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Set in the north central part of the state, Ocala attracts visitors with its Old Florida charm and a laid-back lifestyle dominated by horse farms, tree-laden golf courses, an historic downtown and easy access to the Ocala National Forest, Appleton Museum of Art and Silver Springs theme park.
The 18-hole Spruce Creek Preserve Golf Club in Dunnellon, FL is a public golf course that opened in 1997. Spruce Creek Preserve Golf Club measures 6540 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 131 and a 70.9 USGA rating.
The 18-hole Ocala National at Golden Hills Country Club is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1964. Designed by Charles Pace and Lee Popple -- and later redesigned by Rees Jones -- Ocala National measures 7,364 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 134 and a 75 USGA rating.
Candler Hills Golf Club in Ocala was designed by Florida native Gordon G. Lewis. In a state that has no shortage of golf courses, Candler Hills manages to stand out. The layout offers plenty of length at 7,233 yards from the back tees.
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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.
A vintage TPC golf course with dramatic finishing holes and loads of stadium mounding. Designer Bobby Weed routed the 6,898-yard par 71 course through the wetlands and cypress trees north of the city. TPC Tampa Bay is an Audubon certified cooperative sanctuary courses.
Located just north of Tampa, the Links of Lake Bernadette sprawls across rolling hills sprinkled with stands of mature pines. Since opening in 1983, the golf course has garnered a popular following, receiving acclaim from Golf Digest as the "Best Overall Value" in Tampa Bay.
Located just north of Tampa, the Groves Golf & Country Club in Land O' Lakes is the centerpiece of an environmentally sensitive residential community. The layout has the characteristics of a championship golf course but conveniently, it can be played in four hours or less. Groves Golf & Country Club's affordable rates make it doubly appealing no matter what skill level you are.
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When it's time for a reprieve from the tourist hordes at central Florida's theme parks, Lakeland and Sebring offer a slower pace, excellent golf possibilities and fun off-course activities. Many picturesque lakes serve as natural buffers from development, giving Lakeland the laid-back feel of a much smaller city. Sebring attracts visitors with its Old Florida downtown historic district, golf courses and Sebring International Raceway.
Lake Wales Country Club boasts a classic Donald Ross design that players of all skill level will enjoy. Built in the 1920s, the golf course has a different look and feel than most modern courses.
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.
There are two championship golf courses available at Highland Ridge, an upscale residential community that is one of central Florida's most popular golfing destinations. Both courses enjoy a beautiful tropical setting situated next to a nature conservancy and a 260-acre freshwater lake. Highlands Ridge's North Course is known for its excellent conditions and the more challenging South Course is one of the heartland's toughest layouts. The South was even voted the area's best golf course in 2012.
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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.
Madison Green Country Club is home of the Florida State and U.S. Amateur Championship Qualifiers. The course is ranked as one of the top 20 golf courses in Florida. It's one of the most challenging rounds you'll find in Palm Beach County and also one of the most affordable. There is no shortage of water on this golf course and you'll also find waste bunkers fiercely guarding the fairways and greens.
The 18-hole Osprey Creek Course at Martin Downs Country Club (formerly known as Tower Course at Martin Downs Country Club) in Palm City, FL is a public golf course that opened in 1982.
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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.
Hibiscus Golf Club is one of the few 18-hole courses in Naples that are open to the public. The course is player enough for beginners and while it may not be what you're looking for if you're in search of a formidable test, it's good for some casual practice for the more advanced player.
Saltleaf Golf Preserve (formerly konwn as Raptor Bay Golf Club) in Bonita Springs has the distinction of being the first resort course to receive Audubon International's Gold Signature Certification. The course sprawls across more than 200 acres of pristine wetlands and nature preserves.
Lakewood Country Club of Naples sprawls across 52 lush acres that is home to an abundance of wildlife, including several different bird species. Located just outside of downtown Naples, Marco Island is just a few minutes away. The golf course snakes around four freshwater lakes, the sparkling waters contrasting beautifully with the native trees and shrubs that border the fairways and greens.
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The Bradenton-Sarasota region of Florida fits the definition of overlooked and underrated by both tourists and golfers alike.
The 18-hole 1/2 at University Park Country Club in University Park, FL is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1991. Designed by Ron Garl, 1/2 at University Park Country Club measures 7001 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 134 and a 74.
