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Florida's Emerald Coast, from Pensacola and Panama City across the panhandle to Destin and Tallahassee, has emerged as a golf destination and now features more than 1,000 holes to enjoy on its golf courses, not to mention sandy beaches and the sparkling Gulf of Mexico. Thousands of families visit the area each spring and summer to indulge in the powdery sand and consistently ideal weather.
Destin is recognized as a top golf destination, and no where is it better represented than at beautiful Emerald Bay. Designed by Bob Cupp, Emerald Bay is a 18 hole championship course believed by many to be one of northwest Florida's very best.
Regatta Bay Golf & Country Club blends seamlessly into the carefully preserved wilderness along the Choctawhatchee Bay. The course is not only an Emerald Coast favorite, but also one of the top golf courses in Florida. The layout is defined by the abundant wetlands that cover the entire course.
After carving the masterpiece called The Links Course, Tom Jackson returned to Sandestin to develop the course we call Baytowne. As Jackson himself says, "Each hole has a personality all its own." And that's what makes this course so special.
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The Daytona Beach area boasts miles of white-sandy beaches and hosts more than 8 million visitors each year. They come not only for NASCAR races and Speedweeks, but summertime concerts, Biketoberfest, the Halifax Art Festival and - of course, for some amazing golf courses.
Walkabout Golf Club was a collaboration between LPGA Tour champion Jan Stephenson and Perry Dye. The course is an homage to Stephenson's Australian heritage. It gets its name from a term signifying a rite-of-passage ritual of the Australian Aborigines. The layout wanders across a verdant, rolling landscape, abundant with native vegetation and wildlife.
Venetian Bay Golf Club is part of a unique residential community with a Mediterranean theme. Colorful buildings, mosaics, and Mediterranean vegetation surround the championship golf course. The biggest challenge for the designers was transforming what was formerly a cow pasture into a lush, challenging course.
Nestled in the gently rolling hills of Lake Mary Timacuan is a Ron Garl designed course. The front nine is reminiscent of a Scottish links-style course, with wide open fairways, rolling hills and deep bunkers. Watch the wind and keep it low!
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Tallahassee revolves around two things: Government business at the capital, and Florida State University. And while the capital city may not be the golf capital of the Sunshine State, it boasts a handful of top-notch courses with terrain reminiscent of the Carolinas.
The 18-hole Golf Club at Summerbrooke in Tallahassee, FL is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1993. Designed by Dean Refram, Golf Club at Summerbrooke measures 6845 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 140 and a 73.
The 18-hole Don Veller Seminole Golf Course in Tallahassee, FL is a public golf course that opened in 1959. Designed by Bill Amick, Don Veller Seminole Golf Course measures 7147 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 131 and a 74 USGA rating.
The 18-hole Wildwood Country Club in Crawfordville, FL is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1995. Designed by Greg Diehl, Wildwood Country Club measures 6504 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 120 and a 70.
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Naples is known just as much for its golf as it is for its famous beaches. With more than 35 courses right in the city and over 50 more championship courses in the surrounding area, Naples is the state of Florida's self-proclaimed Golf Capital. The city claims to have the highest ratio of golf courses to golfers in the country.
The 27 holes at Spanish Wells Golf & Country Club sprawl through a landscape of swaying palms, towering pines, and mature live oaks. Located in Bonita Springs, the club offers some of the most scenic holes in southwest Florida. The numerous water features are difficult to ignore, coming into play on almost every one of the club's holes.
Tom Fazio designed both of the championship golf courses at Bonita Bay East. The courses, Cypress and Sabal, have both been certified as Audubon Signature Sanctuary courses for their carefully preserved landscape covered with mature pines, oaks, and cypress trees.
Located in Ave Maria, Panther Run Golf Club is less than 30 minutes from Naples but it has a much more secluded feel. The course was built with a strong dedication to preserving the landscape's beautiful natural features and significant environmental resources, even as residences started being developed.
