Last Updated on January 8, 2024 by Britt Olizarowicz
One of the most notable golf states in the United States is Florida. Without question, there is a multitude of reasons why golf enthusiasts flock to the Sunshine State to become residents or visit on a consistent basis. Fortunately, you will be able to find a mix of public courses, semi-private courses, and private country clubs. As a former resident of the state, I played a significant amount of golf around the Delray Beach area in South Florida. Golfers find some of the best courses in the state. Also, you will be able to play year-round in both the northern and southern areas of the state. You will have plenty of course options to choose from. If you’re wondering how many golf courses in Florida, the number is staggering.
Why Is Golf So Popular In Florida
Without question, the reason that Florida is so popular amongst golfers is because of the weather. Private golf clubs were and will continue to be constructed across the state. This is because of the number of people migrating from cold weather climates to warm weather climates. Additionally, it is home to a significant number of PGA Tour events.
One of the most widely known golf destinations in the state of Florida is Palm Beach. For this reason, it is considered Florida’s golf capital. Some of the best public and private courses are found in the Palm Beaches. Palm Beach County is known for its lush tropical landscaping, comfortable winters, and an abundance of sunshine. It is one of the primary reasons why the Honda Classic is held in Florida during the winter.
However, don’t overlook golf in the middle of the state, along the west coast, or in northern Florida. Championship courses are found in all corners of the state. Although the winter temperatures fall in the northern half of Florida, you are unlikely to be forced to stay home. This is unless of course rain is in the forecast.
Needless to say, you’re not going to be required to have an offseason from golf for non-local Florida residents and residents alike. This is a primary reason why some of the world’s best golfers, including Justin Thomas and others, call Florida home.
So, How Many Golf Courses In Florida Can You Play
A true golf enthusiast is willing to travel the state to visit the best golf courses. No matter if you’re reserving tee times in a golf community, public course, or semi-private courses, there are over 1,200 golf courses within the state. However, understand that you will only be able to play a small fraction of the courses unless you’re friends with members of private clubs around the state of Florida. With that being said, the vast majority of clubs are private.
Notable Public Golf Courses In Florida
Considering the staggering number of private golf courses in Florida, it is good to know the best public Florida golf courses. Here is a breakdown of the best public courses to take advantage of across Florida.
- Streamsong Resort- The golf resort featuring scenic views is located Southeast of Tampa, Florida, near central Florida. Streamsong offers three public golf courses: Streamsong Red, Streamsong Black, and Streamsong Blue.
- TPC Sawgrass– Situated just south of Jacksonville, Florida, near Ponte Vedra Beach is TPC Sawgrass. TPC Sawgrass is home to two public courses: The Players Stadium Course and Dye’s Valley Course.
- Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa– Hammock Beach Resort is positioned in Palm Beach County, Florida, along the Atlantic Ocean. Hammock Beach is known for its two public courses, the Jack Nicklaus Ocean Course and the Tom Watson Conservatory Course.
Without a doubt, you won’t go wrong playing at any of these three public golf destinations. Each is located in a different area of the state, so you may want to add them all to your bucket list.
Public vs. Private Courses Across Florida
The ratio of public to private courses across Florida varies considerably. In some areas, there is a golf course on every corner. However, in places like Naples or West Palm Beach, most of these clubs will be private.
Here’s a look at the numbers of private vs. public golf courses across the state of Florida. Our chart shows the number of public courses and private courses within a 15-mile radius of each of these areas in Florida.
| Area | Total Courses | Public Courses | Private Courses |
| Naples | 107 | 29 | 78 |
| West Palm Beach | 86 | 28 | 58 |
| Tampa | 44 | 30 | 14 |
| Miami | 30 | 23 | 7 |
| Fort Myers | 80 | 53 | 27 |
| Jacksonville | 27 | 14 | 13 |
| Orlando | 51 | 41 | 10 |
Orlando
This one should come as no surprise. There are quite a few public courses in the Orlando area. As you can imagine, since Orlando is an incredibly popular tourist destination, public and resort courses are essential.
Some people do actually live in Orlando year-round, so you will see a few private country clubs.
Jacksonville
Jacksonville is a family-friendly area in Florida with a lot of younger people. Courses here are split right down the middle, with half being private and half being public. For this reason, it is a great place to visit if you are planning to take public courses. Without question, you won’t run short of options.
West Palm Beach
There is a lot of money in West Palm Beach, so to see 58 private golf courses within a 15-mile radius of the downtown area is not surprising. Some of these are the big-name clubs you know, like Seminole or Breakers West, but then there are other small ones like Mayacoo Lakes Country Club and Dye Preserve.
Naples
Naples has a TON of golf courses within a 15-mile radius. However, 75% of them are private clubs. Naples is a prominent golf community location. People buy into a community, purchase the golf cart, and then make their day-to-day life a trip over to the country club and back.
The population in Naples is a little older, which usually means more money and more private club memberships. You’ll be slightly limited in finding public courses in the Naples area.
Fort Myers
Not far from Naples is Fort Myers, which has a different vibe. Fort Myers has a good number of private golf courses and communities, but this is more of a hot spot for public golf. In the Fort Myers area, you have a little more land to work with, and property values aren’t quite as high as in Naples.
All of these lead to better public golf in addition to private golf.
Miami
Miami doesn’t have as many courses as some other spots on our list. Land in Miami is hard to come by, and the pricing is a bit out of the price range of many golf course developers.
Therefore, both public and private golf are a little limited in Miami, but don’t worry, plenty of die-hard golfers still make Miami their full-time residence.
How Many Golf Courses In Florida: Plenty To Choose From
When it comes to golf courses in Florida, you will have no shortage of choices whether you are looking to join privately or play publicly. Fortunately, all skill levels can play Florida courses despite being faced with water hazards, bunkers, an island green, or other unique challenges. Most importantly, you’ll find 18-hole golf courses and 9-hole golf courses no matter where you are in the golf capital state. What is most important is getting out and enjoying the game, which is especially the case for nature lovers because of the picturesque settings of the courses.
