Florida is one of the most golf-rich states in America, with more courses per capita than almost anywhere else in the country. From the championship layouts of the Panhandle to the lush resort courses of Central Florida and the oceanside gems along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, the Sunshine State offers an extraordinary range of golfing experiences. Whether you’re planning a buddies’ trip, a couples’ getaway, or just looking for your next great round, this guide covers the courses and regions that deserve a spot on your Florida golf itinerary.
We’ve organized this guide by region so you can plan efficiently based on where you’re staying. If you’re also considering other golf destinations, our guide to the best golf courses in Texas offers another outstanding warm-weather option. But for sheer density of quality courses and year-round playability, Florida is tough to beat.
South Florida: Palm Beach, Miami, and the Keys
South Florida’s golf scene revolves around Palm Beach County, which packs more high-end golf into one area than almost any other destination in the world. The crown jewel for public access is PGA National Resort, home to five courses including the Champion Course — host of the Cognizant Classic on the PGA Tour. The Champion’s Bear Trap (holes 15 through 17) is one of the most feared closing stretches in professional golf, and playing it yourself gives you a genuine appreciation for what tour players face each year.
Nearby, Trump National Doral in Miami features the Blue Monster course, redesigned by Gil Hanse and completely reimagined from its original Dick Wilson layout. The course features dramatic bunkering, challenging water carries, and immaculate conditioning year-round. For a more relaxed but equally beautiful experience, Crandon Golf at Key Biscayne sits on a barrier island with Biscayne Bay views from nearly every hole. It’s one of the most scenic public courses in the state and a genuine hidden gem that many visitors overlook.
Further south, the Florida Keys aren’t known as a golf destination, but Key West Golf Club offers a quirky, enjoyable 18 holes with tropical vegetation, iguanas on the fairways, and ocean breezes that make club selection an adventure. It’s not a championship test, but it’s an experience you won’t find anywhere else.
Central Florida: Orlando and the I-4 Corridor
Central Florida’s concentration of resort golf makes it one of the most accessible golf destinations for visiting players. The Orlando area alone has more than 150 courses, and many of them are genuinely excellent — not just tourist-oriented filler.
Streamsong Resort in Bowling Green (about 90 minutes south of Orlando) has emerged as arguably the finest golf destination in Florida since it opened in 2012. Its three courses — Red (designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw), Blue (Tom Doak), and Black (Gil Hanse) — are all ranked among the top public courses in the country. Built on a former phosphate mining site, the landscape is unlike anything else in Florida: rolling sand hills, native grasses, and dramatic elevation changes that feel more like the Sand Hills of Nebraska than the Sunshine State. If you can only play one golf destination in Florida, make it Streamsong.
Closer to Orlando, Reunion Resort offers three courses designed by Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Tom Watson. The Palmer Course is the most playable for mid-handicappers, while the Watson Course provides a stern links-style test. For pure value, Orange County National’s two courses (Panther Lake and Crooked Cat) consistently rank among the best public options in the Orlando metro area, with generous fairways and excellent conditioning at reasonable green fees.
Southwest Florida: Naples, Fort Myers, and Sarasota
The Gulf Coast corridor from Sarasota south through Naples is Florida’s quieter golf coast — less flashy than the Atlantic side but home to some of the state’s most enjoyable and well-maintained courses. Naples in particular has an extraordinarily high density of private clubs, but there are excellent public and resort options too.
Tiburón Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Naples features two Greg Norman-designed courses (Gold and Black), with the Gold Course hosting the PGA Tour’s QBE Shootout each December. The layout is characteristic Norman: wide fairways, creative bunkering, and strategic risk-reward options. Conditioning is predictably superb given the Ritz-Carlton affiliation.
In Fort Myers, Raptor Bay Golf Club and Old Corkscrew Golf Club represent two very different but equally worthwhile experiences. Raptor Bay is a Raymond Floyd design that winds through a nature preserve, with wildlife sightings almost guaranteed. Old Corkscrew, a Jack Nicklaus Signature design, is more demanding — a genuine test of golf with significant length and strategic bunkering. Further north, The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton hosted the 2021 WGC-Workday Championship and offers an exclusive but accessible-by-arrangement experience for serious golfers.
