenty of negative reactions. The biggest concerns center on pesticides washing off the golf course and into the waters of the Intracoastal Waterway.
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