The Highlands golf course is one of three courses owned and operated by Meadows Country Club. In addition to the Highlands and Meadows Courses, there is also the Arthur Hills-designed Groves Course, an 18-hole executive course.
The 18-hole Heritage Harbour Golf Club (formerly known as Stoneybrook Golf Club) in Bradenton, FL is a public golf course that opened in 2002. Heritage Harbour 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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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.
Omni Amelia Island Resort is known for the abundance of moss-draped heritage oaks that provide the perfect setting for the two championship golf courses. The appropriately named Oak Marsh Course winds through salt marsh creeks and dense oak forests.
The Amelia River 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.
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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.
The 18-hole Turtle Creek Golf Club in Rockledge, FL is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1971. Designed by Robert Renaud, Turtle Creek Golf Club measures 6709 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 130 and a 70.
Aquarina Country Club sits at the halfway point between Melbourne Beach and Vero Beach with the Atlantic Ocean bordering it on one side and the Indian Ocean on the other. The layout is also routed around eleven different lakes that come into play frequently throughout the course. Accuracy will be rewarded at Aquarina Country Club, but it's not an overly punishing golf course overall.
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.
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Jacksonville isn't the biggest city in the southeast, but don't tell its golf that. Home to the World Golf Village, the TPC at Sawgrass and more than 60 more courses, the First Coast is a top choice for golf in Florida.
The Amelia River 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.
Omni Amelia Island Resort is known for the abundance of moss-draped heritage oaks that provide the perfect setting for the two championship golf courses. The appropriately named Oak Marsh Course winds through salt marsh creeks and dense oak forests.
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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.
Shingle Creek Golf Club lies along historic Shingle Creek in Orlando - the headwaters to the Florida Everglades. This par-72 David Harmon-designed course is not only near the happenings of International Drive, it's also offers easy access from Orlando International Airport with what seems like its own exit off the Beeline (Toll Road 528) at Universal.
At Twin Rivers Golf Club experience a course that combines the natural beauty of Florida with a consistent test of shot-making abilities. Nestled between two rivers this golf club offers eighteen unique and challenging holes surrounded by environmentally protected areas.
Eagle Creek is a British style course, from the bunkers to the chipping areas. It is a new 18-hole 7,198 yard-Par73 championship Orlando golf course and is located minutes from Orlando International Airport, near Lake Nona.
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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.
Opened in 1925, Biltmore Golf Course has a traditional layout designed by Donald Ross. The course has a timelessly challenging design that has made it one of Miami's most favored layouts.
The 18-hole Silver Fox Course (formerly known as Jim McLean Signature Course) at Trump National Doral Miami, FL is a resort golf course that opened in 1986. Designed by Bruce Devlin, Jerry Pate and Robert von Hagge, Silver Fox at Trump National Doral Miami measures 7006 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 148 and a 74.
Orangebrook Country Club originally opened as an 18-hole course in 1933, making it one of the oldest clubs in Hollywood. An additional 18 holes were added in 1959. The two courses, the East and West, offer traditional Florida links golf at an affordable price.
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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 an 18-hole championship course believed by many to be one of northwest Florida's very best.
The 18-hole Indian Bayou Golf Club in Destin, FL is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1978. Designed by Earl Stone, Indian Bayou Golf Club measures 7078 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 132 and a 74.
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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 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.
The 18-hole Capital City Country Club in Tallahassee, FL is a private golf course that opened in 1924. Designed by A. W. Tillinghast, Capital City Country Club measures 6502 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 131 and a 71.
The 18-hole Golf Club of Quincy (previously known as Gadsden Country Club) in Quincy, FL is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1968. Golf Club of Quincy measures 7045 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 140 and a 74.
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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.
Indian River Preserve 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.
Victoria Hills Golf Club located in Deland has jaw-dropping beauty. Golfers will appreciate Roland Garl's vigorous bunkering, which oscillates between the expansive and the intricate, depending on the hole. An array of pot bunkers, waste bunkers, native wetlands, water sprays, bunkers integrated within a natural setting, and elevation changes rarely seen on a Florida golf course await you.
Palm Harbor's narrow, bending fairways are lined with towering palms, oaks and pines. Combine this with elevated greens and you have a course that demands accurate shots. The creativity in the design is the use of large bunkers.
Bonita National Golf & C.C. near Naples, Florida: Great value and coveted lifestyle
Cypress Head G.C. near Daytona Beach: Muni golf that feels like a private club
