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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.
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.
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 Deer Run at Sun 'n Lake Golf & Country Club in Sebring, FL is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1976. Designed by Don Dyer, Deer Run at Sun 'n Lake Golf & Country Club measures 7002 yards from the longest tees.
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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 18-hole Bent Creek Golf Course in Jacksonville, FL is a public golf course that opened in 1989. Designed by Bobby Weed, Bent Creek Golf Course measures 6420 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 136 and a 71.
The Golf Club at South Hampton is considered one of the best values in the area. Unlike many other courses in northeastern Florida, there is actually some movement in the landscape, which was fully utilized in the design.
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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.
The 18-hole Saints At Port St Lucie in Port Saint Lucie, FL is a public golf course that opened in 1961. Saints At Port St Lucie measures 6478 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 120 and a 71 USGA rating.
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.
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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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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.
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.
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.
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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 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.
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 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.
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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.
The Golf Club at South Hampton is considered one of the best values in the area. Unlike many other courses in northeastern Florida, there is actually some movement in the landscape, which was fully utilized in the design.
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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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.
The 18-hole Barefoot Bay Golf Course in Barefoot Bay, FL is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1972. Designed by Joe Lee, Barefoot Bay Golf Course measures 3689 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 104 and a 59.
The 18-hole River/Dolphin at Cocoa Beach Country Club in Cocoa Beach, FL is a public golf course that opened in 1968. River/Dolphin at Cocoa Beach Country Club measures 6363 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 131 and a 70.
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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.
Opened in 1990, this area favorite is a championship layout designed by Clifton, Ezell & Clifton around century-old oak trees, lush vegetation, and abundant wildlife. This lakeside gem borders East Lake Toho and features water on 16 holes, undulating fairways, and quick, true greens (tiftdwarf grass).
Orlando's Waldorf Astoria Golf Club is an outstanding 7,100-plus-yard Rees Jones and Steve Weisser design that meanders through a scenic central Florida wetland preserve; ancient cypress trees and stands of pines line the fairways. The golf course features five sets of tees to accommodate everyone from scratch golfers to high-handicap players
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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.
The Eagles Golf Club is one of the most popular public golf facilities in the Tampa area. The club offers two championship courses, the Lakes and the Forest, that each provides a different experience. The Forest Course is the shorter of the two at 6,719 yards, but it's no less challenging.
The Saddlebrook Course is one of two Arnold Palmer championship designs at Saddlebrook Resort, located about 30 minutes north of Tampa. The 18-hole, par-70 layout is tighter and flatter than its sister course, the Palmer, so hitting it straight off the tee is key.
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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.
After carving the masterpiece called The Links Course, Tom Jackson returned to Sandestin to develop the course we call Baytowne. As Jackson himself says, "Each hole has a personality all its own." And that's what makes this course so special.
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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.
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.
The 18-hole Palmetto-Pine Country Club in Cape Coral, FL is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1970. Designed by Arthur Hills, Palmetto-Pine Country Club measures 6590 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 124 and a 71.
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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.
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.
Flamingo Lakes Golf & Country Club in Pembroke Pines is a Broward County favorite. The par-71 course is challenging but at the same time player friendly enough to appeal to a range of skill levels. The course has a hilly terrain, a unique feature for Florida golf courses, that provide a variety of different lies.
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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.
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.
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.
The Club at Venetian Bay is part of a unique residential community with a Mediterranean theme. Colorful buildings, mosaics, and Mediterranean vegetation surround the championship golf course. The biggest challenge for the designers was transforming what was formerly a cow pasture into a lush, challenging course.
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
