Best golf courses near Santa Rosa Beach, FL

Located along the popular and stylish Highway 30A section of northwest Florida, Camp Creek is available to play for guests staying in the WaterColor and WaterSound communities. An underated course in the Fazio portfolio, the design explores several ecosystems including a sand and dunes section near the breezy Gulf Coast, holes that play around a series of internal lakes and a forest loop on the northside of the property with some of the course's best holes, including the reachable par-5 12th with a centerline bunker awaiting second shots, the short par-4 13th playing up to a tabletop green, the gorgous downhill par-3 14th nestled against water and the long, stout par-4 15th with a large, wavy green.

After routing players through the pine forests and wetlands of the Emerald Coast, Rees Jones wows golfers on the back nine with views of the Choctawhatchee Bay. Much like the differing scenery on each nine, players will be required to hit a different type of approach shot into each green. Unlike the other three courses at Sandestin, which are open to the non-resort guests, Burnt Pine is only open to members and resort guests.

About 30 miles northeast of Destin, Windswept Dunes plays through white sand dunes that give this Northwest Florida track a unique feel. Windswept Dunes is second-shot golf course, as the fairways are extremely wide, while the approaches can be a little more demanding. The layout plays over 750 acres and has a more rural feel than many of the resort courses along the Gulf Coast.

The Raven Golf Club at Sandestin is a Robert Trent Jones Jr. design that hosted a PGA Tour Champions event in the mid-2000s. Both the fairways and the greens have a fair amount of undulation, creating some uneven lies on approaches and testing lag putts. The course is highlighted by the par-3 sixth, which plays to a generous island green. There are bunkers on each side of the green, saving errant shots from finding the surrounding water.

Situated on the Choctawhatchee Bay in Destin, Kelly Plantation is built on the site of a former turpentine plantation. Designers Fred Couples and Gene Bates delivered on their goal to make it a playable course for higher handicaps, as there are hardly any forced carries from the forward tees. It’s a stout challenge from the tips, though, which play 7,100 yards and to a rating of just under 75. The waterfront holes offer some tremendous views of the bay.

Though some holes at Regatta Bay Golf & Yacht Club are lined with houses, the course traverses through the coastal landscape, with the marshlands and pines giving it a secluded feel. This semi-private facility is open to the public and offers a variety of designs, including some stout par 3s. In 2019, the course competed a $2.25 million course enhancement project that included green and bunker renovations.

There’s plenty of variety at The Links course at Sandestin—sharp doglegs, split fairways and crossing water hazards abound on this risk/reward Tom Jackson design. Five holes play along Choctawhatchee Bay, offering terrific views. As is often the case in the area, strong winds off the Gulf are common.

One of four 18-hole layouts at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, the Baytowne course extends from the Choctawhatchee Bay to near the Gulf of Mexico. There are more elevation changes on Baytowne compared to the other three Sandestin layouts. The course offers five sets of tees, including one that plays just 3,000 yards, perfect for kids and beginners.