Traveling to St. Augustine you’ll find some of the best golf courses in the nation! Home to a variety of top championships, plus the Golf Hall of Fame, there isn’t a shortage of courses for you to get a quick (or long) 18 holes in! From the challenging par 5s on the King and Bear to the challenging water hazards at Cimarrone, here are the top 7 best golf courses in and around St. Augustine to hit the links!
World Golf Village
World Golf Village of St. Augustine is a very popular golf course and has hosted several professional golf tournaments.
If you’re a golf fan, you need to go to the World Golf Village, which has hosted tons of professional golf tournaments, including the Champions Tour and the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf. It’s home to two of the most famous courses in the country, created by golfing legends: King & Bear and Slammer & Squire. The King & Bear course was designed by Hall of Famers Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus and features 7,279 yards of greens with a variety of par 5’s to keep you on your toes.
The Slammer & Squire course was created by Hall of Famers Sam “Slammer” Snead and Gene “Squire” Sarazen as consultants and offers views of the Hall of Fame and some very memorable par 3s!
While here, check out the PGA Tour Academy, where you can learn from some of the game’s top instructors, and take a tour of the World Golf Hall of Fame. You’ll hear stories and see artifacts about some of the greatest players, and enjoy exhibits like the one dedicated to Bob Hope! It’s truly a bucket-list destination for any golf lover!
Julington Creek Golf Club
Formerly known as the Champion’s Club at Julington Creek, the Julington Creek Golf Club was home to the World Junior Championship Finals way back in 1997. It offers a number of amazing amenities.
With a challenging layout that demands fades and draws, the Julington Creek Golf Club, formerly known as the Champion’s Club at Julington Creek, opened in 1992 and was home to the World Junior Championship Finals in 1997.
Designed and owned by PGA Professional Steve Melnyk, you can expect some narrow fairways and overhanging trees, which can pose some exciting challenges for golfers of any skill. The Julington Creek Golf Club also offers a variety of amenities, including a pro shop, practice facilities, full-service dining and lounge, rentals, and a locker room. Enjoy the morning hitting a solid 18, and then grab some lunch and relax!
Cimarrone Golf Club
Cimarrone Golf Club is a semi-private course that has been named one of the top 100 golf courses in the whole state of Florida. It also offers lots of amenities.
Located in Jacksonville, just 15 minutes from St. Augustine is the Cimarrone Golf Club. Opened in 1988, this semi-private club was designed by David Postlethwait and has been named one of the top 100 golf courses in all of Florida! It’s a tough course, for sure, with lots of water hazards at nearly every hole, and pine forests that you’ll need to navigate.
The challenge is well worth it, and you can then say that you’ve played one of the most excellent courses in the state! Cimarrone also offers a full banquet facility, dining room, and lounge, as well as a variety of practice areas and a clubhouse.
Royal St. Augustine Club
The Royal St. Augustine Club offers a challenging course for golfers who want to improve their games. It also offers a clubhouse and lounge for visitors who enjoy watching than playing.
With lush foliage and native marshlands, the Royal St. Augustine Club is another challenging course for those golfers who want to step up their games! There are tons of moguled fairways and sand traps to negotiate, and is definitely a course where accuracy and control are the prime skills you’ll need to get through it.
Definitely make sure you bring extra balls with you because you will lose some trying to get through this behemoth! Royal St. Agustine Club also has a clubhouse and lounge where you can lick your wounds over a cold one after the course has its way with you!
St. Johns Golf Club
Here’s a bird’s eye view of one of Florida’s premiere Golf Club. St. Johns Golf Club is a course for all skill levels and is also kids-friendly.
With tree-lined fairways and fast greens, St. Johns Golf Club is a fun, fast-paced course for every skill level. They offer six sets of tees for all different levels and putting green, chipping green, and double-sided driving range for you to work on your long or short game. St. Johns Golf Club is also home to First Tee of St. Johns County. This non-profit’s mission is to impact the lives of young people with programs for character and value building and to help make healthy choices through the game of golf.
They have a 3-hole course specifically for kids that you complete three times for a total of 9 holes. St. Johns Golf Club also offers a variety of clinics to help you improve or learn new skills, as well as offers you a free 18-hole game on your birthday! There’s no wonder that this course was named the best of St Augustine in 2019!
Marsh Creek Country Club
The Marsh Creek Country Club is a private, members-only golf course designed by PGA touring professional Mark McCumber. The club offers many amenities making it an entertaining place.
If you’re a member of ClubCorp, you have to check out the Marsh Creek Country Club. This private club is only open to members, but the course itself is something to behold. Designed by PGA touring professional, Mark McCumber, there are six tee placements to allow golfers of all skill levels a challenging game.
The Fairways themselves border marshlands and is home to a variety of different animals, including bald eagles and bobcats! Located directly between the Intracoastal and the Atlantic in St. Johns County in a gated community, the Marsh Creek Country Club has so many amenities that it’s worth the membership!
The Palencia Club
The Palencia Club is home to some private golf clubs in Florida. Here’s a look of a retired female golfer preparing a swing.
As one of northeast Florida’s premier and private clubs, the Palencia Club offers a 7,071-yard course that winds along the Intracoastal Waterway. The course itself was designed by Arthur Hill and is an Audubon Sanctuary for honoring and maintaining the marsh, and river views, along with the centuries-old live oaks that line the course. Opening in May 2002, this private club also offers 10,000 square feet of putting surfaces, 400-yard driving ranges, and an area to work on your short-game like chipping and bunker play.
Additionally, you’ll find incredible dining and other amenities as members, including a 3-story clubhouse with a variety of social activities from family game night to Wine Club! If you can swing a membership, this is definitely something to look at even if you’re only visiting Florida. Membership at The Palencia Club comes with reciprocal membership at a variety of private clubs throughout the United States that are also managed by Hampton Golf Facilities from New York to Minnesota!