So Many Florida Courses, So Little Time!
Our Picks for Best Florida Golf Courses and Vacations

If you are a golf and travel nut, you are at the right place. Below are our picks for best Florida golf courses and golf vacations.

Choosing from thousands of courses was no easy task, but there seems to be a few that stand out as world class and potential championship play.

Whether you are a weekend warrior, avid amateur, or play every so often you can enjoy the beauty and challenge of the best Florida golf courses.

Finding a good golf course is easy to do in the Sunshine State, but if you are looking for the ultimate golf vacation and want to take it to the next level, let's take a tour around the fairways & greens of these fabulous Florida courses.

Enjoy the ride because you are in for a real treat. This page will save you a lot of time and energy trying to plan your perfect golf vacation.

1. Golf on the Gulf Coast of Florida:

Starting on the Panhandle, we'll begin in Destin with Burnt Pines. This course is within the Sandestin Beach Resort and offers a challenging round of play. If your game is struggling, you'll be sure to enjoy the views of the Chockahatchee Bay. I played this one a long time ago and it was a great course.

Heading east, we stop in Panama City to tee it up at Lagoon's Legend at Marriott's Bay Point Resort. This is one of the toughest courses in the States offering rough winds, plenty of water, and tricky placements. Play this one at your own risk.

Next stop on our tour of the best Florida golf courses is in the Tampa/Clearwater/St Petersburg area. First, we'll hit some balls at the Westin-Innisbrook Resort where we'll play Copperhead. Over 600 acres of courses, this amazing course has hosted PGA tour events and will be a sure winner with you golf enthusiasts. Be sure you can hit it long and straight!

For public courses in St Petes, we found a gorgeous course on the inlet of Old Tampa Bay called Mangrove Bay Golf Course. For a more enjoyable course in Tampa, you may try the TPC of Tampa Bay. Host to the chamions tour, this had to make the list of best Florida golf courses. Watch out for the greens- they are tricky!

Further south to Naples there are a number of courses that are memorable and great plays. That list includes...

• 36 holes at Tiburon was designed by "The Shark" himself (if you don't know who that is, you don't belong on this page - just kidding!).
• Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club is one of the best Florida golf courses because of the whole package- a beautiful resort and excellent golf course.
• For super private try getting in at the Naples Grande.

For Atlantic Coast Courses (you didn't think we were done yet did you?), we start in the Northern areas of the state and head south to Miami.

Here is our list of best Florida golf courses on the east coast...

• In St Augustine/Jacksonville is the Stadium Course at the TPC at Sawgrass is one of perfection. You should remember the island green on 17 that many pros have made famous or periled over again.
  
  
• The Amelia Island Plantation is a wonderful vacation let alone a golf paradise. You must stay at the resort (it's featured in our beach resort section) to play any of the 3 courses.
  
  
• Near Daytona and St Augustine is Jack's Atlantic Ocean hugging design known as the Ocean Hammock Golf Club. First seaside course built in Florida since the early 1900's.
  
  
• Moving down to the Palm Beach Region we stop to putt around at the PGA National Resort and Spa or Emerald Dunes. Be sure to check out either of these two when golfing in Palm Beach.
  
  
• Finally, we'll hit up Miami and choose from three amazing courses and resort areas. Even if you aren't a golf lover you will definitely enjoy the Doral Golf Resort and Spa (4 of the best Florida courses including the Blue Monster), Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort offers two courses open to guests (a Robert Trent Jones design that is always top of the line), and the Biltmore Hotel (the hotel is a museum itself and the golf course just adds to the pleasure!

Our last stop is in the middle of the state in Orlando. Personally, when I am done hitting the links, I want to bear near the beaches, but Orlando is home to some of the best Florida golf courses.

When you can break away from the amuzements and magic of Orlando, you may want to check out the Walt Disney World Courses with 99 holes of championship play which allow you to follow in the footsteps of some of the world's greatest players.

Also, we must mention Arnold Palmer's baby, the Bay Hill Club and Lodge, which is also home to tour events and is a tough but well manicured course.

Folks, that ends our tour and picks for the best Florida golf courses. We will see you on the links and resorts of Florida!