The 12 Best Golf Courses in Florida

Drenched in sunshine and beautiful weather almost year-round, Florida is the unsurprising golf capital of America. According to VISIT FLORIDA — the state’s official tourism marketing company — the Sunshine State has more than 1,400 public courses and hundreds more private courses. With more golf courses than any state or country not named Canada, the U.K., or Japan, you’re spoiled for choice. Florida truly is a one-of-a-kind golf destination.

Whether you’re golfing in Florida for the first time or the umpteenth time, the only issue you may have is deciding where to go. We’ve decided to do a bit of the work for you. From island greens to ocean views, the best golf courses in Florida are sure to test your skills and give you the golf experience of a lifetime.

The 12 Best Golf Courses in Florida To Catch Some Sun (and Hopefully Not the Sand)

One of the greatest aspects of golfing in Florida is that there’s a course for all types of golfers. Price, difficulty, and scenery vary widely, allowing you to soak up the sun in just about every town from Miami to Jacksonville.

If you’re ready to smash drives onto the open fairway, navigate bunkers and water hazards, or rub elbows with the social elite in the clubhouse, the best golf courses in Florida should oblige you.

1. Streamsong Resort

Streamsong is a bit of an outlier among Florida courses. Situated about an hour east of Tampa and an hour and a half south of Orlando, Streamsong doesn’t have pristine ocean views afforded to many of the other clubs on this list. But it does have undulating fairways, indigenous terrain, imposing sand dunes, and natural beauty that make it completely unique. Plus, it’s a public course, so no need to bribe the valet guy.

Consistently rated among the best golf resorts in the world, Streamsong has four Gil Hanse-designed courses (Red, Blue, Black, and Chain) and a 228-room hotel, providing everything you need for a dream golf getaway. Flat yet contoured and difficult yet fun, the four courses here are easily walkable — unless you decide to hit your ball into the drink.

2. Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach

Built on premium real estate in West Palm Beach, Trump International Golf Club is a private course frequented by some of the country's most powerful people. The $350,000 membership fee is only half the story; these people know what great golf courses look like.

Designed by famous designer Tom Fazio’s brother Jim, the undertaking of the Championship Course alone was enough to turn heads. During construction, Fazio moved more than 2 million cubic yards of dirt, created 58-foot elevation changes, and connected lakes with circulating streams — all tied together by a massive waterfall on the 17th hole.

3. TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course

The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach is steeped in lore and difficulty. Home to the PGA Tour’s Players Championship, this is one of the best courses in Florida on reputation alone. The Pete Dye-designed course is easily one of the most popular public courses in the state. He created his signature trademarks, including small greens and railroad tie-lined bunkers.

The course's gem is the “Island Green” on the 17th, often considered one of the most famous and difficult holes in golf. Completely surrounded by water save a narrow strip to walk onto the green, this 137-yard hole isn’t for the faint of heart. The course alleges that over 100,000 balls are removed from the water annually. Read the wind, practice your wedge drive in the tee box, and pray.

Oh, and good luck booking a tee time. You’ll want to do it months in advance, but be prepared to plunk down $700 in green fees for the privilege.

4. Tiburon Golf Club

Located on the grounds of the Ritz-Carlton in North Naples, this golf club is home to both PGA and LPGA tour events that challenge even the most talented male and female golfers. The course plays a long 7,200 yards, which can feel like an arduous journey on foot, but the golf is well worth the effort.

Green fees are around $300, but the Ritz-Carlton and accompanying award-winning country club give Tiburon its rightful place among the best golf courses in Florida.

5. Trump National Doral

If you’re heading down to South Beach, you may as well stop off at Trump National Doral in Miami. Nicknamed the Blue Monster for its having water hazards on every hole, Doral is also heavily bunkered, demanding steady and accurate approach shots.

Interestingly, Doral is a public golf course, giving you the opportunity to head to the club without knowing the creme de la creme of South Florida. Heck, you may even find yourself at the precipice of membership — but only if you can navigate the greens and routinely find yourself in line for birdies.

6. Pablo Creek Club

Built among the swamps and wetlands near Jacksonville, Pablo Creek Golf Club is a golf-only club that combines native terrain and flora with elevated greens to tickle your senses — including the one for competitive golfing.

Designed by Tom Fazio, this course is routinely ranked among the best public courses in the country, not just in Florida. Though green fees are a bit hefty at $150, Pablo Creek is one of the best-kept secrets in the state, allowing you to leisurely play through 6,600 yards of par-72 insanity.

7. Innisbrook

The private Copperhead Course at Innisbrook in Palm Harbor is among the most daunting on the PGA Tour, challenging players to navigate tight, tree-lined fairways en route to undulating, fast greens. But what makes this one of the best courses in Florida is the difficulty of its final three holes.

Known as the Snake Pit, the 16th (Moccasin), 17th (Rattler), and 18th (Copperhead) holes are all about playing the angles, testing players at every turn.

8. Jupiter Dunes

Not every golfer has the ability, patience, time, or will to play 18 holes. For those individuals, Jupiter Dunes will suffice. Situated near the ocean in the eponymously named town, Jupiter Dunes is a top-rated par-3 golf course that provides surprises and challenges with the need for only a handful of clubs.

Designed to emulate your second shot on a regular golf course, this club is authentically Florida. It’s simple, fun, and bent on helping you relax and unwind. Plus, par-3s are notoriously awesome for putting down a few wagers.

9. Bay Hill Club

The Tiger Woods-owned Bay Hill Club is among the best golf courses in Florida but for completely unique reasons. This Orlando-based course is surprisingly hilly — something that’s almost nonexistent throughout the Sunshine State. With undulating hills, you have more unpredictable lies and rolls on your approach shot, mimicking courses more popular in places like North Carolina or Georgia.

Though privately owned, you can always hop on the course by staying at the resort as a guest. Otherwise, you need an invitation from a member.

10. The Gasparilla Inn and Club

Florida is all about island golfing, and that’s just what you’ll get at the Gasparilla Inn and Club in Boca Grande. Nestled on Gasparilla Island to the west of Charlotte Sound, this private golf club has often been named Florida’s most exclusive country club. If you can get in the doors, you’ll be rewarded.

The course has many of Pete Dye’s signatures, but it has other notable hazards to navigate. Five of the holes hug the Gulf of Mexico, and the strong sea breezes can create headaches. Overall, it’s a challenging course that’s sure to please (or anger) even the most seasoned golfers.

11. PGA National

Luxury living and golf blend wonderfully at PGA National in Palm Beach. Redesigned by Jack Nicklaus in 2014, the Champion Course, in particular, is one of the toughest on the PGA Tour. The three-hole “Bear Trap” created by Nicklaus has been the source of disaster for many pros over the years, but that doesn’t mean you can’t handle it.

If you can’t manage the Champion Course or it’s outside your budget, PGA National also has four other courses to suit your needs — all ranked among the best golf courses in Florida.

12. Belleair Country Club

Built in 1897, the golf course at Belleair Country Club is the oldest in the Sunshine State. Playing here has a different feel, mixing history, scenery, and prestige. Offering unrivaled views of Clearwater Bay, Belleair isn’t as difficult as some of the other courses on this list, making it instantly more accessible to the high-handicapped golfer or those looking to break 90.

The Best Golf Courses in Florida Are Your Favorites

If your preferred Florida golf course didn’t make the cut, don’t stress. It’s completely subjective. You have 1,390 other golf courses to satiate your appetite for ocean views, swampland, palm trees, and the occasional gator sighting. Play your game, stick to your approach, and you should find the best golf courses in Florida are the ones you dominate.