Best golf courses: Emerald Coast, FL

Golf on The Emerald Coast: with its calm sandy beaches and turquoise waters The Emerald Coast is Orlando's and Tampa's quiet cousin. Besides its underwater adventures, interesting local haunts, bottlenose dolphins and beautiful natural ecosystem, the coastline also serves up memorable golfing experiences. To make the most of your golfing trip, and to help in your planning, you can look up the location of the best courses in Emerald on our customised maps.

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Visitors welcome
Destin
Jones II, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Destin

Designer

Robert Trent Jones II (lead designer Bruce Charlton).

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Rsrt guests only
Destin
Jones, Rees

Visitors?

Rsrt guests only

Nearest city

Destin

Designer

Rees Jones

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Visitors welcome
Destin
Couples & Bates

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Destin

Designer

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

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Rsrt guests only
Destin
Fazio, Tom

Visitors?

Rsrt guests only

Nearest city

Destin

Designer

Tom Fazio

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Destin
Walker, Robert

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Destin

Designer

Robert "Bob" Walker

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
(Closed in 2010)
Pensacola
LaFoy, John

Visitors?

(Closed in 2010)

Nearest city

Pensacola

Designer

John B. LaFoy

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Panama City
Nicklaus Design

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Panama City

Designer

Originally called the "Legends" course (1986), the layout was completely redesigned by Gary Nicklaus of Nicklaus Design (2005).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
(Closed in 2008)
Destin
Bergin, Bill

Visitors?

(Closed in 2008)

Nearest city

Destin

Designer

Bill Bergin

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Rsrt guests only
Destin
Norman, Greg

Visitors?

Rsrt guests only

Nearest city

Destin

Designer

Greg Norman

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Destin
O'Rourke, Doug

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Destin

Designer

Doug O'Rourke

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Destin
Jackson, Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Destin

Designer

Tom Jackson

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Pensacola
Stone, Earl

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Pensacola

Designer

Earl Stone

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Destin
Stone, Earl

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Destin

Designer

Earl Stone

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Destin
Jackson, Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Destin

Designer

Tom Jackson

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Pensacola
Palmer, Arnold

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Pensacola

Designer

An Arnold Palmer Signature Course.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Destin
Cupp, Bob

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Destin

Designer

Original design by Bob Cupp (1991) and also a substantial redesign by him (2014).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Pensacola
Garl, Ron

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Pensacola

Designer

Ron Garl
3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
(Closed in 2018)
Panama City
Byrd, Willard

Visitors?

(Closed in 2018)

Nearest city

Panama City

Designer

Willard Byrd

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Pensacola
Amick, Bill

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Pensacola

Designer

Bill Amick

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Pensacola
Pate, Jerry

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Pensacola

Designer

East course: designed by Jerry Pate (1986) and subsequently renovated by Nathan Crace (2020).
West course (now closed): designed by Bill Amick (1965) and later modified by Ron Garl.

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Pensacola
Cook, Hiram

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Pensacola

Designer

Hiram Cook

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Destin
Finger & Dye

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Destin

Designer

Joe Finger and Ken Dye

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
(Closed in 2018)
Panama City
Burnham, Wes

Visitors?

(Closed in 2018)

Nearest city

Panama City

Designer

Wes Burnham

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Pensacola
Adams & Pate

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Pensacola

Designer

Originally designed by Chic Adams (1959); redesigned by Jerry Pate (1992)

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Destin
Fazio & Pate

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Destin

Designer

Tom Fazio designed the Bay and Lake nines (1981). Marsh-nine designed by Tom Fazio & Jerry Pate (1987). Magnolia-nine designed by Jerry Pate (1993).

Private: A course for members and their invited guests only.
Private club
Destin
Bergin, Bill

Visitors?

Private club

Nearest city

Destin

Designer

Original nine-hole layout extended to 18 by Roy Albert Anderson. Completely renovated by Bill Bergin (2021).

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Tournaments

124th US Open: the No.2 Course at Pinehurst once again plays host to this most illustrious championship (June 13-16). Wyndham Clark defends his title, having won at Los Angeles CC in 2023.

79th Women’s US Open: the second women’s major championship of the season gets underway at Lancaster CC in Pennsylvania. It’s the second time the championship has been held here.
(May 30-June 2).

Who's Who

Nelly Korda: won the Mizuho Americas Open (May 16-19) at Liberty National GC, continuing her extraordinary form in LPGA events. This was her sixth win in seven starts in 2024.

Xander Schauffele: recorded his first major championship win, and second record-equalling low score of 62 in a major. Only he, Branden Grace, Rickie Fowler and Shane Lowry have achieved this feat in a men’s major championship.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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Whistling Straits (Wisconsin, US)

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Littlestone Golf Club (Kent, UK)