Headed to Florida...where to play?

I'm going to be spending about 2 weeks in Floriday, near the Miami-Dade area and I am looking for some recommendations in the area. Have any of you played any great course that you'd recommend to you friends? Also, if you've had any bad experiences you can spare me the pain of going where you went!

Any input would get wonderful!

Thanks,
J Grinder.

I'm a little north of you, but Deer creek in deerfield beach is an Arthur hills track that's pretty darn nice, Osprey Point in Boca Raton is a 27 hole track with an exceptional practice area and 3 great nines, fairways are firm and the greens are fast and firm as well. Both of those are fun and challenging.
Hope that helps a little.

Also, Heron bay in Coral springs is pretty cool too, a little wet, but usually in great shape. It used to be a TPC course.

It all depends on how much you're willing to spend on a round of golf.

For resort courses, Doral is nationally well-known with 5 courses, including the Blue Monster & Jim McLean signature course. You're looking at anywhere from $300 - $150 / round (peak season), however, I believe they offer unlimited golf deals if you stay at the resort. Turnberry Isle is a fantastic resort with 36 holes, but you must be a resort guest or member to reserve a tee time. The Biltmore is nice but has a muni feel to it and a bit overpriced IMO.

The high-end public courses are Miami Beach, Normandy Shores and Crandon Park. MB is my favorite of the three, but it'll run you $200 / round in the winter. Normandy recently had $5M renovation, and Crandon was ranked 2nd toughest slope / rating for US public course.

More reasonably priced courses are International Links of Miami (next to Miami Int'l Airport), Miccosukee (hosts Nationwide tour event) and Country Club of Miami.

A few great tracks just north in Broward county / Ft. Lauderdale area are Jacaranda, Plantation Preserve & Pembroke Lakes. The latter is the more reasonably priced of the three.

Enjoy!

Gonna recommend two websites. One is THP's website at the top right with the book tee times section.

The other is ezlinks.com. They had a Blue Monster tee time for tomorrow for 87.50, ie half off. That's not saying you'll get that lucky, but you definitely have the possibility.

Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast is a great track for the money. Right on the ocean, so great views and a good
challenge. You can always choose courses that will charge you $200 a round for the same quality and ocean golf that Hammock Beach provides at half the price.

mward2002 said:

They had a Blue Monster tee time for tomorrow for 87.50, ie half off. That's not saying you'll get that lucky, but you definitely have the possibility.

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I'd check with Doral first because at that rate it's most likely under maintenance / aerified greens in preparation for WGC event.... if that matters to J. Grinder

canes113 said:

I'd check with Doral first because at that rate it's most likely under maintenance / aerified greens in preparation for WGC event.... if that matters to J. Grinder

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Possibly, but most courses do their aerification before winter time. I would think they'd be past that but not living in the Miami area, not sure if your weather lets you guys get away with it a few months later. Either way, PGA venue for under 100 bucks? I'm too busy booking the tee time to hear reasons not to lol

Pkielwa said:

Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast is a great track for the money. Right on the ocean, so great views and a good
challenge. You can always choose courses that will charge you $200 a round for the same quality and ocean golf that Hammock Beach provides at half the price.

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Hammock Beach is a great course, however it is about 5 hours away from where the OP will be in south FL. The Ocean Course is truly one of my favorites, however they are also stay and play or membership outside of a select few tee times each day that they offer called "Membership Preview" and during many months, those rounds are $200 (like now). Now that will be changing since the property was just sold to the people behind Innisbrook. Now the members have reciprocal at Innisbrook, Reunion and Hammock Beach.