Golfing in Florida
A golf vacation in Florida also can be a family vacation.
With the Sunshine State’s 1,400-plus public golf courses — more than any other state — there are abundant opportunities.
Dozens of Florida resorts offer stay-and-play packages that include myriad activities for children and wellness offerings for adults.
And this is Florida. You’re never far from a beach and a body of water. It’s the theme park capital of the world.
Golf is a Florida vacation perk available every day of the year.
Play where the pros play
Starting with Annika Sorenstam, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods, dozens of the greatest women and men professional golfers call Florida home.The three major tours — PGA, LPGA, and PGA TOUR Champions — play 12 tournaments annually at Florida golf courses:
PGA
LPGA
PGA Tour Champions
The courses with an asterisk are open to the public, though some may require a minimum overnight stay.
Publications such as Golf Digest, GOLF magazine, and Golfweek regularly rank Florida public courses among the best in America.
Streamsong’s three courses, in the central Florida countryside, are nationally recognized for their marriage of natural landscape and world-class golf.
Cabot Citrus Farms, the reinvention of the World Woods site, was one of the most highly course openings in 2024.
TPC Sawgrass’ Stadium Course is arguably as renowned as the Players, the “fifth major” tournament that Sawgrass hosts every spring.
Trump National Doral - Blue Monster has hosted a professional tournament for 50-plus years.
The Champion at PGA National Resort and Spa includes the “Bear Trap,” a three-hole stretch of closing holes designed by Nicklaus. Each hole features a knee-knocking water carry. A plaque lets golfers know the stakes: “It should be won or lost right here.”
The Champion/Challenger at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge, one of more than 50 publicly accessible courses around Orlando, is a stay-and-play destination for avid golfers.
No. 17, TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course
During the Players Championship, an amphitheater around the island green at the par-3, 137-yard 17th hole contains an estimated 10,000 spectators hoping equally for a moment that is “better than most” or a title chance that drowns in the pond.
No. 9, Streamsong Black
A windmill is the target for approach shots on this par 4 because the green is a punchbowl and the flag is hidden from view.
No. 3, Cabot Citrus Farms - Karoo Course
From the middle tee, this beast is 224 yards, another 70 yards from the back tees if you dare. A slope on the right may provide a favorable kick to the green.
No. 18, Trump National Doral - Blue Monster
Whether you are hitting from the short tees (336 yards) or the tips (473 yards), at some point you will have to navigate the pond that guards the green.
No. 18, Innisbrook Copperhead
“Copperhead” is the last of a three-hole stretch called the “Snake Pit,” one of the most difficult finishes on the PGA TOUR. This par 4, which plays from 328 to 443 yards, requires an uphill approach to a partially hidden green guarded in front by sand.
No. 14, Sandestin Golf and Resort - Burnt Pine
Marshes, wetlands, and pines, oh my. This is a hit-and-hope, 200-yard shot over wetlands with Choctawhatchee Bay and the breeze in the background.
The Park West Palm sounds like a neighborhood block party. A group of local citizens led by the CEO of PGA of America reimagined the abandoned West Palm Beach municipal course as a gathering place for young and old from all backgrounds. They call it Open golf.
There are family movie nights and after-school programs and, yes, great golf.
The new 18 features double-wide fairways. The par-3 Lit 9 is free for children under 12 and playable under lights at night. There is an 18-hole putting course and a two-acre “kids-only” golf area.
Oceanfront golf
At the Nicklaus Ocean Course at Hammock Beach, six holes play alongside the Atlantic Ocean. The view on No. 9 is serene, but then you have to hit a golf ball in breezes that can be merciless.
The Palm Beach Par 3 is a precious gem between A1A, Florida’s famous beach drive, and the ocean. Open since 1961, the Par 3’s 18 holes range from 81 to 211 yards. The 2-story Key West-style clubhouse features a pro shop on the first floor and an al fresco restaurant and bar on the second level. Enjoy the view.
Okay, Crandon Golf at Key Biscayne is actually on Biscayne Bay, but the ocean is right there. Ten minutes from downtown Miami, Crandon Golf “is an explosion of color and light surrounded by water, mangroves and lush, tropical foliage,” according to the course website.
In tune with nature
Grande Lakes Orlando’s 18-hole championship course, designed by Greg Norman, “is a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary and tests the abilities of every skill level. The Orlando hotel golf club also features a clubhouse, restaurant, and lessons for both children and adults.”
Old Corkscrew, a Nicklaus design, “is routed through the natural landscape of Southwest Florida (no homes!), serving as a habitat for dozens of exotic animals,” said Golf Digest. A half-hour from Naples to the south and from Fort Myers to the north, “Old Corkscrew's absence of homes and tranquil setting make it unique in Southwest Florida—and well worth the drive.”
Historic Golf Trail
The Florida Historic Golf Trail features more than 50 publicly accessible golf courses — from Pensacola to Miami Beach — that golfers can still play on today.
The Biltmore, the national historic landmark in Coral Gables, includes the 18-hole course that was designed by Donald Ross in 1925.
During the days of segregation, Rogers Park was the only picnic area for the Black community in Tampa. Mayor Curtis Hixon gave permission to a group of caddies to build a 9-hole golf course. The first Head Golf Professional, Willie Black, and his group of volunteers executed all tree removal and course shaping by hand. In 1952, the Rogers Park Golf Club was born.
Stay and play in Florida
More than 50 Florida resorts offer visitors the opportunity to play multiple championship golf courses — often at the same site — while enjoying the amenities of a resort vacation.
In northwest Florida, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort guests will have their pick of four golf courses and tennis, fishing, and boating plus the white-quartz beaches of Walton County.
In northeast Florida, the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club looks out on the Atlantic Ocean. The smorgasbord of amenities includes: luxury spa offering over 100 services, 36 holes of golf, 15 clay tennis courts, 10 dining establishments, oceanfront fitness center, four heated swimming pools, children’s playground and nursery, and beach rentals with kayaks, paddle-boards, and beach bicycle cruisers.
On the southwest Gulf coast, guests at the Ritz-Carlton Naples - Tiburón can play at Tiburón’s nationally recognized Gold and Black courses and enjoy family time. The resort offers bicycle tours and organized nature walks. The Reservoir water park features a winding river, water slides and private cabanas.
In central Florida, the PGA TOUR package at Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate includes one round of golf at either the National or International courses per registered guest, per day and unlimited use of Eagles Edge driving range; $100 resort credit per room, per stay; and PGA TOUR-branded hat and golf balls. The on-site activities includes miniature golf, swimming pools, and an arcade for the children, a sushi rolling class and spa pampering for the adults.
The 18th hole at Hawks Landing at the Orlando World Center Marriott is a par-3 finish to an island green. After golf, join the family in a multi-person tube and navigate three slides at River Falls water park.
If you love golf, Florida has a vacation for you.
Start at some of the destinations that have multiple courses. We’ve mentioned several above; here are some others:
