You’ve got to love Florida golf. With the ability to tee it up here all year long, the state has more golf courses than any other in the country. There are a lot of great pockets of golf in the state, but today we are going to focus on some of the best options available to you: Northeast Florida.
For starters, one of the best things about Northeast Florida is how easy it is to get here. The destination is easily drivable from other cities in the state as well as neighboring states in the Southeast and even the Mid-Atlantic. If you’d rather fly then get behind the wheel, then you’re in luck as the Jacksonville International Airport offers lots of direct flight options from a multitude of major cities.
Here’s a deeper look into some of the key areas in Northeast Florida for you and your crew to consider for your next golf getaway.
TPC Sawgrass: Stadium Course (top), Dye’s Valley (above)
Jacksonville, St. Augustine & The Ponte Vedra Beaches
Once upon a time, Ponce De Leon landed here and discovered what he deemed the Fountain of Youth in this historic location. While you may not discover a magic formula to take years of your life during your visit here, we can assure you that you will find some of the best golf in the country in this amazing destination.
The most famous course in this golf mecca is TPC Sawgrass. With THE PLAYERS Stadium Course and the Dye’s Valley Course all under one roof — it is one of the most impressive clubhouses in the country — this high-end property delivers one of the best golf experiences in the country. THE PLAYERS Stadium Course is one of those courses that every golfer needs to play at least once, and you’ll quickly learn that this flawless Pete Dye design is so much more than the iconic 17th island green par-3.
If you’re looking for an unforgettable golf resort a little closer to St. Augustine, then look no further than the World Golf Village. These two courses are so much fun to play, and with surprisingly affordable locations available on property at the Renaissance St. Augustine Resort at the World Golf Village, this can be the perfect place for your group to set up home base for your outing. With regards to the golf, we’ll let these two great designs speak for themselves in the following videos.
If you’re looking for a more affordable stop in this region, there are some great options nearby including the Residence Inn Jacksonville South – Bartram Park and the Residence Inn Jacksonville – Mayo Clinic Area. You could always make either of these hotels your accommodation of choice and book at TPC Sawgrass and World Golf Village still, or if you are looking for other close by golf course options, we suggest taking a look at Bent Creek Golf Club, Hidden Hills Golf Club, St. Johns Golf Club (which is currently finishing a complete renovation), St. Johns Golf and Country Club, or the new Stillwater Golf and Country Club that is a new Bobby Weed design slated to open in Summer 2022 bringing the first new golf course design to this area in 15 years. If you don’t mind a little windshield time, then you should also take a look at Eagle Landing Golf Club which is located a little further inland in Clay County near Jacksonville, but is well worth the drive for the value at their price point.
Amelia Island
Amelia Island resides close to the Florida/Georgia border and provides golfers with a little bit of the Lowcountry feel that is synonymous with coastal Georgia and South Carolina, with a touch of Florida charm to create the perfect setting for a world-class golf getaway.
Even though Amelia Island (and the adjacent Fernandina Beach) covers a relatively small footprint, there are ample options for golfers looking to tee it up in this Southern sanctuary. One of our favorite destinations in this area is the Omni Amelia Island Resort that provides golf groups with extremely well-appointed rooms that overlook the Atlantic Ocean and an incredible multi-level pool area as well as various house and condo options well suited to cater any group size.
From a golf perspective, the property boasts one 18-hole design — The Pete Dye-designed Oak Marsh Golf Club weaves in and out of the marshes giving golfers a beautifully challenged setting for an enjoyable 18 holes of golf. Golfers who stay on property also have limited access to the private Long Point Golf Club, and as of the publishing of this article in August 2022 the course was undergoing a massive renovation.
The latest addition to the golf here is the incredibly fun new short-course design called the Little Sandy Short Course. Our team was given exclusive access to the course when it opened, and as you’ll see in this video this course is far from a pushover and will require your iron game to be on-point to score here.
If you’re looking for some additional options in the area, we also recommend The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. It only takes the words “Ritz-Carlton” to let you know you’re in for something special, and this property is no exception. Only members or golfers who stay onsite here have access to the Golf Club of Amelia Island, so be sure to include a room night here if you want to tee it up on this special track.
If you’re looking for a little more value with a great experience at more affordable rates, then look no further than The Amelia River Club, which is in the process of finishing a clubhouse renovation in September 2022, or Fernandina Beach Golf Club during your visit to the area. In addition to these courses, you can also get a great experience at a more affordable rate at other nearby hotels including the Seaside Amelia Inn, the SpringHill Suites Amelia Island, and the Courtyard Marriott Amelia Island.
Palm Coast and the Flagler Beaches
We did a deep-dive on this incredible area recently, where we go into a lot of detail on the golf opportunities in this area, but we’d be remiss if we did not at least mention Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa as an incredible option for golfers looking to come to this area. The resort has done a phenomenal job renovating these golf courses after a hurricane several years ago and somehow, they’ve turned out even better.
Other area options that are popular for golf groups include the Fairfield Inn & Suites Palm Coast for a more affordable stay option, and the city-owned Palm Harbor Golf Club that was redesigned in 2009 and offers vacationing golfers a lot of value at an affordable price.
Recommendation
As you can see, there are an unbelievable number of options available to golfers who are looking to come to Northeast Florida for their next golf stay-and-play vacation. The beautiful thing about this region of the country is that you can make any budget work as there are bucket-list options available as well as incredible value golf options, and with numerous lodging options available you can pick and choose the best options that fit for your group’s budget.
We recommend mixing and matching your experiences in this area as it is very easy to base your trip out of one area and slide over to some of these neighboring areas for a day to tee it up.
Florida’s First Coast of Golf — click here to visit florida-golf.org — won’t leave you disappointed!