By Ronnie Ramos
Nestled between the Everglades and the sandy white beaches, Miami has steadily assembled some of the best golf courses anyone can play. Florida has long been known as a golf mecca with its abundance of golf courses and year-round warm weather.
And now Miami, with its unique combination of world-class municipal courses and elite golf resorts has emerged as the go-to destination for public-access golf. Golfers can stroll the same fairways the pros play on the PGA Tour today and visit courses steeped in the history of the game.
While the economy has slowed the development of new courses, the Greater Miami area has continued to invest in the game and the results have been impressive.
Municipal layouts have been redesigned and upgraded, the result an unparalleled collection of courses that make it hard to believe these are government-owned public courses. The area’s resorts also have continued to renovate its courses and improve its amenities. You can stay and play where the PGA Tour competes and even on an exclusive island adjacent to famed South Beach.
Let’s take a swing around the best courses around Miami.
PUBLIC COURSES
Miami Beach Golf Club
2301 Alton Road, Miami Beach
305-532-3350
6,813 yards, par 72.
miamibeachgolfclub.com
No other course embodies the transformation of public golf in Miami better than ol’ Bayshore Golf Course. Just a five-iron from South Beach’s famed Collins Avenue, the city-owned course opened in 1923 as part of pioneer Carl Fisher’s plan to lure visitors from the Northeast to South Florida. The course boasted a terrific layout but suffered from a lack of attention.
In 2002, the city brought in a famous golf course architect, Arthur Hills, and spent $10 million to renovate the course and build a new clubhouse. Hills kept the original routing, replaced the Bermuda grass fairways with a seaside paspalum grass and adding much-needed mounding to better define each hole.
From the opening par 5 first hole which bisects two ponds to the wonderful finishing three holes, the renamed Miami Beach Golf Club has emerged as one of the best places to play in South Florida.
The final three holes will test your game. No. 16 plays at just 347 yards form the back tee but the hole is a dogleg right around a lake; this classic risk-reward hole lets you decide how much you want to bite off on your tee shot. No 17 is a par 3 (183 yards from the back tees) over water to an elevated green protected by a horseshoe bunker. The final hole is a medium par four with a generous landing area and a small green.
Green fees: $100 (May-Oct.), $125 (Nov.-Dec. 17), $200 (Dec. 18-April); rates include cart and range balls. Club rental: $60.
Biltmore Golf Course
1210 Anastasia Ave., Coral Gables
305-445-5364
6,742 yards, par 71
biltmorehotel.com
This Donald Ross classic was built in 1925 and everyone from Babe Ruth to Tiger Woods has played the course adjacent to the towering hotel of the same name. Former President Bill Clinton also loved to play here. The course hosts one of the most prestigious junior tournaments in the country during the holiday season each year. Past winners include Woods, Camilo Villegas and Christie Kerr.
The course sits on 140 acres in the heart of Coral Gables. Like the Miami Beach course, this city-owned course floundered for many years until 2007, when a $5 million renovation brought Ross’ original design back to life.
The course’s original routing was restored, including the finishing 18th hole, a par 5 that winds up next to the famous historic hotel. The course feels and plays like a resort course. The fairways are wide and easy to hit. Then you have to try and hit those famous crowned Donald Ross greens. The greens have lots of slopes and there is just enough water to keep it interesting.
Among the best holes is the lengthened par 4 17th, (450 yards), which features a canal in front of an elevated, bulkheaded green that slopes severely from front to back.
Green fees: $169 (Mon-Thurs.), $189 Fri.-Sun.) , $119 after 1 p.m.; Club rental: $75.
Miami International Links
1802 NW 37th Ave., Miami
305-633-4583
7,173 yards, par 71
internationallinksgolfclub.com
This classic city municipal course, run by the city of Miami, started the renovation trend in South Florida when the city decided in 1997 to spend $3.5 million to upgrade this urban layout adjacent to the Miami International Airport. The city turned over the management of the course to Charlie DeLucca, a local institution and the father of junior golf in South Florida. When the course reopened, Tiger Woods held a clinic before more than 3,500 fans.
