Kelly Plantation Golf Club

307 Kelly Plantation Drive,

Destin, Florida FL 32541

  • Office

    +1 (850) 650 7600
  • Pro shop

    +1 (800) 811 6757 (toll-free)
  • Fax

    +1 (850) 650 7604
  • Golf pro

    Rob Strano (Director of Instruction)

About the course

  • The Course:

    18 holes. Tree-lined & open parkland. Relatively flat terrain - easy to walk (although some long green-to-tee distances).

  • Surroundings:

    Woodland and lakeside.

  • Designer:

    Designed by Fred Couples and Gene Bates, with input from Bob Cupp and Michael Riley.

Back
tees
Club
tees
Front
tees
Yards
7099
5983
5138
Par
72
72
72
SSS or slope
74.2
69.3
69.6

Location

Latitude:

30.400300

Longitude:

-86.438262

How to get there:

2 miles E of Destin

Kelly Plantation Golf Club

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.

Est. 1998

Kelly Plantation Golf Club: Constructed on a former turpentine plantation, this very classy, immaculately maintained layout is widely acclaimed as one of Fred Couples best designs. In the predominantly natural setting of Kelly Plantation, there are no real elevation changes to speak of, but a nicely rolling feel has been created with attractive landscaping and mounding.

Good width fairways journey through a wonderful array of flora, not least avenues of tall pines (from which turpentine resin was once extracted). The scenic highlight comes early in the round at the beautifully crafted par-4 4th; this stunning signature hole is played right alongside the shoreline of Choctawhatchee Bay.

Excellent bunkering adds great definition to each hole, while large, expansive bunkers stoutly defend the subtly sloping greens. A mischievous pot bunker sits in the middle of the large double-green at which the par-4 7th and 11th holes arrive.

With several small lakes and ponds scattered around, water hazards also play their part in this thoroughly enjoyable layout. Square-cut tee boxes also contribute to the impressive look and feel of one of the Emerald Coast's undoubted jewels.

To close-out each of the nine-hole loops, the par-4 9th and par-5 18th are both flanked by the same small lake, their respective greens dangerously jutting out over the water's edge. Where the course wanders through residential areas, the upmarket homes are set well behind the treeline, and usually out of sight.

List of courses: Emerald Coast, FL

Visitors

Who can play and when?

Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.

Must book in advance.

Green fees

Contact club for golf rates.

Other information

Non-metal spike facility. Golf carts are fitted with GPS. Walking permitted.

Practice facilities

Excellent

Did you know?

Kelly Plantation Golf Club is an Audubon International Certified Sanctuary Course, dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of the flora and fauna around the golf course.

Kelly Plantation was originally a turpentine plantation, owned by Mattie and Coleman Kelly, one of Destin's most notable pioneering families. Turpentine resin, collected from the trees, was converted into spirit of turpentine (colloquially "turps"), and used as a solvent, for lighting, and occasionally for medicinal purposes.

Where2Stay

  • Holiday Inn Express - Destin (East)

    108 Hutchinson St, Destin, FL 32541

    +1 (850) 654 9393

    Visit website

    This comfortable Holiday Inn Express is located a five-minute walk to Henderson beach in Destin.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      No

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      Kelly Plantation; Regatta Bay; Emerald Bay; Indian Bayou.

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      Bluewater Bay; Sandestin (four courses); Santa Rosa; Shalimar Pointe.

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