The club was opened in 1988. It had the pedigree – none other than Gary Player designed the golf course and built his own home just off the 3rd fairway. Player put his personality into the private 18-hole golf course, with its elevated tee boxes and beautiful picturesque fairways. It had the price tag – both homes and country club memberships easily tipped the upper ends of the scale. It had the panache – the very name “Alaqua” conjured up images of society and business elite sequestered behind their own, guarded entrance gates. Various factors beyond the ownership’s control, principally a real estate market and financial environment not unlike our present circumstance, halted the dream in its tracks and the Alaqua luster began to dim.