Tag: Ron Garl

Top 40 Public Courses-Florida 2023/2024


Regatta Bay Golf & Country Club, Destin FL

Most everyone has heard about great Florida golf resorts like Streamsong, TPC Sawgrass and PGA Village, but there are a whole lot of terrific public courses that are not part of a resort property.

If you’re looking for great Florida golf without breaking the bank account at a high-end resort, take a look at the Top 40 courses below, and start planning a get-away–keeping in mind that there are plenty of nice hotels and restaurants to choose from throughout Florida (and the GolfDay Course Page includes a link to Google map and directions for every course).

While each of the Top 40 has a GolfDay Rating above 90, Florida offers 136 independent public courses with a rating of 85 or higher (premium) and 238 with a rating of 80 or more (well above average).

Ron Garl leads the list for premier public course design in Florida with original design or updates at 7 of the top 40 public courses, including The Club at Eaglebrooke in Lakeland (No. 22) and University Park in Sarasota (No. 32).

Joe Lee is at the top as well with design at 4 of the leading public courses in Florida, including Deer Island Country Club in Taveres (No. 8) and Abacoa in Jupiter (No. 9).


Fox Hollow Golf Club, Trinity: Robert Trent Jones, Sr

The Florida Top 40 public also includes design by eminent architects such as Donald Ross (New Smyrna Golf Club/No. 29), Jack Nicklaus (Old Corkscrew/No. 2),  Robert Trent Jones, Sr. (Fox Hollow/No. 13), Tom Fazio (Champions Club at Summerfield/No. 33), Rees Jones (LPGA International/No. 15) and Robert Trent Jones II. (Celebration Golf Club/No. 10).

The GolfDay rating is based on a variety of criteria, including the stature of the architect(s) who did the original design(s), updates that have been done on the course(s), USGA Course and Slope Ratings, the quality and diversity of practice facilities, general course conditioning and current reviews.

Click Top 40 Florida Public Courses for a map view of locations (click a flag for course name and details).

If you are dead set on a resort vacation, take to look at the GolfDay Florida Top 25 Resorts.

And if you are want to browse for courses in a specific area, visit the GolfDay Search Page.


Southern Dunes Golf & Country Club
  1. Southern Dunes Golf & Country Club/Haines City
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Steve Smyers
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.0/140
    • Practice Facilities: Two-Tiered Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker, Grass Wedge Range and TrackMan Technology.
    • Course Description
    • Toptracer
    • GolfDay Rating: 95.8
    • Location

Old Corkscrew Golf Club
  1. Old Corkscrew Golf Club/Estero

TPC Treviso Bay
  1. TPC Treviso Bay/Naples
    • Holes: 18 (Public Play May 1 through October 31)
    • Course Architects: Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest/Hal Sutton
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 77.3/153
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Grass Wedge Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker, Indoor Golf Simulator with TrackMan Technology.
    • Course Description
    • Photos
    • GolfDay Rating: 95.6
    • Location

Regatta Bay Golf & Country Club
  1. Regatta Bay Golf & Country Club/Destin
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Robert Walker
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.2/147
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers, Golf Academy and Indoor Golf with TrackMan Technology.
    • Photos
    • Golf Academy
    • GolfDay Rating: 95.5
    • Location

Kelly Plantation Golf Club
  1. Kelly Plantation Golf Club/Destin
  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Gene Bates/Fred Couples
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.6/137
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Target Greens, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers. Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
  • Course Description
  • Photos
  • GolfDay Rating: 95.0
  • Location

North Palm Beach Country Club
  1. North Palm Beach Country Club/North Pam Beach
  2. Village of North Palm Beach
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Mark McCumber/Jack Nicklaus
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.2/135
    • Practice Facilities: Lighted Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course History
    • Junior Golf
    • GolfDay Rating: 94.8
    • Location

Juliette Falls Golf Course
  1. Juliette Falls Golf Course/Dunnellon
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: John Sanford
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.3/143
    • Practice Facilities: Double Sided Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • GolfDay Rating: 94.6
    • Location

