Panhandle has been known for the miles stretch of beaches along the Mexico’s Gulf as well as the dense pine forests and thick cypress swamps. The region’s beach towns that have been attracting tourists and students especially during the spring breaks feature the white quartz sand that was once mistaken as sugar during the World War era. With the expansions and major renovations to the region’s vast landscape, Panhandle has blossomed into one of Florida’s premier golf destinations. Up to date, the Deep South has been taking pride on its 50 PGA rated layouts designed by top professional golf course designers and architects. Some of the best greens in Panhandle include the Hombre Golf Club, the Hidden Creek, the Scenic Hills Golf Club, the Shalimar Pointe, and the Windswept Dunes Golf.
Hombre Golf Club is home to “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly” that features the water on 21 of the entire layout’s 27 holes. The challenging course is nestled amidst wetlands, lakes, preserves, and marshes and has been wonderfully framed with the assortment of azaleas, pines, and palms. Hombre is also home to the 2nd stage of the Qualifying School of the PGA Tour. The course amenities include the GPS Technology, driving range, putting and chipping greens, and many more.
Lush landscapes, manicured greens, and scenic rolling terrains are 
among the amazing features that Hidden Creek offers. The layout was cited as “Best Golf Course in Northwest Florida” as well as the “Top 201 Golf Courses to Play in North America” by Golf Digest and was given a star rating of 4 ½ also by Golf Digest. This spectacular championship course offers the challenging 18 holes that stretch at 6,862 yards to both the beginner and professional golfers.
Redesigned by Jerry Pate, a former U.S. Open Champion, the Scenic Hills is Florida’s only course that hosted a U.S. Open event. This 18-hole championship course features the champion Bermuda greens, 419 fairways, 4 sets of tee boxes on each hole, continuous car paths, and the comprehensive practice facilities. Beautiful surroundings with excellent conditions are among the many other things that this course is all about.
Shalimar Pointe is an 18-hole championship course with the 6,755 yard par 72 layout designed by the renowned Finger and Dye. The course was cited as “One of Southeast’s Top 50 Development Courses” by Golf Week and received the “4 Star Award Winner in 2001” by Golf Digest. It features the strategically placed bunkers and the impeccably manicured greens with the spacious driving range, chipping green, and the putting green.
Doug O’Rourke, a designer and builder at the same time has created a magnificent masterpiece through the Windswept Dunes Golf. The course features the miles of white sand dunes and the large rolling fairways along with the unspoiled beauty of its rich topography and natural vegetation. This 18-hole championship course is not just a place where golfers can test their skills but also a sanctuary of immaculate beauty and quiet refuge.
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