Florida Golf Season 101
Florida is known for having a tropical climate and its green fairways. It is one of the few states that receives sunlight throughout the year, which makes it one of the most popular golf destinations in the world. It attracts both local golfers and foreigners alike, who continue to flock to the state due to its favorable weather conditions.
Florida has 1,270 golf courses throughout the state, according to the 2021 year-end data by the National Golf Foundation (NGF). This means that the Sunshine State has more golf courses per capita than any other state in the United States. As the 2023 Florida Golf Season is beginning, here is an overview of all things golf in Florida.
Popular Golf Destinations in Florida
When it comes to golf, all roads lead to Florida. But we have curated a region-wise list of golf facilities that are a must-visit. Whether you are a golfer, a PGA tour fanatic, a golf-loving couple, a bunch of friends, a student of golf history, a beachcomber, a traditional golf fan, or even a food-loving golf fan, there is something for everyone on this list.
North Florida
Most of the best golf courses in North Florida can be found in Jacksonville. Here are a few popular places:
TPC Sawgrass - Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
The Tournament Players Club (TPC) at Sawgrass was the first of the Tournament Players Clubs to be built 42 years ago. This is the flagship course. It is also the home of the PGA Tour. This course was designed by Peter Dye and boasts two world-class golf courses.
The Stadium course has one of the highest green fees in all of the United States, but in return, it will allow you to participate in golf history and make memories in a way only a course of this caliber can.
Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa - Palm Coast, FL
Hammock Beach has two contrasting golf courses that are both excellent in their own ways, the Ocean Course and the Conservatory Course.
The Ocean Course, originally designed by Jack Nicklaus in 2000 and recently undergoing a renovation, offers a fantastic ocean view experience with six oceanside holes. The remaining holes, even though they do not directly face the ocean, still retain their seaside feel to some extent.
The Conservatory Course, a Tom Watson creation established in 2006, is a highly-rated championship course in Florida. To play this course, you need to stay at the resort as it does not have a lot of options for outside visitor play.
Central Florida
While Orlando is the predominant destination for golf in Central Florida, we also bring you one that is not quite in Florida but has been taking the golf community by storm recently. It’s the first one on this list. Read on!
Streamsong Resort - Bowling Green, FL
Streamsong Resort and Spa is built on a sprawling 16,000-acre site and boasts three top-class golf courses - Streamsong Blue, Streamsong Black, and Streamsong Red. Streamsong is one of Florida’s foremost golf destinations. With its immaculate construction by the Mosaic Company, it is fast becoming a common bucket-list entrant for golf lovers all over the world. It takes a 90-minute drive southwest of Orlando to reach this place that provides a golf experience like no other resort in Florida.
ChampionsGate Golf Club - Davenport, FL
The Omni Resort at ChampionsGate, Orlando, was designed by Greg Norman and boasts two championship 18-hole golf courses - International and National. They are contrasting golf courses, but both include Greg Norman’s signature style. The International Course displays an Australian influence in the coastal links style from Greg Norman’s homeland, and the National Course offers a different experience with its Florida Resort Style.
South Florida
With South Florida’s plentiful palms and a climate that mostly remains warm throughout the year come a variety of golf courses. We bring you two of them for the PGA Tour fans.
PGA National Resort and Spa - Palm Beach Gardens, FL
This is located in Palm Beach Gardens and features five championship 18-hole courses. The Champion Course is the most famous of these and has been home to the Honda Classic since 2007. This course is most popularly known for its home stretch, “The Bear Trap,” and there are few more demanding courses than this in South Florida. It is South Florida’s biggest golf resort with 339 hotel rooms and a 40,000-square-foot spa.
PGA Village - Port St. Lucie, FL
The PGA Village at Port St. Lucie offers 54 holes of championship golf, a learning center, and a golf history center. It was designed by Tom Fazio and Peter Dye. The PGA Gallery is the historical center that exhibits memorabilia tracing the history of golf, including the major championship trophies.
The on-site accommodations for this have a wide range of chain hotels - Marriott, Hilton, and Sheraton, as well as Perfect Drive Villas.
Most Popular Time of the Day to Play Golf
The Sunshine State, true to its name, is sunny all year round, but what does this mean for the time to play golf? Do people tend to play golf in the morning, mid-day, or evenings?
In Florida, the most common time to play golf is in the mornings before the sun reaches its peak. This gives the golfers fair weather to play while avoiding the midday heat. Many professional golfers in Florida suggest 9 am to 11 am as the best time to tee off. For those who can’t play in the mornings, a couple of hours before sunset or the Golden Hour is also a popular time.
People in Florida avoid playing between 12 pm to 2 pm as this is the hottest time of the day, especially during summers. Afternoon thunderstorms are also common in Florida during the summer months. Therefore, the afternoon times are the least popular among Floridian golfers.
Types of Golf Courses
Golf courses can be classified into three categories based on the kind of facilities they offer: private, public, and golf resorts.