DeLucca has transformed the facility into a comfortable place where local sports celebrities practice and play alongside the largest junior golf program in the region. DeLuca was the driving force behind the Florida golf license tag, which helps fund junior golf, and his course is now a First Tee facility.
The course itself is an excellent test of golf. It can stretch to more than 7,000 yards for the pros and includes six sets of tees, including a green junior set for kids. The course also boasts one of the best deals in the area during the busy winter season: a $40 twilight rate starting at 1 p.m.
The Links’ toughest stretch, called Heartbreak Ridge by the locals, starts on the `13th hole, a par four (382 yards) with water along the leftside of the fairway and guarding the front of the elevated green. The 14th hole, the course’s signature hole, is a sweeping par 4, dogleg right, with water all along the right side of the hole. The 15th hole, a par 3, offers nice views of the downtown skyline from the tee.
Crandon Golf Club
6700 Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne
305-961-9129
7,301 yards, par 72
crandongolfclub.com
Crandon Golf Club is one of the best-kept secrets in South Florida. Tucked amid the mangroves along Biscayne Bay, this county-owned course has long been ranked one of the best public courses to play in the United States. It also has hosted a Senior PGA Tour event for the past 18 years.
While it may not get as much attention as the local well-known resorts and the more prominently located public courses, Crandon Golf Club is the prettiest course in the region. Located inside a county park minutes from downtown, this secluded course has no houses anywhere on the property and offers some stunning views of the Miami skyline.
Designed by the famous duo of Bruce Devlin and Robert Von Hagge in 1972 (the pair came back to do a terrific redesign in 1993), the course demands shots over the indigenous mangroves and several saltwater lakes.
You get the idea from your first tee shot on the par 5 opening hole. Your tee shot is over mangroves to a double-dogleg fairway that is guarded by water all along the left side of the hole. The third hole, a par three over a saltwater lake, may be the coolest shot in south Florida. Your tee shot is from a mangrove and tree encased corner of the course, over the lake to a well-protected green. It’s the kind of hole that can only exist in South Florida. In fact, every par 5 and par 3 on the course are a perfect combination of an excellent golf hole combined with terrific scenery.
Green fees: $180; $45 after 3 p.m. Rental clubs: $45.
Resort courses
Doral Golf Resort & Spa
4400 N.W. 87th Avenue Miami
305-592-2000
Five courses
doralgolf.com
The most famous of Miami’s resorts, Doral will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2012. The resort was founded by the Kaskel family in 1962 with three golf courses across 2,400 acres on the west side of Miami. Today, the Marriott property boasts five courses, a world-class spa and an expansive water-themed area for children.
The Blue Monster, host of an annual PGA Tour event each winter, was renovated by former PGA player and South Florida resident Raymond Floyd in 1994, part of a $30 million renovation to the resort at the time. Consistently ranked one of the top courses in the country, the Blue Monster boasts one of the hardest finishing holes on the PGA Tour. The par 4 has water all along the left side and bunkers guarding the right side.
The rest of the course is a classic Florida blend of sand and water hazards. What makes the Blue Monster so much fun to play is there are lots of risk-reward options to ponder. The par 5 10th hole is a great example. It’s a sharp dogleg left to a small green fronted by bunkers. You have to decided how close you want to hug your tee shot to the left side, where the water is – but if you do, you can shorten the hole considerably. Then you have to decide how much of the corner to cut off on your second shot.
Like the municipal courses in town, Doral has invested millions in the past 20 years to improve its courses and facilities. In addition to the 1994 redesign of the Blue Monster, Doral hired Greg Norman in 2000 to redesign its White course. Norman brought in his trademark crushed coquina shells and his small greens to the design now called the Great White. This year, the well-liked Silver course is getting a renovation and a new name: The Jim McLean Signature course. McLean, one of the top golf instructors in the United States, has his golf instruction headquarters at Doral. His course features an island par 3 – in fact, all of the par 3s on the course are great – and a tough trio of opening holes that will get your attention from the first shot.
