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Ocean Course at Hammock Beach

Favorite Oceanside Golf Courses in Florida

6/9/11: TTUSA Insider Tip: Bernadette Stocker

Along with Florida's warm breezes, clear skies, elegant palms, magnificent sunsets, and wide array of course terrains, Florida's most popular feature is its pristine beaches. Every year, millions of visitors from across the world flock to Florida's ocean to play in its waves and see its glistening beauty. Golfers do not need to choose between a tropical beach vacation and a customized golf tour, thanks to these three top courses that are literally on the beach.

1. The Ocean Course at Ocean Hammock Beach Resort

Ocean Hammock Beach Resort is set on one of Florida's most pristine stretches of Atlantic coastline. It is one of the top resorts in Northeast Florida, with luxurious elegance and old world charm. The beautiful property is home to two signature courses, along with the hotel's plethora of accommodations, dining options, and recreational facilities. The Tom Watson designed Conservatory Course is located on the undulating grounds of the resort. The Ocean Course is directly on the beach.

The Ocean Course was brilliantly designed by Jack Nicklaus to show off the very best of Florida's natural landscape. The course winds along the Atlantic Ocean, stunning wetlands, and sparkling lakes. Six of the holes are set right along the beach and water comes into play on nine holes. Games conclude with the 'Bear Claw,' a thrilling set of four challenging holes carefully balanced on the edge of the sweeping coastline. The Ocean Course is one of Florida's Top Five and in the nation's Top One Hundred.

The sapphire ocean spreading out from the lush greens of the Ocean Course is habitat to many animals, so it is common to see dolphins, pelicans, sand pipers, and sea gulls during a round of golf. Luckier golfers may even catch a glimpse of a giant manta ray skimming the water's surface or watch a sea turtle lay her eggs. In winter, guests at Ocean Hammock can even witness the birth of a right whale calf, one of the most endangered species of whales, that migrates each year to Northern Florida coastlines to give birth to its young. Northern Florida is also famous for its dramatic sunrises over the ocean and colorful sunsets over the wetlands.

The Ocean Course at Ocean Hammock Beach Resort is an ideal destination for land lubbers and sea dogs alike. Golfers experience the best of both sides of Florida when they visit this breathtaking beachside course.

2. Ocean Links at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation.

The exhilarating setting of Ocean Links makes each round of golf a private nature tour. The course is part of the Omni Amelia Island Plantation, which is one of Florida's most luxurious, expansive, active, and family-friendly resorts. The Plantation includes several hundred oceanfront rooms with private balconies, 23 tennis courts, nine restaurants, a 20-room spa, many youth programs, seven miles of bicycle and running trails, and 54 holes of championship golf. Its Oak Marsh course was designed by Pete Dye and is located in the beautiful salt marshes of Amelia Island. Ocean Links, however, is a breathtaking tribute to the sea.

Ocean Links is nestled beside four miles of Amelia Island's wide, uncrowded beaches. It winds along a dramatic dune ridge, shaped nightly by the Atlantic winds. The course is parallel to the ocean, with five oceanfront golf holes interlaced with ten holes set near lagoons, marsh wetlands, and a dramatic lake. Despite the peaceful seaside setting, the course is known for being a unique challenge because of the playful Atlantic breeze and the uniquely shaped greens and fairways surrounded water.

In 1971, Amelia Island Plantation was founded with the slogan, 'In Harmony with Nature.' Its founders wanted to prove that land could be developed while also protecting the existing natural environment. The fragile ecological balance of the barrier island required the preservation of tidal marshes, oceanfront dunes, grassland, and savannas to provide a refuge and food source for the Florida wildlife. All construction projects were designed to fit into and around the pristine property the Plantation sought to conserve. Now, Amelia Island Plantation celebrates an abundant population of native plants and animals. The beautifully conserved transition from beach terrain to wetlands provides a unique chance to observe the wide array of Florida wildlife. Common golf course animal sitings include pelicans, dolphins, and sea turtles. Amelia Island is also home to the rare least tern, an endangered bird that hatches and raises its chicks in the sea grass bordering the sandy beach.

Ocean Links has been called the most scenic golf resort in Florida. It is an ideal destination for golfers who seek a challenge, a beautiful view, or a first hand experience of Florida's natural richness.

3. Naples Beach Golf Club

Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club offers a unique setting on Southwest Florida's Gulf of Mexico. Its 125 beautiful acres of resort and golf course are complimented by seven miles of beaches. The Gulf of Mexico is unique for its tranquil sea, magnificent sunsets, and soft, white sand.

The golf course is located just off the beach and is a short walk from the hotel. It was first built in the late 1920s, was redesigned in 1948 by Mark Mahanna, and improved by Ron Garl in 1998. The course features large fairways lined with some of the oldest trees in the city. Six holes are lakeside, though no holes are directly on the ocean. The course is the host of the South Florida PGA Open.

Although the course is a short walk from the ocean, many ocean and marsh birds can be seen from the course, including many bald eagles, pelicans, and egrets. The lakes contain Florida snapping turtles. Naples Beach is famous for being a favorite nesting site of logger head sea turtles, so golfers may have luck as they take a sunset stroll after a few rounds.

Any combination of these three oceanside courses will make a golf vacation uniquely Floridean.