These are our Top 10 Golf Courses in Florida.
For 2022.
If you love to play golf, you already know that the sunshine state represents one of the best states to visit or live in which to practice and enjoy the game.
We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with our selections as we’ve looked at other courses that don’t traditionally rank up there with Jack Nicklaus or Greg Norman designs.
This was a tough exercise since there are so many great courses in Florida.
And, besides California it might just be the golfing capital of the world.
According to google there are over 1,100 golf courses in Florida.
It’s hard to narrow this many down to the top 10 courses in a state as large as Florida.
Especially a state that hosts so many PGA events and is known for one signature hole the world over.
The following courses are the best greens to select if you want to get the most out of game play.
Let’s count down the courses below.
10. The Ryder Golf Course at the PGA Golf Club in Port Saint Lucie
This public golf course was built in 1996, a course and village designed by architects Tom Fazio, Jan Bel Jan, Pete Dye, and Tom Marzolf.
The fairways are made up of Bermuda Grass while Tifdwarf Grass covers the greens.
You can play on the course year-round, which is easy to do given its many amenities.
Clubs and carts are available for rental and you can receive instruction if you are a newbie.
The course features a driving range, golf school academy, teaching pro, a pitching/chipping area, and a putting green.
The course sits inside PGA Village – one of the best resort locales for golfers in Florida. In fact, the publication Golf Digest rates PGA Village in Port Saint Lucie among the “75 Best Golf Resorts” in the world.
The PGA Golf Club features 54 holes of championship play. Three of the best golf courses beckon.
It’s easy to make reservations at 800-800-GOLF.
9. Slammer and Squire Golf Course at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida
At the World Golf Village, you’ll find 36 championship-level holes of golf. As a tribute to two World Golf Hall of Fame icons, Sam Snead and Gene Sarazen, Bobby Weed dubbed the course Slammer & Squire.
The course’s challenging par-3 holes and well conserved natural beauty have made it a local favorite.
A wildlife refuge and wetland preserve are located nearby while the course’s classic pattern winds through natural flatwoods and havens of hardwood trees.
The scenic Slammer & Squire Course features softly rolling fairways and sculpted greens.
You’ll love the tree lined fairways.
An abundance of marshes and lakes dot the grounds while Bermuda grass covers the fairways and greens of this 1998-built Florida golfing escape.
While you can visit the course year-round, its peak season runs from mid-February through May.
8. The Streamsong Resort and Red Course in Fort Meade, Florida
Located off Old Highway 37 in Fort Meade, this resort and golf course has been highly rated over the years.
Bermuda grass covers the fairways and grounds of the 2012 built course.
Professional golfer Ben Crenshaw and golf architect Bill Coore designed the course along with MacCurrach Golf.
The golf season runs year-round, and you can rent golf carts, push carts, and clubs when you visit the club.
So, if you get the random notion to play golf at the course, you don’t have to run back home or to your hotel to get the needed equipment.
However, if you are playing with a large group, remember that fivesomes are not allowed on the greens.
The resort features banquet facilities, meeting facilities, a clubhouse, and spa..
The resort and course have received plenty of accolades over the years, ranking high as a golf course and praised for its layout and amenities.
Golfer’s Advisor gave the course the #1 Golfer’s Choice award in 2019.
This sunshine state standout could easily host a PGA tour event.
It was ranked number 8 among top courses in 2020.
7. TPC Sawgrass at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach
TPC Sawgrass’s Players Stadium Course is definitely unique and challenging.
Depending on your taste it is often considered one of the best golf courses in Florida.
As a place to watch the action, it was built with both spectators and golfers in mind.
Golf enthusiasts may enjoy unobstructed views and no two holes on the layout are ever played in the same direction.
As a result, the course proves to be a challenge for even the most experienced player.
The course will test your entire golf game from demanding tee shots to fast green putting.
Each hole on the Stadium Course has a water hazard, traditional Scottish links-style bunkers, rolling terrain, deep bunkers, and sanded waste sites.
Oaks, pines, and palm trees and some wide fairways abound throughout the course.
In the game of golf, No. 17 stands out as one of the most well-known and fearsome holes, thanks to its precipitous island green.
The PGA tour comes here every year for the players championship and fans love watching the action on this signature hole.
The pros rack their brains over club selection and the fans wait in anticipation with each tee shot.
It is a true champion course and one of the best golf courses in the world for pure down the stretch excitement, signature hole and Pete Dye designs.
If you travel to Florida to play golf, it’s a must play.
And since it’s a public course you can play on the course, which was built in 1981, year-round.
A superb golfing experience and the best course for a golfing vacation to Florida.
6. Burnt Pine and Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Miramar Beach, Florida
Sandestin Resort’s Burnt Pine Golf Club is well regarded for the experience it offers golfers.
The Burnt Pine course was created by Rees Jones, who is widely considered as one of the best golf course architects in the world.
The Emerald Coast’s beautiful pine trees and marshes and the Choctawhatchee Bay provide spectacular vistas on both the front and back nines.
Rolling fairways and carefully placed bunkers define the layout’s difficulty.
There are 14 holes on the course where water comes into play.
The fairways are large, but the greens are fast and rolling.
Each hole on this golf course involves a different strategy, so it’s important to plan before you play.
In terms of Florida golf, Burnt Pine routinely rates as one of the finest golf courses.
5. Kelly Plantation Golf Club in Destin, Florida
Once a turpentine plantation, this semi-private golf course is now home to one of northwest Florida’s most ecologically responsible golfing destinations and one of its best courses.