Public Golf Courses
These courses are open to everyone. They can be either run by a municipality or privately owned. They charge a fee for use, but membership is not required. These golf courses are good for beginners as they are open mostly throughout the day and provide fair services at affordable rates.
A drawback of public golf courses is that once you improve your skills and become a seasoned player, the facilities at a public golf course might feel limited. The greens will not hold enough challenge and excitement for someone with experience. If the course is funded by a municipality, then it might not be very well-maintained.
Private Golf Courses
A private golf course requires membership, and it is exclusive. They are not open to the public for a fee. Most private golf courses provide additional facilities like a clubhouse and a driving range. A private golf course kitchen usually employs a top-class chef and wait staff to indulge its members. They leave no stone unturned to make sure the members have the best experience. These dining facilities can also be rented by the members for private events like birthdays, parties, etc.
The golf greens are of high quality and are usually designed by a renowned architect. The terrain is varied and provides a good challenge for even seasoned golfers. The greens are regularly maintained by skilled groundskeepers or golf course superintendents.
The drawback of a private golf course is mostly the price tag. All these quality facilities come at a pretty hefty price, and therefore not a lot of people can afford them. Private golf courses also have guidelines in place for dress code, conduct on the course, etc. If you like to play golf casually and freely, then you might find this environment a bit restrictive.
Resort Golf Courses
Resort courses are very common in Florida. As the name suggests, a resort course is where a golf course is part of a larger resort facility that includes hotels, restaurants, possibly a spa, and other recreational facilities.
These don’t require a regular membership and mostly allow people to pay a daily fee and play. In this case, preference for choosing tee times and discounted green fees is provided for the resort guests. Some resort courses require people to stay at the resort if they want to use the golf course.
The greens are well tended to and regularly maintained. Since they offer their facilities to golfers of all levels, their courses might not always be the most challenging. Or they might have multiple courses to cater to all skill levels.
Though resort golf courses do not require an expensive membership, they are still on the pricier side. These stay-and-play places provide a luxurious environment and the most relaxing atmosphere but not for cheap.
Events Kicking Off the Golf Season in Florida
As we have entered the third week of February this year, we have various PGA Tour events happening in Florida in the next month to look forward to.
The Honda Classic (Feb 24 - 27, 2022)
The Honda Classic kicks off Florida’s 2022 season for the PGA Tour. One hundred and forty-four PGA Tour players will be battling to be the winner at PGA National Resort and Spa - Championship Course, Palm Beach County. The Honda Classic has a purse of $8 million.
To watch these seasoned players maneuver The Bear Trap, get your tickets today! The net proceeds from this tournament are used to benefit South Florida charities through the Children’s Healthcare Charity.
Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard (Mar 3 - 6, 2022)
This is the second of the four PGA Tour events held in Florida in the first half of the year. The Arnold Palmer Invitational is one of only five tournaments that have been given the 'Invitational' status by the PGA Tour. This means that this tournament has a reduced pool of 120 players.
This tournament brings the excitement of the PGA tour to Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando. The purse for this event is $12 million, and the winner also receives a red cardigan sweater in memory of Arnold Palmer.
THE PLAYERS Championship (Mar 10 - 13, 2022)
THE PLAYERS Championship is the third event on our list of four. This prestigious event, often called ‘The Fifth Major’ because of the caliber of the course and the quality of play, will be taking place at the TPC Sawgrass - Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach.
THE PLAYERS Championship offers the highest purse of any other golf tournament. This prize fund is $20 million (increased from the $15 million purse of last year). The playing field consists of 144 players, and the winner receives various exemptions like a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour.
Valspar Championship (Mar 17 - 20, 2022)
The Valspar Championship is the last of the four consecutive golf events that happen in Florida during Spring. This will bring some of the biggest names in golf to the Innisbrook Golf Resort - Copperhead Course in the Tampa Bay Area.
The Valspar Championship has a prize purse of $7.8 million this year (increased from the $6.9 million of last year). The ticket proceeds from this 72-hole event will be used to benefit the local charities through the Birdies for Tampa Bay Charities Program.
So, if you are in Florida during these dates, make sure to grab the opportunity to watch professional golfers in action.
Florida offers a paradise for golfers with its abundance of golf courses and favorable weather conditions. Whether you prefer North Florida, Central Florida, or South Florida, there are golf destinations to suit every golfer's preferences.
From world-renowned courses like TPC Sawgrass and PGA National Resort to resorts like Streamsong and PGA Village, Florida has a wide range of golfing experiences to offer. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced golfer, there are public, private, and resort courses to cater to your needs.
When it comes to playing golf in Florida, the morning hours are the most popular, providing pleasant weather and avoiding the midday heat. Public courses are accessible to all, while private and resort courses offer additional amenities and challenges.
Florida also hosts several PGA Tour events, including The Honda Classic, Arnold Palmer Invitational, THE PLAYERS Championship, and the Valspar Championship, which attract top players and provide exciting spectator experiences.
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