Green fees: Blue - $210-$325; Great White - $105-$225; Gold and McLean Courses - $85-$175; Red - $65-$125.
Shula’s Hotel and Golf Club
6842 Main Street, Miami Lakes
305-403-9719
6,982 yards, Par 72
donshulahotel.com
Tucked away in the northwest corner of Miami-Dade County, Shula’s Hotel and Golf Club is tranquil retreat. The small resort is part of the master-planned community of Miami Lakes and has maintained its small-town charm.
The resort was developed by the Graham family, which included former U.S. Senator Bob Graham. Former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula and Graham developed a business relationship which led to not only the resort bearing the Hall of Fame coach’s name, but the place where his chain of steakhouses also got their start.
The course, built in 1962, was – like most of the top golf courses in South Florida – renovated. In 1990 architect Kip Schulties renovated the course and in 1999 he came back and regrassed the course with a better strain of Bermuda and flip-flopped the front and back nines.
The course is flat, but it is a welcome respite from the typical Florida course that employs water hazards on seemingly every hole. Here, the water really comes into play on a handful of holes. One excellent example is the par 5 7th hole, which tails a little right and is punctuated by an island green. It’s a wonderful touch on a subtle and enjoyable layout.
Green fees: $134-175 mornings; $83 after 11 a.m.; $45 after 2 p.m.
Fairmont Turnberry Isle
19999 West Country Club Drive, Miami
305-932-6200
Two courses (Soffer and Miller)
fairmontgolf.com
turnberryisle.com
This exclusive resort in the northeast corner of greater Miami has long been a favorite destination for celebrities and athletes. The resort, known for its privacy and elegance, has been a place where Michael Jordan likes to stay and play.
Set amid 300 acres between U.S. 1 and the intracoastal waterway, the resort recently underwent $150 million in renovations. Of that, $45 million was spent on a complete renovation of its two golf courses. Raymond Floyd, who renovated Doral’s famed Blue Monster and her sister Gold course, was hired for the job at Turnberry.
It was a bold undertaking, considering the courses were originally designed by legendary architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. Floyd was up to the challenge.
The courses are stunningly beautiful to look at and challenging to play. Bulkheads around tee boxes and greens frame each hole and provide some elevation changes which are very unusual in South Florida.
This combination of beauty and challenge is most evident on the Soffer Course’s finishing hole, a par 5 with an island green tucked off to the right. The hole is framed by a 64-foot high waterfall. The hole itself is a blast to play with water along the entire right side of the fairway. Hug the shoreline and you can try to reach the island green in two. The more prudent play is to lay up to the left and then attack the island green with a wedge approach shot.
It’s the kind of hole that leaves a memorable impression of your round at Turnberry.
Green fees (open to resort guests only): $40-$250.
Fisher Island Club
1 Fisher Island Drive, Miami
305-535-6000
3069 yards, par 35
fisherislandclub.com
If you want a unique experience in the most unique location in South Florida, throw your clubs onto the ferry and head to this exclusive island between downtown Miami and South Beach.
Fisher Island is an exclusive enclave accessible only by ferry. But there is a hotel on the island and its guests have playing privileges on the fabulous nine-hole course.
The course, designed by P.B. Dye, is an excellent track with generous fairways. The highlight of the round is the 390-yard, par 4 7th hole. The hole plays along the channel that separates the island from South Beach and where all the cruise ships enter and leave Miami each week.
More than the golf, a trip to Fisher Island is a throwback to bygone era of exclusive elegance. Hotel guest stay in the Vanderbilt guest house and each room gets a golf cart for use to get around the island. There is a private beach, pools and tennis courts to keep you busy.
Green fees (hotel guests): $125-$195 (for 18 holes); club rental $50.