Sunshine State Swings: Discovering 20 Golf Courses in Florida
Boasting more golf courses than any other state, Florida represents the epitome of golfing paradise. Hundreds of well-designed courses reflect Florida’s natural beauty and widespread passion for golf. They also reveal the power of strong golf management to deliver a stellar experience, complete with fascinating challenges and wonderful hospitality.
There are many ways to enjoy the spectacular golf courses in Florida, but even the most committed golf enthusiasts may struggle to observe the full scope of golf mastery throughout the state. To reveal the best of the best, we have highlighted several of the Sunshine State’s finest, detailing what makes these golf resorts special and why they are worth checking out.
Golf in Florida
Golf in Florida is strongly represented within the state’s culture, developed alongside the state’s robust tourist economy. Over the years, the pace of construction has picked up, with courses catering not only to local enthusiasts but also to destination golfers who clamor to visit the state’s renowned championship courses.
Diverse landscapes add to the appeal, ensuring that no two golf experiences are exactly alike. Every golf resort in Florida has something special to offer, and many provide a sophisticated and hospitable experience.
Importance of Florida in the Golfing World
Florida holds an esteemed status in the international golf community. The state’s importance is especially notable during the PGA Tour, when several prestigious events are held throughout Florida. What’s more, the LPGA is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida
Golf Courses in North Florida
As experts at Golf Digest explain, Florida does not represent just one state from a golfing perspective. It functions like several states rolled into one. The magazine points to the prominence of pineland up north and plentiful amounts of rolling wooded hills. Many golf courses and golf resorts in Florida shine across this northern region.
TPC Sawgrass – Ponte Vedra Beach
Home to the unofficial fifth Major championship on the PGA Tour, TPC Sawgrass has been one of the most enduring courses in America for more than four decades.
Each year, the greatest golfers in the world flock to TPC Sawgrass to compete for The PLAYERS Championship, and only the best can triumph over one of the most intimidating holes in golf. The par-3 17th hole features an island green that former PGA Tour veteran Mark Calcavecchia compared to getting a root canal.
Hammock Beach Resort – Palm Coast
Boasting six holes nestled directly against the Atlantic Ocean, the Jack Nicklaus Ocean Course at Hammock Beach Resort is an absolute stunner. Designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus, this course saves the most challenging stretch for the end, a four-hole gauntlet aptly nicknamed “The Bear Claw” after the Golden Bear himself.
Golf Courses in South Florida
Golf Digest’s description of South Florida highlights its unique transformation, referring to it as “reclaimed swampland with heavily engineered courses.” This impressive engineering has resulted in some truly fascinating courses, including many of championship caliber, making South Florida a notable destination for golf enthusiasts.
Trump National Doral Miami – Miami
The original Doral opened in 1962, and its Blue Monster course has long served as one of the top golf destinations in all of Florida. In 2014, the Blue Monster received a significant redesign at the hands of renowned architect Gil Hanse, making it more lush, scenic, and challenging than ever before.
This course provides an amazing opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the greatest talents in golf, with Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Ernie Els, and Tiger Woods all having captured championships at this unforgettable course.
PGA National Resort & Spa – Palm Beach Gardens
Another feather in the cap of golfing legend Jack Nicklaus, The Champion course at the PGA National Resort & Spa represents yet another example of The Golden Bear’s masterful design sensibilities. After his redesign work was completed in 2014, The Champion course became one of the toughest 18-hole challenges in America.
The 3-hole stretch known as The Bear Trap, which welcomes visitors on the 15th hole with a tall statue of a bear, has been known to ruin many a player’s entire round with its challenging collection of water hazards on each hole.
Golf Courses in Central Florida
Central Florida boasts a wide variety of golf courses that cater to all skill levels, offering beautiful landscapes and top-notch facilities. Golf enthusiasts can enjoy everything from challenging championship layouts to more relaxed, scenic rounds. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a casual player, Central Florida provides an exceptional golfing experience for everyone.
Streamsong Resort – Bowling Green
Unlike many Florida golf courses that lack elevation changes and steep bunkers, the Red and Blue Courses at Streamsong Resort in Bowling Green offer diverse environmental challenges. These courses provide golfers a unique and exciting experience, perfect for those who love conquering demanding terrains.
The Red Course boasts natural sand dunes, plentiful lakes, and a mammoth 540-yard, par-5 18th hole that’s sure to please big hitters. The Blue Course offers challenging greens packed with undulations, intimidatingly deep bunkers, and wide-open fairways, great for players who always seem to spend too much time in the woods searching for their ball.
Golf Courses Near Orlando, Florida
Orlando may be theme park central, but that’s not all that endears this area to tourists. Robust golfing opportunities are also available, attracting both novices and hardcore golfers.
Lake Nona Golf & Country Club – Orlando
Golf in Central Florida may not offer ocean views, but that doesn’t mean players can’t get their fill of lush fairways hugged tightly by water hazards and sandy bunkers.
Lake Nona’s championship golf course has played host to several professional events over the years, and as a golf community, has embraced legends like Annika Sörenstam and Nick Faldo.
Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge – Orlando
The Champion/Challenger Course at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge immediately gives golfers an idea of what type of course they’re up against, with the 1st and 2nd holes providing a fierce challenge for even the biggest hitters.
A 461-yard par-4 1st hole allows players to let it rip right from the start, and saving par can only be seen as a success. The 2nd hole offers little mercy, as a 231-yard par-3 confronts players who refuse to lay up and play it safe.
