With more than 1,100 golf courses throughout the state designed by greats such as Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman and Tom Fazio, Florida boasts the most courses of any state in the U.S. as it plays host to almost 48 million rounds annually.
Meeting groups will appreciate all the championship courses for individual play and group outings the Sunshine State offers. In fact, some meeting professionals plan conferences around PGA Championships such as The Honda Classic in February in Palm Beach Gardens, Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, The PLAYERS at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, and the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, all scheduled in March.
Whether your attendees are pros or novices, these are some of the best ways you can incorporate Florida’s golf offerings into the meeting agenda.
Rosen Shingle Creek, Orlando
In the heart of Orlando’s convention district, the Arnold Palmer Design Company teamed up with Orlando hospitality great Harris Rosen to create the 18-hole championship golf course at Rosen Shingle Creek. For those who know the game, this is what golf is all about.
This course and resort property continues to garner praise for its ongoing commitment to excellence. Elevated greens, strategically placed bunkers and green complexes challenge golfers at every level, and the course is surrounded by enchanting flora and wildlife on a 255-acre backdrop. From hole to hole, golfers enjoy a wonderful blend of strategy and variety, reminiscent of the golden age of course design.
Do you have group members looking to shave strokes off their game? The Shingle Creek Golf Academy is where instructors use new, state-of-the-art swing analysis, game improvement technology and indoor hitting bays to show participants how to improve their game. Offering individual golf lessons, golf club fittings and adult/corporate golf clinics, this is the ultimate opportunity to mix business with pleasure. After a round, the Clubhouse Grill serves a wide-ranging menu with blackened grouper sandwich, the Arnold burger and grilled free-range chicken as just a few tempting choices.
When it is time to come in from your best round ever, there’s no better place to rest and rejuvenate than in any one of Rosen Shingle Creek’s 1,501 luxurious guest rooms and suites. Inspired by 1900s-era Spanish-style revival architecture, the moment you drive up the palm tree-lined entrance you understand why Rosen Shingle Creek is a top meetings hotel. Rosen Shingle Creek is where championship golf has been reinvented, with the classic Arnold Palmer touch.
Trump National Doral Miami
On Florida’s east coast, Trump National Doral Miami is known as a bucket list golf destination. First opened in 1962, the golf resort is home to four uniquely designed courses, including one of golf’s most iconic courses, the Blue Monster, played by former champions Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Greg Norman. With the most recent course transformations of The Red Tiger, The Golden Palm and The Silver Fox, Trump National Doral Miami offers distinct Doral golf experiences at any one of the remarkable courses.
Rounding out the resort’s golf offerings is the state-of-the-art LED practice facility and the Rick Smith Golf Performance Center. Guests of the 643-room resort can also take advantage of first-class amenities and services like True Spec Golf, the No. 1 club fitter in North America, and the latest apparel and gear inside the Golf Shop, the nation’s largest green grass shop. The hotel also boasts more than 100,000 square feet of event space, including the Donald J. Trump Grand Ballroom and BLT Prime, Champions Bar & Grill and Palm Grill.
[Related: The Top 10 Reasons to Meet in Florida]
Saddlebrook Resort, Wesley Chapel
With luxurious resort suites surrounding the two picturesque Arnold Palmer-designed courses, Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel, on what is dubbed Florida’s Sports Coast, remains an ideal location for a stay-and-play golf retreat. Both courses feature rolling fairways, well-maintained greens and wilderness areas bursting with cypress, pine and palm trees. Designed to resemble a rolling New England course, the Palmer Golf Course is a masterpiece. The 495-room hotel offers 95,000 square feet of versatile event space.
Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor, Port Charlotte
Designed by Florida native Kipp Schulties, the Aileron Golf Club at Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor in Southeast Florida is a world-class course with lush greens and a distinctive design. Scheduled to make its fully reimagined debut in 2023, look for a brand-new 10,000-square-foot clubhouse, restaurant, bar and pro shop. The 785-room hotel will have 60,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space.
Naples Grande Golf Club
At Naples Grande Golf Club, Rees Jones, the 18-hole championship course, is known as a course for all players at all skill levels and features unusual water features that incorporate exclusive Florida foliage. The club can coordinate golf tournaments during meetings on the 18-hole golf course and provide guests with full access to all golf club amenities, including locker rooms, a practice facility, professional shop and The Naples Grande Grill, which offers indoor and outdoor dining.
Marriott Hutchinson Island Beach Resort, Stuart
Meticulously maintained and intelligently designed by Charles Ankrom, the Ocean Club Golf Course is an 18-hole executive course located at the Marriott Hutchinson Island Beach Resort, Golf & Marina. A challenge for new and veteran golfers visiting Stuart, Florida, the course stretches from the Intracoastal Waterway to the Atlantic Ocean and was ranked by Golf Digest as one of the best executive golf courses in the country.
[Related: Fun Golf Games to Spice Up Group and Tournament Programs]
Streamsong Resort, Bowling Green
Three spectacular courses make up the top-level golf at the 228-room Streamsong Resort in Bowling Green. Designed by legendary architects including Ben Crenshaw, the Blue, Red and Black courses are considered some of the most challenging in the country. After a round, two clubhouses beckon with several restaurants, including SottoTerra for fine Italian fare and Bone Valley Tavern for a casual breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Copperhead Course, Palm Harbor
The top-rated Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Golf Resort in Palm Harbor is also home to the nationally televised PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship in March. Staff can help coordinate group outings on any of four courses or put together a Neon Putting Tournament for teambuilding fun. After a day of golf, guests can try Packard’s Steakhouse or Turnberry Pub, among other eateries.
Boca Raton Golf & Racquet Club
Boca Raton Golf & Racquet Club is the city’s newest course and is open for play. The 18-hole premier course offers players a premium golf experience in Boca Raton. The city continues to invest more than $7 million on improvements to the facility, including course upgrades, a renovated clubhouse, the addition of pickleball courts, landscaping and more.
PGA National Resort, Palm Beach Gardens
PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens has six championship courses, including The Fazio and The Palmer Courses. All the courses have been updated recently, and The Staple, a 9-hole course, is available for players of all abilities. Home to The Honda Classic each February, groups that want to watch incredible golf—rather than play—can experience the world’s top players playing The Champion Course during private hospitality opportunities for groups. Custom group tournaments can also be planned with the resort’s staff.
Plus: Topgolf Locations in Florida for Approachable Golf Outings
In seven locations and counting in Florida, Topgolf is the place to stage a fun golfing event in luxurious, climate-controlled hitting bays year-round. Orlando, Miami, Tampa-St. Pete, Jacksonville, Fort Myers and Lake Mary all have Topgolf facilities for your group to socialize, hit some balls, have some drinks and eat great food. No need to be a good—or even average—golfer here. This place is all about fun and camaraderie. Group outings include free rental clubs, craft beer and cocktails, and finger foods like buffalo chicken dip, nachos, warm pretzel bites, tacos, flatbreads and wings. Group lessons are also available with Topgolf coaches. Some facilities offer rooftop terraces with fire pits to continue the adventure!
Read more tips and recommendations for hosting meetings in Florida in the 2023 edition of Meetings Today Florida