It’s not one of the most difficult golf courses.
The golf course, sitting on the Choctawhatchee Bay’s shoreline, spans over grounds that feature tall trees and muddy bayous.
The course includes large contoured greens and wide, groomed fairways – all challenging and in superb shape.
The golf course is renowned for its breathtaking scenery and difficult play.
Golfers love to try their skills among sweeping vistas of the nearby bay and native magnolias and palmetto trees.
Kelly Plantation has been praised by magazines like Golf Digest and Golf Magazine for its beautiful scenery and lovely architectural design.
I’ve played this golf course and it’s tough!
It’s also a hidden gem among Florida courses.
Every one knows about Bay Hill, Tiburon Golf Club and the famous Copperhead course, but many overlook this tough course.
4. Southern Hills Plantation in Brooksville, Florida
The brainchild of golf architect Peter Dye, Southern Hills Plantation was built in 2006.
Its fairways comprise Bermuda Grass while the Tif-Dwarf Grass covers the greens.
The course features all the desired amenities, including rentals for carts and clubs, a driving range, golf academy, golf pro, pitching/chipping area, and putting green.
The site also boasts a fitness facility and patio dining.
Challenges include the course’s 22 bunkers, 21 rolling greens, and 23 changes in elevation.
3. Streamsong Resort – The Black Course in Fort Meade, Florida
This course can only be described as exceptionally challenging.
Built in 2017, the year-round course is the design of Gil Hanse and MacCurrach Golf.
Golfers have access to rental carts, pull carts, and clubs.
Caddies and a teaching pro are also available.
The course features a pitching/chipping area and putting greens.
A clubhouse, banquet facilities, meeting facilities, and spa are featured at the resort as well.
Golfers rate the course Excellent for value, layout, pace, conditions, and friendliness.
If you are a first-time player, take a caddie or yardage book with you to make things easier.
2. Lakewood National Golf Club in Lakewood Ranch, Florida
This top course was built in 2017. It is an inspired design of Arnold Palmer. The course offers a driving range, Lakewood National Golf School, and a teaching pro.
Golfers also have access to swimming and a fitness center.
It’s no surprise that Lakewood Ranch’s Lakewood National Golf Club is a popular destination for golfers of all abilities.
Playing Lakewood National Golf Club is a challenge, yet welcoming, thanks to its well-groomed fairways and greens.
The site is a great place to play golf with family and friends, whether you are a local or just visiting.
1. Riverwood Golf Club in Port Charlotte, Florida
Pine trees, lakes and natural preserves make this course one of the best golf courses in the U.S. and number one in Florida. (The course was ranked 15th in the United States and #1 in Florida by Golf Advisor in 2021).
With its individual fairways and five tees, Riverwood’s par-72 championship golf course provides a demanding, yet fair, game of golf.
Designed by Gene Bates, this course has a top-notch golf and practice learning facility, along with an expansive green and chipping area.
The Riverwood Golf Club is the ideal venue for a game of golf with friends, family, or business associates.
Teaching experts from the PGA can help bring out the best in your game.
Phone (941) 764-6661 to reserve tee times five days in advance, book lessons or groups, ask about golf, vacation packages, or check on special events or membership information.
Bonus: Panther Lake at Orange County National Park
Pantherlake is one of Florida’s most popular golf courses, offering a variety of challenges for all levels of players.
It’s also deserves to be in the Top 10 golf courses in Florida, in some manner.
The course, which hosts the PGA Tour’s final qualifying match, is capable of testing the best players while also being accessible to the handicapped.
Rolling undulations and large elevation changes are among the course’s most noticeable features, providing players with stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
We give this course a 5 star rating and recommend it for golfers of all handicaps.
Extra Bonus Top 10 golf course: Watson Course at Reunion Resort
The Tom Watson golf course at Reunion Resort is a the perfect example of a course for all players..
It’s an overlooked course but is still one of the best golf courses in Florida.
The course was designed to see every shot in the bag and the unique layout provides a challenge on every hole.
The courses are in pristine condition with gorgeous and rolling fairways lined with wispy but tough rough, which gives them that rugged links feel.
You know Tom Watson loves the British Open so he’d feel right at home here.
Class of its own: Bay Hill
Arnold Palmer declared this one of the best courses in the world in 1965 and in 1974 it rightfully assumed its place as “the #1 course in Florida” in 1974.
It’s home to the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a PGA tour event won by Tiger Woods almost a dozen times.
Everyone can play this fun but challenging layout.
It deserves its own special class in the Top 10 Golf Courses in Florida.
Arnie would be proud that it has stood the test of time.
The golf course itself runs alongside Butler Lakes and weaves its way through towering peaks, creating an incredible environment for playing golf.
After an unforgettable game, the clubhouse offers a wonderful place to relax with beautiful scenery.
Play a round of golf here and channel your inner Arnold Palmer.
Final Thoughts
Thank you for making it this far.
Think we got it right?
We hope you enjoyed reading about the Top 10 Golf Courses In Florida
There are hundreds of great golf courses in Florida.
These are our best courses.
Are there golf courses we left off the list?
What Florida golf courses should we consider next year?
PGA National? Trump National in Doral and the blue monster? Copperhead in Tampa? These are just three courses we know we might have over looked this year.
What about Donald Ross designs? Or the Bear’s club?
Please let us know in the comments below.
Photo by: Jmoral12345, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
