Burnt Pine Golf Club at Sandestin

Burnt Pine Golf Club at Sandestin: Just east of Destin on Florida's Emerald Coast, the Sandestin Resort boasts four very impressive championship golf courses - the jewels in the crown are the Burnt Pine layout (by Rees Jones), and Raven course (by elder brother, Robert Trent Jones Jr) - the Links and Baytowne courses also provide enjoyable golfing challenges - with Burnt Pine, Rees Jones again proved why he is one of the most respected course architects in the world - the layout has an expansive, roomy feel, even though most holes, especially on the front-nine, are routed through mature pine forest - along the way several holes are flanked by small lakes and ponds, while discreetly tucked away mansion-sized homes are occasionally in view across the fairway hugging ponds - on the back-nine the good-length, doglegging par-4 13th is the first of an immensely scenic triumvirate of holes that bring you to the shoreline of Choctawhatchee Bay - you'll need plenty of nerve for the tee-to-green carry over wetlands at the world-class par-3 14th, an undoubted highlight of the round (not least if you make par or better) - with a back-tee spectacularly located out in the Bay, the par-4 15th heads you back inland, alongside the Grand Sandestin (luxury condominium building) - with excellent maintenance, terrific bunkering and substantial rolling mounds along the fairways and around the superb greens, Burnt Pine throws down a great golfing challenge on one of the best courses in Florida.