Deer Island Country Club
  1. Deer Island Country Club/Taveres

Abacoa Golf Club
  1. Abacoa Golf Club/Jupiter

Celebration Golf Club
  1. Celebration Golf Club/Celebration

Windswept Dunes Golf Club
  1. Windswept Dunes Golf Club/Freeport

Royal St. Cloud Golf Links
  1. Royal St. Cloud Golf Links/St. Cloud
    • Holes: 27 (3 Nine Hole Regulation Courses)
    • Course Architects: Lewis Powell
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Red:       37.2/132
    • White:   37.5/133
    • Blue:     37.6/136
    • Practice Facilities: Lighted Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.7
    • Location
  •  

Fox Hollow Golf Club
  1. Fox Hollow Golf Club/Trinity
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Roger Rulewich
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.1/139
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Photos/Layout
    • Junior Golf
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.6
    • Location

Emerald Bay Golf Club
  1. Emerald Bay Golf Club/Destin

LPGA International
  1. LPGA International/Daytona Beach
  2. Fore Golf Partners
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Regulation Courses)
    • Course Architects: Rees Jones/Arthur Hills
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Jones:  74.3/141
    • Hills:   75.4/150
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
    • Jones Course
    • Hills Course
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.1
    • Location

Southwood Golf Club
  1. Southwood Golf Club/Tallahassee
  2. St. Joe Company
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Gene Bates/Fred Couples
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.7/135
    • Practice Facilities: Lighted Grass Driving Range with Toptracer Technology, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.9
    • Location

Waterlefe Golf & River Club
  1. Waterlefe Golf & River Club/Bradenton
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Ted McAnlis
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.9/146
    • Practice Facilities: Driving Range and Putting Green.
    • Photos/Layout
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.9
    • Location

Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club
  1. Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club/Dade City
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Regulation Courses)
    • Course Architects: Kurt Sandness/Tom Lehman
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • North:  74.7/139
    • South:  74.0/141
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Expansive Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.7
    • Location

St. Johns Golf Club
  1. St. Johns Golf Club/Elkton
  2. St. Johns County
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Clyde Johnston/Robert Walker
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.4/135
    • Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Operation 36 Program.
    • Course Description
    • Junior Golf
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.6
    • Location

Duran Golf Club
  1. Duran Golf Club/Viera
    • Holes: 27 (Eighteen Hole Regulation Course and Nine Hole Lighted Par 3)
    • Course Architects: Lewis Powell
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.8/130
    • Practice Facilities: Lighted Grass Driving Range with Targets and Trackman Technology, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • Junior Golf
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.6
    • Location

Heron Creek Golf & Country Club
  1. Heron Creek Golf & Country Club/North Port
    • Holes: 27 (3 Nine Hole Regulation Courses)
    • Course Architects: Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Creek: 36.3/144
    • Marsh: 36.2/142
    • Oaks:   36.2/141
    • Practice Facilities Expansive including Grass Driving Range with Targets, Grass Wedge Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
    • Photos
    • Golf Academy
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.5
    • Location

The Club at Eaglebrooke
  1. The Club at Eaglebrooke/Lakeland
  2. Indigo Sports
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Ron Garl
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.7/138
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens and Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.5
    • Location

The Club at Emerald Hills
  1. The Club at Emerald Hills/Hollywood
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Robert von Hagge/Bruce Devlin/Charles Ankrom/Jack Nicklaus
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 78.6/148
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • Photos
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.5
    • Location

Black Bear Golf Club
  1. Black Bear Golf Club/Eustis
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: B. Dye
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.1/140
    • Practice Facilities: Double Sided Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Scorecard/Video Tour
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.5
    • Location

Riverwood Golf Club
  1. Riverwood Golf Club/Port Charlotte
    • Holes: 18  
    • Course Architects: Gege Bates
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.8/139
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • Video Tour
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.4
    • Location