Northeast Florida: Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Ponte Vedra
Northeast Florida is where you’ll find some of the state’s most iconic golf. TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach — home of The Players Championship — needs no introduction. The Stadium Course’s island green 17th hole is the most photographed par-3 in golf. What’s less well known is that the Dye’s Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass is a superb layout in its own right, often available at lower green fees and with a more relaxed pace of play.
World Golf Village in St. Augustine offers two strong public courses: the King & Bear (a co-design by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, the only course they ever designed together) and the Slammer & Squire (Bobby Weed with consultation from Sam Snead and Gene Sarazen). The King & Bear is the better layout, with dramatic bunkering and well-designed par-5s that reward strategic play — a great course to practice the course management strategies we’ve covered elsewhere.
For a links-style experience, Amelia Island’s Ocean Links and Long Point courses offer ocean breezes and firm, fast conditions that feel distinctly different from the typical Florida resort experience. The Omni Amelia Island resort provides comfortable accommodations and a quieter atmosphere than the Orlando mega-resorts.
The Panhandle: Destin, Pensacola, and the Emerald Coast
Florida’s Panhandle is an underrated golf destination that combines excellent courses with stunning white-sand beaches and significantly lower prices than South or Central Florida. The region’s gem is Camp Creek Golf Club in Panama City Beach, a Tom Fazio design that consistently ranks among the top courses in the state. The course flows through pine forests and wetlands with dramatic elevation changes (unusual for Florida) and immaculate conditioning.
Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin offers four courses, with the Raven Golf Club standing out as the most challenging and rewarding. The Links Course provides a coastal experience with open, windswept holes. Further west, Perdido Bay Golf Club in Pensacola sits along the Alabama border and offers excellent value with a layout that hosts the Korn Ferry Tour.
The Panhandle is also home to several excellent military-affiliated courses that are open to the public, including courses at Eglin Air Force Base and Naval Air Station Pensacola. These often provide outstanding conditioning and value for golfers willing to go slightly off the beaten path.
Planning Your Florida Golf Trip
Timing matters in Florida. The peak season runs from November through April, when northern snowbirds descend and green fees reach their highest. If you’re flexible, the shoulder seasons — October and May — offer excellent weather with significantly lower prices and easier tee times. Summer is the cheapest time to play, but afternoon thunderstorms are almost guaranteed from June through September, so book morning tee times and expect to finish by early afternoon.
For the best value, consider stay-and-play packages at resort courses. Properties like Streamsong, PGA National, Reunion, and Sandestin all offer bundled rates that include accommodations and multiple rounds. These packages are almost always cheaper than booking lodging and tee times separately, and they often include priority booking and range access.
Don’t underestimate the distances between Florida’s golf regions. Driving from Jacksonville to Naples takes more than five hours, and from Pensacola to Miami is nearly ten hours. Build your trip around one or two regions rather than trying to cover the entire state. A focused three or four-night trip to one area will be far more enjoyable than rushing between courses across the peninsula.
Preparing Your Game for Florida Conditions
Florida golf presents some unique challenges that differ from what you might encounter elsewhere. Bermuda grass greens, common on most Florida courses, putt differently than the bentgrass you may be accustomed to up north — they’re grainier, and putts with the grain roll noticeably faster than putts against it. Look for the sheen on the green to read the grain: shiny means you’re putting with it, matte means against. Getting your pre-shot routine dialed in before your trip helps you stay focused despite unfamiliar conditions.
Wind is a constant factor, especially on coastal courses. Club selection changes dramatically when playing into or downwind from a steady 15 to 20 mph breeze. Practice hitting knockdown shots and low punches before your trip. The heat and humidity also affect ball flight — warm, humid air is actually less dense than cool, dry air, so the ball travels slightly farther in Florida conditions. Adjust your distances accordingly, and don’t forget to fuel and hydrate properly during your rounds to maintain performance in the heat.
Florida is a golf paradise with something for every level of player and every budget. Whether you’re chasing bucket-list courses like TPC Sawgrass and Streamsong or hunting for affordable gems along the Gulf Coast, the Sunshine State delivers. Pack your sunscreen, bring an extra glove for the humidity, and enjoy some of the best golf the United States has to offer.
