By Julia Schuster
Bay, Walton and Okaloosa counties play host to more than 50 golf courses all within easy driving distance of each other. How will you ever choose which one, or two, or three courses to play while you're here? We can give you everything you need to know in one "swing" right here. Fore!
Bay County here we come!
Bay Point Resort Golf Club is synonymous with golf. If you are looking for the best, Bay Point's Nicklaus and Meadows courses have consistently been ranked above the rest. Golf Illustrated even went so far as to say that Bay Point is among America's "Top Ten" golf destinations. You can't get much better than that. Factor in the subtropical location with sea breezes and pleasant temperatures year-round, and there is no way to pass up the challenge.
The Meadows course at Bay Point is known as one of Florida's most prestigious courses. Its country club atmosphere welcomes visitors with high class and style. "The Meadows," as it is called by its members, is a delight to play and will have you coming back day after day, and year after year. At 6,913 yards, this course consistently demands length. But, whether you are an advanced golfer or you just love the game for the excitement it brings, the Meadows course has something special, plus a few surprises, waiting for you just around the next dogleg.
Bay Point's Nicklaus course is an extreme makeover of the former Lagoon Legend – the golf course once known as one of the most challenging courses on the Emerald Coast. The new course, not quite as tough, offers a dramatic and enjoyable challenge for novice and avid golfers. All 7,100 yards of this par-72 championship-caliber course will not soon be forgotten. Nicklaus opened to rave reviews in 2005 and has been named by Travel + Leisure Golf as one of the most worthy redesigns and notable debuts in the state of Florida.
If you are looking for 18-holes and a 72-par championship course that sits just one mile off the beach, then Holiday Golf Club is a good place to try. Tough greens test your short game and long fairways test your driver, woods and long irons. The club even features the only "lighted" nine-hole course in the immediate area, which was designed with the whole family in mind.
Hombre Golf Club is a premier course with water on 15 out of the 18 original holes, along with tricky wetlands to cross on the way. Don't get wet! Nine new holes have recently been added to the original 18, and each nine-hole set holds its own distinctive name - "The Good," "The Bad," and "The Ugly." Which set will be your favorite, or your adversary for life?
Signal Hill is located in the heart of Panama City and offers golfers 18-holes, a Par of 71 and sand dunes that reach to the sky. Signal Hill is popular with the locals, and you know what that means – this course should be on your list of courses not to miss. Make reservations early for the best choice of tee times.
Other courses in the Panama City area are: Bay Dunes – a USGA championship course that sits just northeast of Panama City and only 18 minutes from the beach. This 6,577-yard course is challenging for the average golfer, so break out your best club and head for Bay Dunes.
Fox-Run Country Club is a smaller, 9-hole course, if you are running short on time but can't stand being away from the game another minute. And Nature Walk Golf Club in Lynn Haven offers 18 holes if you're willing to take a short drive.
Now we're on to Walton County.
Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is a golfing Mecca with four exceptional, professional courses – Burnt Pine, The Raven, Baytowne, and The Links courses. This resort has been praised for its attention to detail and design.
The Burnt Pine course meanders around the shores of Choctawatchee Bay. Designed by Rees Jones, this course is stretches 7,000 yards from the championship tees and has been called by Golf Magazine, the "Crown Jewel of Florida Golf."
The Raven Golf Club is the new home of the official PGA event, the Boeing Championship at Sandestin. It features water on 11 of the 18 holes and weaves through the property's wetlands and marshes for a dramatic golf experience. At 6,900 yards, and a Par of 71, golfers of all levels of expertise will be challenged on this player's paradise.
Tom Jackson, the architect of Baytowne knows how to dare a golfer. This course is flanked by the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Choctawatchee Bay to the north. The vistas are remarkable, and the play can't be beat.
Last, but certainly not least among Sandestin's courses in The Links Course. As Tom Jackson's first effort at Sandestin, it is easy to see why they asked him back to design Baytowne. This course plays hard into the Gulf's breezes, but offers the golf enthusiast a game right out of a dream.
Emerald Bay Golf Club measures 6,802 yards that have been strategically laid out by golf course designer Bob Cupp. With three holes along Choctawatchee Bay, golfers can experience a scenic tour down manicured fairways to greens that challenge weekend golfers and advanced players alike.
Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club is a jewel on the cutter's table. The Santa Rosa golf course, an 18-hole course, has newly renovated TiffEagle Greens. Called "The Purest Golf on the Panhandle," by Golf Magazine, the Santa Rosa golf course is filled with activities for the modern day golfer. This course is nestled in the dunes, just off Scenic Highway 30-A, and is a course to keep an eye on.
Seascape Resort rests along Highway 98, between it and the beach highway, Old 98 in Miramar Beach. Lush and long, this course winds its way through tall pine stands dotted with water. Catch a sea breeze while playing the 14th hole along Stewart Lake.
Okaloosa County, we finally arrived.
In Destin, you'll find the prestigious Regatta Bay Golf & Country Club, a lush landscape nestled against Choctawatchee Bay. This course has been praised by many golf publications, Golf News ranking it #1 in Northwest Florida, just to name one. As an Audubon Society Member course, Regatta Bay lives by strict rules to preserve the natural landscape and its habits of native vegetation and wildlife alike. This effort makes for a golfing experience unlike any others. Designed by Robert Walker, this course is challenging and enjoyable to golfers of all handicap levels.
Indian Bayou Golf Club has been a mainstay course in Destin for more than 25 years. Large elevated greens complemented by long, lush fairways give this course that traditional country club feel, and its history affords players the extra bonus of having plenty of room to play. On several tee boxes, you can't even see the green you just left. Large pines and lots of water make this course a pleasure to play, and a place you will want to return to soon.
Just across the Mid-Bay Bridge, you'll find Bluewater Bay Resort Golf Club, a shining example of the expertise of Tom Fazio and Jerry Pate's architectural golf design. Accuracy is the key on this course that winds through hardwood forests and tall pines. And you'll be surprised every time you play. The 36 holes are played in sets of nine that are mixed and matched daily to make up the 18 you play at one time. You never know which 18 you'll get.
If you want to be a golf club "Member for a Day," visit Kelly Plantation Golf Club where customer service is a priority. This Fred Couple's Signature course is designed to enhance the golfing experience for every golfer, low-handicapper and duffer alike. The turf is exceptional with lengths ranging from 5,200 yards from the ladies' tees to a whopping 7,100 from the blues. Pamper yourself with a Kelly Plantation round.
Just a few more miles to the west you'll find Fort Walton Beach Golf Club, which is comprised of two 18-hole courses, The Pines and The Oaks. The Pines weaves lazily through a pine thicket, with long and forgiving fairways and an easy layout. The Oaks is more of a shot-maker's course. With shorter narrower fairways, you will have to pull every club from your bag.
The Golf Garden in Destin, a nine-hole executive course is located right on Highway 98. It is "lighted" at night in the summer, so stop by after a day in the sun and enjoy the evening breeze while you play. Another nine-holer can be found on Okaloosa Island, Island Golf Center. The facility features two, nine-hole par three courses. Nine holes are perfect for when you don't have time for a full 18 holes.
To round out our list, drive north a little to Crestview. Foxwood Country Club of Crestview and Shoal River Country Club are courses not to miss.