Emerald Coast Golf Trail

Panhandle, Florida

In West Florida, the long stretch of coastline running along the Gulf of Mexico has been known as a family drive hotspot. The last 50 years has seen the Emerald Coast as a prime spot for recreation away from the hustles and bustles of urban Florida. As a matter of fact, this area  used to be nicknamed the “Playground Area of the Gulf Coast”. And the reasons are obvious. This place is most ideal for those long and quiet walks on the beach, dining on fresh seafood and exploring nature's bounty. Its picturesque greenish sparkling seas – where it got its name – are highlighted by the powdered-sugar sand, making it a most picturesque presentation.

The Emerald Coast Golf Trail is composed of four championship golf courses: Scenic Hills (Pensacola), Tiger Point (Gulf Breeze), Hidden Creek (Navarre), and Shalimar Pointe (Shalimar).

The Emerald Coast spans a hundred miles, going through four counties (Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay). This includes the areas famous for golfing: Pensacola Bay, Fort Walton, Panama Beach City, and Destin. Thus, also, the birth of the Emerald Coast Golf Trail.

Scenic Hills Golf Club

Pensacola's Scenic Hills could stand out one way or another, but it best stands out for its very rich history. It is proudly the only golf course in the entire Florida to have hosted the US Open (1969 US Women's Open). Out of Florida's many, many courses that have come and gone over the years, none of them has beaten this record by the Scenic Hills. Apart from that, it holds some very dramatic elevation changes unheard of in most other courses in the area, and a most stunning combination of man's creativity with nature's beauty. It measures 6,689 yards from the longest tees, par 71.


Tiger Point
The Tiger Point Golf Club in Gulf Breeze used to be a 36-hole facility that had been battered by a pair of hurricanes (Ivan and Dennis), destroying much of one of the courses' back nine. Now a 27-hole facility, the Tiger Point does not pose to be any less better. It features a Scottish links style East Course (18 holes) and a scenic West Course (9 holes). The nines here can be played in separate combinations creating a variety of games.

Hidden Creek Golf Club
A Ron Garl creation, the Hidden Creek Golf Club was ranked in Golf Digest's Top 201 Places to Play. This, even despite being flanked by two gigantic golf vacation hotspots (Pensacola and Ft Walton Beach). Slightly elevated, fast and true greens, this course features a fairly open layout with a lot of room for tees. It measures 6,805 yards from the longest tees, par 72.

Shalimar Pointe Country Club
The course is the result of the collaboration between renowned designers Joe Finger and Pete Dye. The Shalimar Pointe Country Club has been a frequented host of several US Open Qualifiers and a 3 ½ star rating from Golf Digest's Places to Play. The layout is relatively fair from all tees, just as much as it is challenging. Measures 6,765 yards from the longest tees, par 72. Golfers of all abilities will surely find something to love about this course – whether it's the well-placed bunkers, perfectly manicured greens, the excellent practice facilities, or the unmatched views of the Choctawhatchee Bay. Whatever it is, the Shalimar Pointe Country Club is a must-play; it is difficult enough not to!

Beautiful, clean, and teeming with fun things to do, the Emerald Coast is in fact and indeed a most suited “Playground”. And with the addition of the Emerald Coast Golf Trail, this is a golfer's playground, or more aptly, A HAVEN.

Contact our Golf Zoo Travel Specialist and book a vacation to The Emerald Coast Golf Trail TODAY !! Please Call: 800-929-7300!!