Shingle Creek Golf Club – Orlando
Shingle Creek Golf Club set out to differentiate itself from the ‘typical’ resort golf experience, having encouraged Thad Layton from the Arnold Palmer Design Company to revitalize the course. The result? An assortment of challenging fairways, tricky approach shots, and greens with plenty of undulation.
The Country Club of Orlando – Orlando
For more than 100 years, golfers have hacked away at The Country Club of Orlando. It wasn’t until recently that they got to experience the course at its finest. A 2017 renovation allowed The Country Club to compete against the rest of the Central Florida golf scene. Featuring wide open fairways dotted with plentiful sand traps, it’s a challenging yet fair course for players of most skill levels.
Sarasota Area Golf Courses
Picturesque courses bring natural beauty to the forefront in Sarasota, which is home to many historically significant courses. This region has a vibrant golfing community and appealing courses that often blend wonderfully with the natural landscape.
TPC Prestancia – Sarasota
The Stadium Course at TPC Prestancia found inspiration in the original PLAYERS Championship course, the previously mentioned TPC Sawgrass.
TPC Prestancia favors players with a lighter touch and adept short games, making it the perfect course for golfers who prefer to let their 7-iron do the heavy lifting. Prestancia is also home to the Players Course, a tribute to classic country club golf that, while familiar, still presents formidable challenges.
Laurel Oak Country Club – Sarasota
Gary Player has designed unforgettable courses on five continents. It should come as no surprise, then, that Laurel Oak’s Player Course has all the signature details one would expect from a course bearing his name.
Laurel Oak is also home to The Jones Course, which was renovated in 2005 by the master himself, Rees Jones. The 14th on the Jones Course is a par-3 with an easy green, provided players can keep their tee shot out of the water. Meanwhile, the 18th on the Player Course is a fun par-5 in which a birdie is attainable for most players.
Sara Bay Country Club – Sarasota
While most golf courses in Florida don’t offer much for tree cover, Sara Bay Country Club makes the most of its surroundings by incorporating plentiful amounts of pines and mossy oaks. Tee shots that go astray will need to be saved with adept ironwork, and
thankfully, Sara Bay’s lack of water hazards makes it easier to get back on track after one bad shot.
Golf Courses in the Naples Area
Beautiful and sophisticated, Naples showcases a stunning local landscape, with many top courses providing panoramic views of the coastline. Several ultra-exclusive clubs are found here, including some of Florida’s most prestigious destinations.
Calusa Pines Golf Club – Naples
Calusa Pines members are treated to a phenomenal course with a fascinating history. To create the elevation changes unique to Calusa Pines, and to golf in Florida in general, the design team spent a fortune on dynamite. This blasted enough holes into the Earth to get the intended layout just right. Privacy is a priority at Calusa Pines, with each hole completely secluded from the rest of the course. Outside distractions are kept to an absolute minimum.
Quail West Golf & Country Club – Naples
After playing a round at The Lakes Course at Quail West, some golfers may begin running short on balls and patience. Thankfully, the fairways on most holes are spacious enough that players with a modicum of skill should be able to keep their ball on land and out of the many water hazards. The intimate Preserve Course makes fine use of the environment to give players a serene yet challenging experience.
TwinEagles Golf Club – Naples
Jack is back, and he brought his son with him. The Talon course at TwinEagles was renovated in 2021 by Jack Nicklaus and his son Jack Nicklaus II. The par-5 3rd hole in particular is great fun, as it challenges players to go for the eagle, provided they can avoid the water on their second shot.
Tiburón Golf Club – Naples
Travelers in search of the ultimate golf trip simply must experience the Golf Course, designed by Greg Norman. The course starts long with a par-5 1st hole that’s 573 yards off the championship tees. Perhaps the most enjoyable challenge comes near the end on a par-5 17th. This features a green hug on the right side by deep bunkers that must be avoided at all costs.
The Quarry Golf Course – Naples
Another course that’s playable via membership or invitation, The Quarry has played host to several professional tournaments over the years. It’s certainly picturesque, and at 7316 yards off the Slate tees, it’s an imposing challenge for players looking to break in that new driver.
Golf Courses Near the Panhandle
The previously mentioned Golf Digest guide compares the Panhandle region to Alabama due to its rolling hills. Links-style courses dominate, although a variety of designs can be found in this region.
Camp Creek Golf Club – Panama City Beach
Nature lovers should definitely hit up Camp Creek Golf Club, which is a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary by the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System. With only a single hole under 200 yards off the Black tees, it’s a challenging course that provides a powerful reminder: there’s no shame in hitting off the forward tees.
Shark’s Tooth Golf Club – Panama City Beach
Another course designed by The Shark himself, this course is unique because Greg Norman’s signature style can be found on every hole. Mature trees abound at Shark’s Tooth, giving the course a distinct feel typically lacking with Florida’s links-style courses. What’s also appealing is that Shark’s Tooth is rarely busy, so those lucky enough to be a member or receive an invitation can expect a leisurely experience.
Regatta Bay Golf and Yacht Club – Destin
One of the most prestigious courses in northwest Florida, Regatta Bay is a shot-maker’s course, one that rewards patience and precision over pure power. The par-5 18th hole is a favorite of many. Those who can get it over the water on the second shot will find that an eagle is well within reach.
Learn more!
Want more tips? If you want to take your game to the next level, contact our team at Keiser University’s College of Golf & Sport Management today. With our dedication and experience, we can elevate your game to new heights together. Give us a call today at 888-355-4465.
