The 10 Golf Courses You Must Play in Florida

Florida boasts more golf courses than any other state in America, which, given its climate, bustling tourist crowd and many resident retirees, is probably unsurprising, but that means it has so much to offer golfers in search of a memorable holiday.

The PGA Tour's Florida Swing - including THE PLAYERS Championship and Arnold Palmer Invitational - is one of the most popular periods of the seasonal calendar, making several of these layouts truly iconic and on the bucket list of many a golfer.

While some exclusive clubs are difficult to access, many Floridian venues are open to the public, and our travel partners Golfbreaks can take you to them.

Looking through their list of recommended destinations, we have picked out ten courses that are must plays if you're in search of an unforgettable golf trip to Florida!

THE PLAYERS Stadium Course

Home of THE PLAYERS Championship since 1982, the Stadium Course has become one of the most famed on the planet, with its par 3 17th hole undeniably being among the most recognisable in the game.

Renowned for its Pete Dye layout that offers a rich challenge to the best golfers in the world, the opportunity to face that test yourself is something that all keen golfers must have considered at some point. 

Given that it's also home to the superb Dye's Valley Course, TPC Sawgrass is a spectacular place to visit, and Golfbreaks has packages that are hard to beat.

Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Course

There are 27-holes at Bay Hill, with the Champion and Challenger loops coming together to create the layout that we've come to know at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which for many years was the personal playground of Tiger Woods.

Walking in the footsteps of Woods and the legendary Palmer is a special prospect, with making your way to Orlando something that travelling golfers can book through our friends at Golfbreaks.

Blue Monster Course

Part of the professional golf scene for decades, the Blue Monster Course is the main attraction at Doral, which is also home to the Golden Palm, Red Tiger, and Silver Fox layouts.

The Blue Monster was home to the PGA Tour's Doral Open for many years, while it has also staged a World Golf Championship and more recently hosted LIV Golf.

If you want to make that a future tee time of yours, then Golfbreaks is the place to look.

Copperhead Course at Innisbrook

There are four courses to choose from at the Innisbrook Resort near Tampa, but it's the Copperhead that most of you will be familiar with given that it has been home to the PGA Tour's Valspar Championship since the turn of the century.

Winners here have included Jordan Spieth, Charl Schwartzel, Retief Goosen, Vijay Singh and Jim Furyk.

Start planning your golf holiday to Innisbrook by checking out these deals and packages.

Champion Course at PGA National

PGA National has staged a Ryder Cup, a major championship, and a long-standing PGA Tour event during its time, with it being home to five 18-hole courses in Palm Beach Gardens.

The Champion Course - which was redesigned by Jack Nicklaus - is the course that you will know and that most want to play, and it's considered to be one of the most testing on the tour, with its closing stretch - The Bear Trap - striking fear into the hearts of even the best golfers on a breezy day.

If you want to have a go, here are your best options!

The Gold Course at The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburon

Designed by two-time Open champion Greg Norman, the Gold Course is a beautiful layout that demands strategy from players, with two of the best holes being the par 3s 12th and 16th which are guarded by water. The same can be said for the challenging 18th, which has hazards down both sides of the fairway to catch you out.

Fancy taking on this course and the others that are nearby? Here's what you need to know.

International Course at Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate

This is another Greg Norman creation and has been widely acclaimed since it was opened. Drawing inspiration from the links courses of Scotland and Ireland, there is a distinctive feel to the International Course that gives it an extra flavour when compared to other venues in the state.

Should you wish to make this place a highlight of a golf holiday to Orlando, then check out Golfbreaks.

Disney's Magnolia Golf Course

The most prestigious golf course located at Disney World, the Magnolia was a venue on the PGA Tour for decades, with the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods both lifting titles here.

A unique feature on the sixth hole are the bunkers shaped like Mickey Mouse, but given that it can measure up to 7,500 yards from the back tees, this is a course that can pack a punch.

Our friends at Golfbreaks have packages to take you there.

Southern Dunes Golf Course

Undoubtedly one of the finest courses in Orlando, Southern Dunes is a hilly design that has 100 feet of elevation changes, making it a fascinating challenge, with its impressive bunkering standing out in the crowd and reflective of what you see from Alister MacKenzie's classics in Australia. 

If you have the opportunity to play here, which you can book today, then you won't regret it.

Celebration Golf Club

With a large windmill outside the venue, Celebration Golf Course already feels distinctive when you get there, and the layout (co-designed by Robert Trent Jones Senior and Junior) has that flavour too.

US Senior Open Qualifiers and Florida State Public Links Championships have been staged here on a layout that is lush, undulating, with expansive fairways and numerous water hazards.

This is a favourite among golfers who visit Florida, and you could experience it for yourself!

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