Boca Raton Golf & Racquet Club
  1. Boca Raton Golf & Racquet Club/Boca Raton
  2. City of Boca Raton
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Joe Lee/Kipp Schulties
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.5/148
    • Practice Facilities: Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens.
    • Junior Golf
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.2
    • Location

Stonebrook Golf Course
  1. Stonebrook Golf Course/Pace
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Charles Daniels
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.2/135
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker and CF Golf Academy (TrackMan and Operation 36 Program).
    • Photos
    • Junior Golf
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.3
    • Location

The Eagles Golf Club
  1. The Eagles Golf Club/Odessa

New Smyrna Golf Club
  1. New Smyrna Golf Club/New Smyrna
  2. City of New Smyrna

Eagle Creek Golf Club
  1. Eagle Creek Golf Club/Orlando
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Ron Garl/Howard Swan
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.1/132
    • Practice Facilities: Double Sided Grass Driving Range, Putting Green and Practice Hole with Bunker.
    • Photos
    • Junior Golf
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.8
    • Location

Skyview at Terra Vista
  1. Skyview at Terra Vista/Hernando
  2. Villages of Citrus Hills
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Terrill LaGree
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.6/133
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
    • Course Description
    • Photos
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.3
    • Location

University Park Country Club
  1. University Park Country Club/Sarasota
    • Holes: 27 (Three Nine Hole Courses)
    • Course Architects: Ron Garl
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • First Nine:       37.2/139
    • Second Nine:  36.8/137
    • Third Nine:     37.8/136
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • Golf Academy
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.3
    • Location

Champions Club at Summerfield
  1. Champions Club at Summerfield/Stuart

Forest Lake Golf Club
  1. Forest Lake Golf Club/Apopka
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Lloyd Clifton/Ken Ezell/George Clifton
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.9/138
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description/Photos
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.0
    • Location

Sun ‘n Lake Golf Club
  1. Sun ‘n Lake Golf Club/Sebring
    • Holes: 36 (Two Eighteen Hole Regulation Courses)
    • Course Architects: Don Dyer/Charles Ankrom/Ron Garl
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Deer Run:        74.1/132
    • Turtle Run:     71.6/126
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Descriptions
    • Junior Golf
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.0
    • Location

Woodmont Country Club
  1. Woodmont Country Club/Tamarac
    • Holes: 27 (Eighteen Hole Cypress and Nine Hole Pines)
    • Course Architects: Robert von Hagge/Bruce Devlin/Joe Jemsek
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Cypress: 73.6/138
    • Pines:    34.7/127
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • GolfDay Rating: 90.9
    • Location

Palm Beach National
  1. Palm Beach National/Lake Worth
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Porter Gibson/Joe Lee
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.1/133
    • Practice Facilities: Expansive Lighted Driving Range with Targets and Toptracer Technology, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • Toptracer Range
    • GolfDay Rating: 90.9
    • Location

Sandridge Golf Club
  1. Sandridge Golf Club/Vero Beach
  2. Indian River County
    • Holes: 36 (Two Eighteen Hole Regulation Courses)
    • Course Architects: Ron Garl
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Dunes: 74.1/141
    • Lakes: 70.9/134
    • Practice Facilities: Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens.
    • Course Description
    • Junior Golf
    • GolfDay Rating: 90.7
    • Location

Sailfish Sands Golf Course
  1. Sailfish Sands Golf Course/Stuart
  2. Martin County
    • Holes: 27 (Eighteen Hole and Nine Hole Regulation Courses)
    • Course Architects: William Langford/Ernest Smith/Ron Garl/John Sanford/David Ferris
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Eighteen Hole: 74.1/130
    • Nine Hole:         35.7/122
    • Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Operation 36 Program.
    • Course Description
    • Junior Golf
    • Toptracer Range
    • GolfDay Rating: 90.6
    • Location 

Highlands Ridge Golf Club
  1. Highlands Ridge Golf Club/Avon Park
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