Destin Golf - Florida's Northwest Gulf Coast

Golf on Florida’s Gulf Coast - An Overview: I’ve been visiting the Destin Golf Courses on Florida's Northwest Gulf Coast for almost 30 years. In those far off days when I first entered the city limits of Destin, it was no more than a sleepy little fishing village with a couple of nice seafood restaurants, a half-dozen beach-front oyster bars and one chain hotel. Back then it was still a fairly well-kept secret that the beaches are counted among some of the best in the world, but no more. The golf courses in Destin and Fort Walton Beach, along with the Emerald Coast itself, have grown beyond recognition.

Family and Kids:

As a family destination, Destin rivals even Orlando as THE place to go for fun in the sun. Why? Well, the most compelling reason is that geographically Destin is the first hot/warm stop on the way south for most of the snowbirds. There’s plenty to see, do and enjoy for one and all, from tiny tots to seniors – all the attractions and amenities one would associate with a major resort including Seaworld and many miles of pristine beaches, yes and golf too.

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As Golf Destination Destin Has No Rival: And the options seem almost limitless. There are more than 1,080 golf holes all with a short drive of the Coast. But why drive even a short distance when there are more than a dozen great courses close at hand? You could, for instance, play Regatta Bay Golf Club, a public course of 18 championship holes designed by golf course architect, Robert C. Walker; or how about the Kelly Plantation Golf Club, a semi-private Fred Couples Signature Golf Course; then there’s Indian Bayou Golf Club, another semi-private club featuring 27 holes of golf. All three of these courses are in Destin and within a mile of each other.

In Fort Walton Beach Too: The options are just as plentiful. Shalimar Pointe Country Club is a semi-private 18-hole course, quiet and professionally run; Fort Walton Beach Golf Club has two championship courses - The Pines at 6,800 yards is an an upland pine forest layout, and The Oaks offers more than 6,400 yards of narrow, oak-lined fairways and challenging water hazards – there’s even an Edwin Watts Golf Shop and a full service restaurant.

Where to Eat: The two seafood restaurants I once knew are, unfortunately long gone, as are most of the oyster bars. The old Hog’s Breath Saloon that was featured in the original Jaws movie is no more either. Well, I say no more; it has, in fact, relocated to a new, more high-profile location on the Strip. It’s a still a nice restaurant, and the food is good, but the atmosphere…, good enough, I suppose, but if you knew the old Hog’s Breath you might tend to get a little nostalgic for what once was.

Perhaps one of the best is The Beach Walk Café. Internationally famous chef, Tim Creehan, runs the Café in the tradition of the great chefs of New Orleans. Ruth’s Chris Steak House has an international reputation that speaks for itself. Two more to consider are AJ's Seafood and Oyster House, and the Lucky Snapper, though one might wonder how any fish, snapper or otherwise, that ends its days gazing up from a plate can be deemed “lucky.” For breakfast I’d like to recommend The Donut Hole and The Broken Egg Café. I’ve experienced both and can only speak highly of them, although both can be a bit crowded at peak hour.

Where to Stay: You’ll be surprised to learn that the options for a beachfront hotel room on the Emerald Coast are somewhat limited, the good old Holiday Inn chain being perhaps the best of what there is available – there’s one in Destin and another in Fort Walton. But let’s not get hung up on hotel rooms. The Emerald Coast is the land of the rental condo, and there are literally thousands to choose from. I never had experienced one of these cover-all opportunities until I stayed at the Silver Beach Towers owned by Southern Resorts. Having now had that experience I say, “to heck with the hotel room, I’ll take a condo any day.”

The Condo Option is Ideal for Groups: Condominiums on the Emerald Coast are almost always large and inevitably luxurious. You can choose from one, two or three bedroom units complete with lounge, full kitchen, a balcony overlooking the ocean, and even a Jacuzzi. Some will sleep as many as 16 people. True, you have to cater for yourself, but so what? You can rent for just a few days or for as long as several months – and the longer you stay, the better the price. The rates are basically the same as you would expect to pay for a hotel room, maybe even a little less, but what you get for your dollars beats the hotel room hands down.

More of Florida's Golf Courses: Here's a list of some you should not miss:

• The TPC Sawgrass PLAYERS STADIUM Course
• Dye's Valley Course at Sawgrass
• The Omni Orlando at ChampionsGate
• The Blue Monster at Doral
• Regatta Bay in Destin
• Indian Bayou in Destin
• The Rookery on Marco Island

More information about Florida Golf Courses.