Don Dupont didn't expect to find The Preserve at Ironhorse.
When he started looking for a club in the Jupiter and Palm Beach area, he knew what he wanted: a place to play whenever he had time.
What Don Was Looking For
Originally from Connecticut, Don had been a member at a country club for 25 years. He knew the rhythms of private golf. Moving to Florida meant finding a club that matched his lifestyle in semi-retirement.
The membership math mattered to him. Clubs with higher member-to-hole ratios naturally needed more structured tee time systems to manage demand. For someone who valued the freedom to decide over morning coffee whether today was a golf day, this was a mismatch.
"I knew I didn't want to do that," Don said. "I'm part of a group back in Connecticut. There's always someone else making arrangements. They say, 'Hey, are you good for Sunday at 9:00?' Not having to make a tee time very much appealed to me."
Don also wanted flexibility in how he played.
What Made The Preserve Different
At The Preserve, we limit membership to 250 golf members. No tee times, seven days a week. This mattered for Don, before he even considered course conditions or amenities.
But when he met Audry, our Membership Director, the culture became clear.
"She was terrific," Don recalled. "She didn't push. She showed me everything they had to offer." Welcoming without pretense, structured without stuffiness.
The course itself offered the kind of challenge Don wanted. "It's a very strong golf course," he explained. He appreciates that he can play the course daily without feeling like he's hitting the same shots.
But he found something unique in the membership.
"In the five years I've been here at The Preserve, I've never had an inquiry as to what I do for a living or what I'm worth," he said. "It's a great group of guys. I like the type of member that we have."
Regular games just form—Thursday at noon, Saturday morning, Sunday morning, plus an unofficial Tuesday group. Don could join any of these games or head out on his own. He could practice at 6 a.m. on the back range, play nine holes at twilight or work on his short game without anyone else.
"I liked it so much that we ended up buying a house in The Preserve," Don said. "Now I have my own golf cart. I literally come and go whenever I please."
How Access Helps Improvement
Don has won several club tournaments since joining. He credits consistent access to the course and competition with players from across the country (former club champions from New York, Massachusetts, and Chicago who winter in Florida).
"I've always felt like the only time I've gotten better is when I can go out there and work on my game independently," he explained. "When I can get lessons from a pro and then go work on what they've helped me with."
Between rounds with scratch golfers and plus-handicap players who pushed his game, Don could immediately apply what he learned. The course's challenge prepared him for travel to other clubs across Palm Beach County, where he represented The Preserve well.
"I take it as a point of personal pride," Don said. "When I go to another club, I'm going to play good. I want to represent The Preserve. This course has made me a way better golfer."
The Investment in Members
Throughout Don's five years at The Preserve, there have been no assessments. We completed the Rees Jones renovation, regrassed and leveled the practice range, renovated the entrance and pro shop, and resurfaced the parking lot, without additional charges to members.
For Don, this represented a club that invests in the member experience. The Preserve offered what his search was really about, a place to play serious golf on his own terms.
"Those are my big three as to why I think The Preserve has been a really terrific place for me," Don said.
For golfers weighing similar choices across Palm Beach County, Don's experience shows what matters when the fit is right.