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The Bradenton-Sarasota region of Florida fits the definition of overlooked and underrated by both tourists and golfers alike.
Designed by former PGA Tour player Bob Tway and Lee Singletary, Bobcat Trail G.C. has been ranked among the top public golf courses in Florida. "The Cat," as it is known, is a collection of risk-reward holes, utilizing a variety of water hazards and bunkers.
The 18-hole The River Club in Bradenton, FL is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1988. Designed by Ron Garl, The River Club measures 7026 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 144 and a 74.4 USGA rating. The course features 5 sets of tees for different skill levels.
The 18-hole Stoneybrook Golf Club in Bradenton, FL is a public golf course that opened in 2002. Stoneybrook Golf Club measures 7131 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 142 and a 74 USGA rating. The course features 4 sets of tees for different skill levels. The greens are bermuda grass.
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Central Florida doesn't always mean Mickey and Orlando. Historic Sebring is a much-relished oasis of peace and quiet, full of charming, laid-back golf courses like Harder Hall Country Club and Highlands Ridge.
The 18-hole Country Club of Sebring in Sebring, FL is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1985. Designed by Ron Garl, Country Club of Sebring measures 6714 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 123 and a 71.
The 18-hole South Course at Highlands Ridge in Avon Park, FL is a public golf course that opened in 1990. Designed by Steve Smyers, South Course at Highlands Ridge measures 6176 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 120 and a 70.
The 18-hole Bartow Golf Course in Bartow, FL is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1921. Designed by Donald Ross, Bartow Golf Course measures 6613 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 126 and a 72 USGA rating.
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Miami's warm ocean breezes and colorful culture highlight the easygoing yet energy-filled atmosphere of this city where you can do everything from relax at the beach to exploring an ancient Spanish monastery all in one day. Naturally, the sandy coasts and marshy wetlands provided an excellent opportunity for some world-class golf courses.
Grand Palms offers three nines: Royal, Sabal, and Grand, which are played in three different 18-hole combinations. The golf courses sprawl across a landscape of tropical foliage and swaying palms, showcasing the best of what south Florida golf has to offer.
Bonaventure Country Club in Fort Lauderdale offers two championship courses, the East and the West. The East Course is the original layout at Bonaventure. Designed by Joe Lee, this classic layout has been ranked as one of Florida's top 10. The golf course weaves through swaying palms and towering hardwoods.
Shula's Golf Club in Miami Lakes is home to the championship Senator Course as well as an executive par-3 course. The Senator Course is an excellent venue for tournaments, offering a layout that is challenging, but playable. The golf course provides a quick round as well, it can usually be played in just over four hours.
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Anyone who's been there will tell you that Jacksonville is one of the best-kept secrets on the eastern seaboard. A vibrant, midsize city with an enviable waterfront setting and an NFL franchise, "J-ville" as locals call it, often plays second fiddle to Atlanta, Charlotte, and even instate rivals Tampa and Miami in the Southern city popularity contest.
Cimarrone Golf Club has a landscape that includes both natural wetlands and pine forests, providing an interesting variety of risk-reward opportunities as well as scenic views. The course's 17 lakes come into play on every hole along either the well defined fairways or manicured greens.
Amelia River Golf Club prides itself on being one of the best-conditioned golf courses in the area, boasting large, smooth TifEagle greens that are carefully sculpted around forested parkland. Due to the abundance of trees on the golf course, ball placement and accuracy are integral to doing well.
Royal St. Augustine Golf & Country Club's beautiful course is located only minutes from St. Augustine, Florida’s oldest city which was established in 1565 - and like this great city, Royal St. Augustine is certain to stand the test of time.
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Why do so many of the world's best golfers call Orlando home? Well, there are 123 courses within a 45-minute drive of downtown, and many things to do off the course. Plus, the weather is always great for outdoor activities, with an average annual temperature of 72.4 degrees. In short, it's a great place to work on your game -- or forget about it altogether.
