With perfect weather all year round, South Florida is the ideal place for golfers to live. In Florida, it is not a decision about whether or not to play golf but instead where to play golf.
There are so many great golf courses in South Florida, but not all of them are public. In our guide of the top ten best golf courses in South Florida, we choose to focus mostly on the public golf courses. We want you to have access to some of the best golf courses in Florida, and with this list, you will easily be able to get that access.
Top 10 Golf Courses In South Florida
1) PGA National
PGA National pretty quickly takes over the top spot at the best public golf course in South Florida. At PGA National, there are five golf courses for golfers to enjoy, and they even host a PGA Tour event at PGA National. The Honda Classic is a large tour stop, and it is played at the championship course.
The championship course will cost you a bit extra to play, but it is something that many golfers will want to experience. The great thing about having five golf courses to choose from is that getting a tee time can be a bit more manageable. The PGA Tour’s Honda Classic that happens each winter would be a good time to stay away from PGA National if you are looking to play golf.
2) Doral
Located in Miami, Doral is a resort-style golf destination with four golf courses. The most notable of these golf courses is the Blue Monster which has also hosted PGA Tour events. The Blue Monster has some iconic finishing holes, and although this is the most expensive of the Doral courses, it is another one that is worth experiencing.
Here is an insider tip about some of these famous golf courses in the Palm Beach or North Palm Beach area. If a course has hosted a PGA Tour event, chances are they have a championship course that is quite expensive and difficult to get on.
For the average golfer that just wants excellent course conditions and a friendly round of golf, look for tee times at some of the other courses on the list; chances are you will find a great deal. This tip can be used at PGA National Resort, Doral, and even our next one, Bay Hill.
3) Bay Hill
Technically, Bay hill is located in the Orlando area, so it is a short drive from South Florida. But it is so amazing we had to include it in this list. You can do this as a day trip or make a weekend out of it. If you are staying at the Bay Hill resort, golf can be part of your package. For those that love Arnold Palmer and the contribution that he has made to the game, playing Bay Hill is a bucket list item.
At Bay Hill, there is only one golf course, but there is a shorter nine hole course that is fun and enjoyable if the Stadium Course is booked up.
4) Winston Trails
Located in Lake Worth, Florida, Winston Trails is a facility that was perfectly built to suit the needs of the average golfer. This is a golf course community, but all of the courses inside are public or semi-private. The Winston Trails golf courses are affordable, and they almost always offer great golf course conditions.
For those that hit the golf ball a long way, Winston Trails is a must-see. Some of the public golf courses in South Florida have shorter overall yardages simply because of the land and need to ensure there is room for homes and condos.
With more than 7000 yards from the Championship tees at Winston Trails, this is a great spot to check out. In addition, there is a practice facility where you can work on your game.
5) Abacoa Golf Club
If you have lived in South Florida for quite some time, chances are you will remember when the entire Abacoa area had almost nothing to offer. Through the years, Abacoa has become a community with all kinds of people. Schools, home and business, and of course a great golf courses.
The Abacoa golf club is really beautiful, and it features some great views of the South Florida area. This is a public golf course mixed into an area surrounded by private golf clubs. If you like Tiff Eagle greens and some of the best public golf course conditions around, Abacoa golf club is a smart choice to consider. When you are out playing, you may even get a few elevation changes, something that is quite rare for a South Florida golf course.
6) PGA Village
PGA Village is located in Port St. Lucie, Florida and this is really like the golf headquarters for the entire United States. In addition to three impressive golf courses, there is also the PGA Learning Center to help anyone that loves to practice. At the PGA Learning center, you could work on your golf game for days and never get bored.
The three golf courses all offer some unique features and designs. The Dye Course stands out as one of the better courses in the area with a bit more of a links-style of play. Although this facility is busy, they stay on top of you about the pace of play, and most find the PGA Village to be a great overall experience.
With plenty of places to stay right around the PGA Village, this is a great spot to invite some friends and family to come along.
7) Palm Beach Par 3
Palm Beach Par 3 sits on some of the most expensive lands in Palm Beach County. The coolest thing about playing the Palm Beach Par 3 is the fact that half of the holes are on the Intercoastal Waterway, and half of the holes are on the Ocean.
There are really no other public golf courses in the South Florida area that will give you this same unique feature. You may think that a Par 3 golf course will not be challenging enough, but that is not the case with the Palm Beach Par 3.
There are holes that are incredibly tricky, and then you bring the wind into play, and the hole gets even more complicated.
The greens always run nicely at Palm Beach Par 3; this is a pretty famous spot that you will even find members from Seminole Golf Club coming over to enjoy.
8) Atlantis
Another great spot in the Lake Worth area is Atlantis. The Atlantis golf club is located inside the gates of the Atlantis community, a very nicely maintained and great-looking area of South Florida. Inside the gates, you can be a member of the club, but there is also public access to these golf courses.
The Atlantis courses seem to fly under the radar a bit when compared to some of the golf courses in the Boca Raton or North Palm Beach area. Just west of 95, this is not a difficult golf course to get to, and we are continually impressed with the conditions.
If you are looking to try one of the Florida golf courses that test your games and let you feel you have some chances for birdies, Atlantis is an excellent choice for championship golf.
9) North Palm Beach Golf Club
The North Palm Beach Golf club is a village course that will rival any PGA Championship course out there. The residents of North Palm Beach almost want to keep their course a secret, but the cat is out of the bag. This is a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course that is very unique.
The golf course has some terrain that has slight elevation and runs along the Intracoastal waterway. You can get some awe-inspiring views on the par 71 golf course, and with over 7000 yards from the back tees, plenty of room for the long hitter.
There are lots of local events and tournaments held at the North Palm Beach Golf Club simply because of the impressive views and features this club has to offer.
10) Okeeheelee Golf Course
Last up on our list is a golf course located in West Palm Beach called Okeeheelee golf course. This is part of a larger facility of parks and recreational sights for those that live in the greater West Palm Beach area. The thing that sets Okeeheelee apart from other golf courses in the area is three nine-hole courses.
The fact that there are three nine hole courses will really help golfers to be able to get a quicker round of play in and get to enjoy even a nine hole round if they would like. Don’t expect Okeeheelee to make the Golf Digest Top 100 course list, but also don’t count this one out.
In addition, if you don’t want to pay the prices that you find at Trump National Doral or the PGA Golf Club, Okeeheelee Golf Course may be the exact spot you need.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this list of the ten best golf courses in South Florida that you CAN play has helped you get inspired to head out for a weekend round of golf. There is no question that golf in the South Florida area is popular and busy. Make sure that you set up a tee time prior to heading out to the course. Unless you are a single, it can be really hard to walk up at any of these golf courses and get on. Excellent golf course conditions and fair designs make South Florida golf extremely desirable.
Related Content:
