Camp Creek Golf Club, located off of Northwest Florida's Scenic Highway 30A, and just west of Panama City Beach, WaterSound, is operated by the St. Joe Company. Although it could hardly be called an ocean-side course, Tom Fazio’s layout makes extensive use of water and sand. Eleven of the 18 holes feature water and all of them make use sand and the native wetlands in one form or another. The bunkers have been placed with care and glee. From the back tees they are set to gather even the slighted wayward shot. From the forward tees the mere sight of them is intimidating. The fairways and greens are in impeccable condition; the rough is heavy and ball within is almost certainly a ball lost. Tom Fazio is regarded by many of his peers as a genius, and by those who play his courses as… well, I’ll leave that to you. It is true, however, that Golf Digest polled golf course architects to name the "Best Modern Day Golf Course Architect," Fazio came in top of the list. Not only that, the American Association of Golf Course Superintendents chose Fazio as one of only three architects to receive their highly cherished "Old Tom Morris Award."
The Camp Creek course features some very interesting layouts. For instance, number three is a long par 5 of more than 540 yards. The idea is to play the left side of the fairway along the lake shore. The right side seems more forgiving, but there’s a risk of being captured or blocked out by heavily bunkered dunes and slopes.
Number 5 is a 205-yard par 3 that plays to an elevated green. Blustery winds off of the ocean play a big factor here. Miss it left and you’ll experience a somewhat interesting shot from the huge waste bunker that runs along the left side of the fairway almost from tee to green; go long and heavy wetlands are waiting behind and to the right.
Nine is a real bear of a par 4. The 440-yard layout doglegs left around a lake. The idea here is to play left, skirting the waste bunker, for the best approach to the elevated green. Play the right side of the fairway and you could find yourself in the bunkers, making the second shot to the green somewhat interesting, to say the least.
The par 3 14th is one of the most picturesque holes on the course. The tees are some 30 degrees higher than the green which extends way to the right with the lake in front of it, like a peninsula. From the back tee you’ll play across the lake from an elevated box; from tee to green it’s 175 yards and the ball must carry almost the entire distance. Playing the forward tees takes most of the water out of play, but the left side of the green is heavily guarded by an enormous bunker.
Sixteen is another extremely interesting par 3. Again, water plays a huge part in the design. The play is a 217-yard tee shot across a large pond to a large green almost entirely surrounded by a sand pine forest; if you’re short you’ll find yourself either in the water or the waste bunker that guards the right side of the green; if you’re long, you'll be in the woods, literally.
The par-4 18th is a daunting 453 yards with water along the entire right side of the fairway. The play should favor the left side but a nest of bunkers some 225 yards out can make the road home a long one. The second shot to the green is also fraught with danger: there are bunkers to the left and right and, if the pin is placed to the back of the green, a fly ball will find trouble beyond the short grass.
The course is private, but available to guests of the Watercolor Inn & Resort and those staying in WaterColor and WaterSound luxury vacation rentals. The Inn is located approximately one-hour from Panama City Beach in the St. Joe developed WaterColor, a 499-acre coastal community featuring a wide-range of pastel-colored, tin roof luxury homes.
How to Get There
Camp Creek Golf Club is located just north off of Northwest Florida's Scenic Highway 30A, between WaterColor and Rosemary Beach, 2 miles east of Water Sound.
From Ft. Walton Beach Airport
- Right on SR 85 - NE approx. 1.7 miles, left on Hwy 20 - SE approx. 6 miles, right on SR 293 - SW. Mid Bay Bridge toll = $2.50. South for approx. 7 miles, left on US Hwy. 98. Stay east on 98 for approx. 25 miles to Camp Creek entrance sign on the right (south) side of the road.
From Destin:
- Take US Hwy. 98 east approx. 22 miles past entrance to Sandestin. Our entrance sign will be located on the right (south) side of Hwy. 98.
From Panama City Airport:
- From the airport, go Right on Hwy 390 approximately 3 miles, right on 23rd street to intersection of 23rd and Hwy 98, Right on 98, cross Hathaway Bridge. Stay on 98 (Panama City Beach Parkway) and cross Phillips Inlet bridge (Lake Powell). Go 3 more miles on 98 and our entrance will be on the left (South) side of 98.
Airlines and Rental Cars:
The closest major airport serving Camp Creek Golf Club and the WaterColor Resort & Golf Community is the Panama City Bay County Airport located about eight miles from Panama City. You can look for the best airline and car rental deals with these two aggregators, which provide travelers with an up-to-date search tool to compare prices on airfares and car rentals of all ratings.For more and up-to-date information about what’s going on in golf in Florida and other areas such as Golf in Palm Springs or Golf in Palm Desert or for the latest in what's going on in Golf Travel, the latest and most attractive Golf Travel Specials and Packages, please Subscribe to my weekly Newsletter. Also, you can check for more information about Florida Golf Travel Opportunities.
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