Miami: The Tropical Side of Refined Golf.
Golf in South Florida immerses players in a vibrant tropical environment where natural beauty meets thoughtful design. Fairways move through palms, lakes, and sculpted bunkers that introduce both strategy and creativity. The region blends historic layouts with modern concepts, offering year-round variety in settings that feel elegant, engaging, and distinctly Floridian. Courses here reward precision, thoughtful navigation, and an appreciation for scenery that shifts throughout the round. The overall experience is inviting, colorful, and full of character.
Featured Golf Courses
Miccosukee Golf & Country Club – Miami, FL
Architect: Mark Mahannah (1970); restored by Kipp Schultie (2014)
This classic South Florida layout features three distinct nines and has hosted PGA Tour qualifying events. Tropical landscapes, sparkling waterways, and palms frame much of the routing, creating a blend of beauty and challenge. Water and bunkers are integrated throughout, producing steady risk–reward decisions without feeling forced. Each round balances strategy and scenery with a relaxed sense of escape.
Biltmore Golf Course – Coral Gables, FL
Architect: Donald Ross (1925); restored by Brian Silva
The course showcases a timeless Florida atmosphere, with fairways weaving alongside canals and beneath tall tropical trees. Views of the historic Biltmore Hotel add character from multiple vantage points. Scalloped bunkers and raised greens create strategic tension, rewarding accuracy, patient navigation, and thoughtful approach play.
Normandy Shores Golf Club – Miami Beach, FL
Architect: Howard Toomey and William S. Flynn (1939); restored by Mark Mahannah and Arthur Hills
Set on a small island north of Miami Beach, Normandy Shores blends coastal calm with steady strategic challenge. Narrow fairways, coastal breezes, and water hazards influence decisions on many holes. Shot-making is emphasized over power, and the back nine in particular forces precision with trajectory, club selection, and wind management.
Plan Your Next Trip the Right Way
Insider Notes:
Club selection: It's essential to choose the right club for shots at all of these courses; the costal breezes at Normandy Shores and the more open stretches at Miccosukee can affect ball flight, while Biltmore’s elevated greens provide a test of judgment as well.
Walkable: If you like to walk, confirm cart and walking policies in advance, especially during busier times and peak season.
Best Golf Season: The most comfortable golf season runs roughly from November through April, when temperatures and humidity are more moderate.
Explore: Allow extra time when driving; Miami traffic can be unpredictable, particularly around Coral Gables, Doral, and Miami Beach.
Tour Level Challenge: Golfers seeking a Tour-level challenge sometimes consider the Blue Monster at Doral, though it carries a premium green fee and typically requires advance booking.
Arts & Culture: Pair a round with an afternoon stop at the Perez Art Museum Miami or along the waterfront near Bayfront Park for an easy city add-on.
Local Explore: Everglades airboat tours west of Miami offer a memorable half-day break from the city, with wildlife viewing that feels a world apart from downtown.
Airport Access:
Miami International Airport (MIA)
Biltmore Golf Course: ~20 minutes
Normandy Shores Golf Club: ~30 minutes
Miccosukee Golf & Country Club: ~35 minutes
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport (FLL)
Biltmore Golf Course: ~45–50 minutes
Normandy Shores Golf Club: ~35–40 minutes
Miccosukee Golf & Country Club: ~55–60 minutes
Driving Times:
Fort Lauderdale, FL: ~46 minutes
West Palm Beach, FL: ~1 hour 20 minutes
Tampa, FL: ~4 hours 15 minutes
Orlando, FL: ~4 hours 30 minutes
Jacksonville, FL: ~5 hours 15 minutes
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