The Best Public and Stay-and-Play Golf Courses in Naples
The Best Public and Stay-and-Play Golf Courses in Naples
If you’re planning the ultimate golf getaway, there’s no better place than Naples to visit any time of year. After all, Florida’s Paradise Coast isn’t just world-renowned for its postcard surroundings and tropical weather. It also offers the most golf courses per capita in the entire country.
From exclusive stay-and-play golf experiences to more than 70 courses open to the public, this upscale destination showcases a wide and distinguished variety of options for beginners and scratch golfers alike. And for your first gimme, we’ve narrowed them down to some of our golfcation and public favorites.
The following courses all feature at least 18 holes as well as clubhouses and pro shops. Not to mention restaurants and bars to satisfy even the most exquisite tastes. No matter how many times you want to tee it up, your perfect golf escape beckons.
Stay & Play In Naples
Tiburón Golf Club
- The Gold Course: Par 72; 7,382 yards
- The Black Course: Par 72; 6,949 yards
The luxurious Tiburón Golf Club is part of The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón and includes two championship courses designed by Greg Norman. The Gold, which opened in 1998, can play up to 7,382 yards. While technically the longer of the two championship courses, it’s regarded as easier due to wider and more forgiving fairways. The Black, which opened in 2001, plays up to 6,949 yards through acres of tall pines and features huge bunkers flanking the fairways.
Tiburón Golf Club is also home to three annual pro tournaments (CME Group Tour Championship, Grant Thorton Invitational and Chubb Classic), which means you can play where the pros play (and perhaps even bump into one on occasion.) The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón is located ten miles north of Downtown Naples and offers several stay-and-play packages.
Naples Grande Golf Club
Guests of the Naples Grande Beach Resort can tackle this terrific championship course designed by architect Rees Jones. Earning a 4.5-star rating from Golf Magazine, the Naples Grande Golf Club was also named one of North America’s Top 100 Resort Courses by Golf Week. It is located seven miles southeast of the Naples Grande Beach Resort and six miles northeast of Downtown Naples.
La Playa Golf Club
Guests of LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort are welcome to play what GolfNow described as a “difficult yet friendly” course (no easy feat). As testy as it is lovely, the course was designed by architects Ernie Smith and Bob Cupp, and is lauded for its consistently pristine condition. LaPlaya Golf Club is four miles northeast of LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort, which is 11 miles north of Downtown Naples.
JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort
- Hammock Bay: Par 72; 6,985 yards
- The Rookery: Par 72; 7,170 yards
Surrounded by the natural beauty of an Audubon International Gold Certified Signature Sanctuary, guests of the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort can play two championship golf courses designed by Peter Jacobsen and Jim Hardy.
The course at Hammock Bay Golf & Country Club plays up to 6,985 yards, featuring multiple tee boxes for golfers of all levels, PlatinumTE paspalum turfgrass, visually striking bunkers and greens that offer a variety of approach shot options. Nestled within shallow wetlands, The Rookery at Marco’s course plays up to 7,170 yards and features five teeing location options, fast greens and a state-of-the-art GPS yardage system.
While you must stay to play either course, you’ll be glad you did. Set along three miles of private, sugar-white beach, the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort offers global cuisine at 12 restaurants, a world-class spa, family-friendly activities, an adults-only retreat and more. The property is located 19 miles south of Downtown Naples.
Public Golf Courses In Naples
Hibiscus Golf Club
Come one, come all to Hibiscus Golf Club, a top-quality course that’s fully open to the public. Not a pro? No problem, as wider and more forgiving fairways make Hibiscus a popular choice for less experienced players. Traversing through indigenous Florida foliage, you’ll enjoy 18 totally different challenges featuring bunkered greens, numerous lakes and tranquil streams. Hibiscus Golf Club is located just five miles southeast of Downtown Naples.
The Links Of Naples
This executive-length course has been described as “a great beginner course with a mix of par threes and fours.” But it’s not just for newbies as even experienced golfers can find challenges throughout. As a cool extra, The Links of Naples offers lighted night golf Wednesdays through Saturdays from November to April. The facility also features a fully lit practice area. The Links is located 14 miles southeast of Downtown Naples.
Valencia Golf & Country Club
Newly renovated in 2018, the Valencia Golf & Country Club has long been known for its wide fairways and actively contoured greens. It has also been awarded a 4-star rating by Golf Digest. The course features Celebration® Bermudagrass on the fairways, TifEagle greens for consistent putting speeds and purposeful placement of bunkers. Valencia is located 24 miles northeast of Downtown Naples.
Arrowhead Golf Club
From 2004 to 2020, the Southwest Florida Choice Awards named Arrowhead Golf Club the Best Public Golf Course for all but two of those years. ArrowHead opened in 1997 and features 16 pristine lakes, undulating greens and well-placed, powdery bunkers. Located 15 miles northeast of Downtown Naples, the course is one of Southwest Florida’s most popular choices for residents and visitors.
Lely Resort
- Flamingo Island: Par 72; 7,095 yards
The Mustang: Par 72; 7,230 yards
The community of Lely Resort Golf & Country Club features two public and picturesque golf courses. Flamingo Island was designed by renowned architect Robert Trent Jones and is characterized by beautifully sculpted, hourglass fairways, expansive greens and plenty of water. The Mustang, designed by Lee Trevino, is a bit more friendly to the average golfer, but no less beautiful. Lely Resort is located 10 miles southwest of Downtown Naples.
Eagle Lakes Golf Club
Established in 2005, the Eagle Lakes Golf Club course is laid out around 21 lakes and borders the vast wilds of Collier-Seminole State Park. It’s no wonder the club promises a “one-of-a-kind Florida Everglades golf experience.” A consistent mention among online reviewers is the wildlife they’ve seen while playing, but please don’t let any creatures distract you from shooting a great round. Eagle Lakes is located 15 miles southeast of Downtown Naples.
TPC Treviso Bay
The prestigious TPC Treviso Bay, which opened in 2008 and is a member of the Tournament Players Club network, is open for public play from May through October. Booking seven days in advance is highly recommended. Beautifully manicured and scenic, the course will test the skills of even the most accomplished players. TPC Treviso Bay is located eight miles southeast of Downtown Naples.