1The Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass
Keyur Khamar//Getty Images Where: Ponte Vedra Beach (22 miles from Jacksonville)
Play like a pro at this famed course that was constructed specifically to host The Players Championship—and is known as one of the most difficult golf courses in the world. Golf aficionados will no doubt relish the chance to take on the 17th hole, known as the "Island Green"—a famously challenging par 3 that's completely surrounded by water.
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2Dye's Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass
Ben Jared//Getty Images Where: Ponte Vedra Beach (22 miles from Jacksonville)
Can't get a tee time at the Stadium Course? TPC Sawgrass is also home to Dye's Valley Course, a slightly more approachable and less expensive—but still challenging—course full of surprising undulations, sweeping greens, and water features at every hole.
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3Streamsong
David Cannon//Getty Images Where: Bowling Green (70 miles from Tampa)
Streamsong Resort is home to three top-rated golf courses: Streamsong Red, Streamsong Blue, and Streamsong Black. All three courses have towering dunes and unique hills that are completely unlike the terrain you'll find at most Florida golf courses. The sweeping elevation changes and abundant lakes make for an engaging and challenging round of golf, no matter which course you're on.
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4Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort
Douglas P. DeFelice//Getty Images Where: Palm Harbor (24 miles from Tampa)
This course is home to the Snake Pit: a famously difficult final three-hole stretch, marked by a unique statue of a giant snake. It's this series of holes—with narrow greens, uphill approaches, and water running alongside the 16th hole—that has made or defeated champions at the PGA Valspar Championship here each year.
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5TPC Tampa Bay
Dick Durrance II//Getty Images Where: Lutz (15 miles from Tampa)
This scenic course winds through local wetlands, cypress trees, natural ponds and more. TPC Tampa is home not only to world-class holes, but also to charming wildlife, including deer, fox, armadillos, eagles, and more. For those who want to get some extra practice, the course also has a putting green, driving range, and short game facility.
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6The Champion at PGA National Resort
Courtesy of PGA National Resort Where: Palm Beach Gardens (13 miles from Palm Beach)
The PGA Resort has six courses worth playing (you must be a resort guest), but if you've only got a day, spend it on The Champion course. It's one of the toughest courses PGA Tour players will face, thanks to The Bear Trap: a series of three challenging holes that designer and golfer Jack Nicklaus said is "about guts."
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7The Palmer at PGA National Resort
Courtesy of PGA National Resort Where: Palm Beach Gardens (13 miles from Palm Beach)
Named for legend Arnold Palmer, this course is more forgiving than The Champion. It's an approachable course for golfers of all skill levels, but it still offers plenty of chances to get creative with your shot amid truly striking views.
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8Gold Course at Tiburón Golf Club
Michael Reaves//Getty Images Where: Naples
Designed by golf champion Greg Norman, this course features an ideal blend of wide, forgiving fairways, and challenging routes that wind through acres of pine and imposing bunkers. You'll have to book a room at the Ritz-Carlton to play this and the property's Black Course, but that just means you'll get to enjoy fine dining and spa treatments after you're done playing.
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9Grand Cypress Links Course at Evermore Orlando Resort
Evermore Orlando Resort Where: Orlando
This Jack Nicklaus-designed course in Orlando was inspired by the world-renowned Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland. Here, you'll find steep bunkers, plenty of undulation, and deep pot bunkers to keep you on your toes for all 18 holes.
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10Flamingo Island Course at Lely Resort
Jeff Greenberg//Getty Images Where: Naples
The Flamingo Island Course—one of two public courses at the resort—features white sand bunkers, sculpted fairways surrounded by water, and multiple teeing stations. The varied design of this course ensures a challenging, but not frustrating, experience for golfers of all levels.
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11Normandy Shores Golf Club
Jeff Greenberg//Getty Images Where: Miami Beach
This scenic course offers views of Biscayne Bay as golfers make their way through the rolling fairways and well-protected greens. It's an approachable course for golfers of all skill levels, and the picturesque views make for a pleasant day—no matter how the game goes.
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12Crandon Golf at Key Biscayne
Joe Raedle//Getty Images Where: Key Biscayne (seven miles from Miami)
Surrounded on all sides by water and lush tropical foliage, a day on this course makes for a memorable experience, as golfers weave through the challenging sand traps and saltwater lakes that dot the landscape.
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13King & Bear at World Golf Village
Ben Jared//Getty Images Where: St. Augustine
This is the only course in the world co-designed by two of the biggest names in golf: Arnold Palmer (aka "The King") and Jack Nicklaus (aka "The Golden Bear"). It brings together their distinctive design styles, and the result is a course that has both traditional links-style holes and Florida golf holes. The course is filled with indigenous oak trees, numerous water features, and opportunities for long, powerful drives. Avid golfers, add this one to your bucket list ASAP.
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14Slammer & Squire at World Golf Village
Keyur Khamar//Getty Images Where: St. Augustine
The other course at World Golf Village is Slammer & Squire, a 6,939-yard course designed with the area's natural beauty in mind. On this course, you'll find plenty of unspoiled wooded areas, deep white sand bunkers, and subtle undulations that keep things interesting.
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15El Campeón at Mission Inn Resort and Club
Julio Aguilar//Getty Images Where: Howey-in-the-Hills (37 miles from Orlando)
One of Florida's oldest golf courses, El Campeón has dramatic elevation changes that are unusual to find in central Florida and make for a delightfully challenging round. The course also features a few fun island greens and strategic tree placements to keep golfers on their toes.
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16Celebration Golf Club
John Greim//Getty Images Where: Celebration (21 miles from Orlando)
This cheerfully-named golf course in Orlando was designed by a father-son team, Robert Trent Jones Senior and Junior. Here, you'll find 18 distinctive holes winding through the area's natural wetlands and native trees.
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17Rees Jones Course at LPGA International
Mike Stobe//Getty Images Where: Daytona Beach
Formerly known as the Champions Course, this one's a favorite among LPGA tour players. It has gorgeous lakes, undulating greens and a design that's approachable—but also allows daring players to experiment with inventive shots.
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18Palmer Course at Reunion Resort & Golf Club
Matt Marriott//Getty Images Where: Kissimmee (22 miles from Orlando)
You'll have to be a resort guest to get on this Arnold Palmer-designed course—but rest assured, it's worth it. The course has sweeping elevation changes up to 50 feet, wide fairways, and plenty of both natural and man-made water hazards to contend with.
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19Raven Golf Club at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort
Douglas P. DeFelice//Getty Images Where: Miramar Beach (14 miles from Seaside)
This undulating course is ideal for varied play, as some holes require powerful drives, while others are more about strategy. Golfers on this course will get to also enjoy beautiful scenery that includes marshes, pine trees, and plenty of water.
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20Magnolia Course at Walt Disney World Golf
Alex Menendez//Getty Images Where: Lake Buena Vista (24 miles from Orlando)
Should you find yourself on a Disney vacation in Orlando, make time for the Magnolia Course. Named for the stately magnolia trees that dot it, this course boasts wide fairways and newly re-contoured greens that make for enjoyable play.
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