Florida is a golfer’s paradise, and that’s not surprising since plenty of old folks come to this state to retire. The climate here seems designed simply for fantastic golf.
There might be hundreds of great golf courses here, to be honest. Some of them aren’t as well-known as Seminole, TPC Sawgrass, Streamsong (Black, Red, and Blue), and Calusa Pines, but they deserve your attention and appreciation, nonetheless.
Here are some golf courses in Florida that should be more famous than they are right now.
Loxahatchee Club
This Loxahatchee golf course was designed by Jack Nicklaus, who called it one of his most imaginative courses and one of the best he’s ever done. It’s exquisitely gorgeous, though it’s a fearsome course especially for newbies. Consider yourself a master if you can play here without a double bogey and you get a score under 80.
Reunion Golf & Spa Resort
This is one resort that any golfer will want to spend some time in. After all, you’re getting 18-hole designs from such legends as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Tom Watson. The Reunion resort only occupies a tiny area of the entire property, which measures 2,300 acres.
The Watson course is considered the best of the bunch, though every course here is just about terrific. This Watson course changes in elevation of up to 50 feet, and that’s not common for Florida. The layout features lots of bunkers, along with long and challenging par 4s.
Innisbrook Island
Book yourself into the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club, and you actually have 4 golf courses available. All of these golf courses were designed by E. Lawrence Packard in the years between 1969 and 1973. The Copperhead is certainly the most famous, and widely considered the best of the bunch.
But the Island course has its own charms, and it shouldn’t be overlooked. After all, it has already hosted plenty of NCAA Championships and lots of US Open qualifiers.
The Island starts with 6 fairly flat holes, but with a lot of water. Then you get the middle 6 holes, which are hilly and undulating, which isn’t common in Florida. Finally, the last 6 holes feature lakes, trees, and rolling hills. While Copperhead is great for players with raw power, this course is best for those with finesse and accuracy.
Adios Golf Club
Arnold Palmer is one of the 16 founding members at this club in Coconut Creek, and this club remains one of the most private golf institutions in southeast Florida. Arnold Palmer designed this golf club himself, and it’s a hidden masterpiece.
If you’re ever lucky enough to get yourself invited to play here, you’ll encounter a golf course that measures under 7,000 yards from tip to tip. And Palmer used every available square inch here to make this course a true challenge. This course features quite a few ponds, so that every opportunity for a birdie also comes with a potential disaster with a wrong move.
Have fun in Florida, when you try out these underrated golf courses!