The natural Florida woodlands provide a stunning backdrop to one of America's premier resort courses. Architect, Joe Lee, designed the 6,957-yard Palm with elevated tees and greens. The key ingredient, of course, was the Florida palm and he made good use of nearly every variety for aesthetic and strategic purposes.
Styled in a classic country club setting, Disney's Lake Buena Vista Golf Course meanders through pastel villas, pine forests, palmettos, sparkling lakes and other wonders of nature. Lush fairways and well-protected greens make this course as challenging as it is beautiful. Add an island green on the 7th, and it all tots up to a great golfing experience.
Grand Cypress' South/East Course blends elements of the more challenging North/South combination and the gentler East/North. The course plays through woods as well as natural water hazards that come into play on a number of holes.
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To an outsider looking in, the Tampa Bay area has it all. The enormous, sugar-white beaches of St. Petersburg/Clearwater are some of the best in the world. The peaceful, warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay are a veritable maritime playground. The area is home to an intriguing collection of golf courses that will appeal to any skill level and income bracket.
Much of the Brooksville Country Club golf course, a 6,871-yard, par-72 track that opened in 1971, weaves through mature live oak trees with rolling fairways and elevated tees.
Pebble Creek Golf Club is one of Tampa's most well known courses. Once just a local favorite, it has since garnered a reputation among visiting golfers as well. The golf course exemplifies the beauty of the Florida landscape. The layout weaves through mature pines and 40-year-old grandfather oaks draped with Spanish moss.
The Rolling Oaks Course provides the second world-class layout at World Woods. An entirely different, yet no less enjoyable experience than playing Pine Barrens, this course's name also gives clue to its design.
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As you might expect, the Space Coast of Florida got its name because that's where NASA launched its rockets and shuttles for the last half century or so. But the region has far more to offer than an education on America's space program. It's an area that stretches from Ormond Beach to Vero Beach with a coastline that offers great surfing and spring break locations, big-time auto racing, deep sea fishing and a pretty good golf scene.
Walkabout Golf Club was a collaboration between LPGA Tour champion Jan Stephenson and Perry Dye. The course is an homage to Stephenson's Australian heritage. It gets its name from a term signifying a rite-of-passage ritual of the Australian Aborigines. The layout wanders across a verdant, rolling landscape, abundant with native vegetation and wildlife.
Bordering the Indian River, Viera East Golf Club sprawls across a landscape of sparkling blue lakes and native marshland that is accented with towering pines and cypress trees. The well known layout is considered one of the best and most affordable public golf courses in Florida.
The 18-hole Royal Oak Resort & Golf Club in Titusville, FL is a resort golf course that opened in 1963. Designed by Dick Wilson, Royal Oak Resort & Golf Club measures 6614 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 125 and a 71.
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Beyond its vibrant nightlife and arts scene, West Palm Beach is also an excellent destination for golf. Palm Beach National is a classic, player-friendly layout that is a local favorite. West Palm Beach G.C. is another popular play. This public course stands out thanks to the abundance of palms, pines, and oak throughout its landscape. And just up the road is PGA National Resort & Spa, host of the Honda Classic. If those offerings aren't enough, the famed Breakers hotel is just across the bridge.
Palm Beach National stands out from other south Florida golf courses thanks to a stunning landscape blanketed with mature stands of live oaks and laurels, Royal and Queen palms, and cypress trees. The course has a traditional landscape with wide-open fairways and elevated greens.
A Robert Trent Jones Jr. design, the Eagle Golf Course at President Golf Club boasts championship Bermuda greens. Jones also lined the fairways with coquina and accented the course with pampas grass, both of which help bring out the beauty of the natural landscape.
The Hammock Creek Golf Club is the first golf course in Florida co-designed by Jack Nicklaus and his son, Jack Nicklaus II. It offers championship golf to players of all skill levels in a natural setting uncommon among semi-private clubs.
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