The Best Golf Courses

Biltmore Hotel (Miami): The beautiful, rolling, 18-hole golf course designed by Donald Ross and located at the majestic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables is open to the public and is a favorite of Bill Clinton.

Doral Golf Resort and Spa (Miami): Four championship courses make the Doral one of Miami's best golf destinations. One course, the legendary Blue Monster, is the site of the annual Doral-Ryder Open.

Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club (Aventura, North Miami Beach): These two 18-hole courses by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., are open only to guests, but are among the city's best.

The Inn at Ocean Breeze Golf and Country Club (Boca Raton): For over 3 decades, this inn (formerly known as the Inn at Boca Teeca) has been attracting golf fanatics who could care less about the small but comfortable rooms; they're too busy out on the superb 27-hole golf course at the Boca Teeca Country Club, open only to members and guests of the inn.

PGA National Resort & Spa (Palm Beach): This rambling resort, the national headquarters of the PGA, is a premier golf destination with five 18-hole courses on more than 2,300 acres.

Emerald Dunes Golf Course (West Palm Beach): This gorgeous Tom Fazio-designed course (featuring 60 acres of water and stunning views of the ocean) is pricey, but one of only a few in the area open to the public.

Champions Club at Summerfield (Stuart): The best in the area, this rural, somewhat challenging championship course was designed by Tom Fazio. It offers great glimpses of wildlife amid the wetlands.

Tiburón Golf Club (Naples): Greg Norman designed this course's 36 championship holes to play like a British Open -- but without the thick thatch rough. The course is now home to the luxurious Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples.

Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club (Naples): One of the state's oldest, this resort course is relatively flat, but small greens and masterful bunkers will test your skills. In addition, one of Florida's most charming resort hotels is across the street.

Mangrove Bay Golf Course (St. Petersburg): One of the nation's top 50 municipal courses, the Mangrove Bay course hugs the inlets of Old Tampa Bay and offers 18-hole, par-72 play. Facilities include a driving range; lessons and golf-club rental are also available.

The Westin Innisbrook Resort (Tarpon Springs): Golfweek has called Innisbrook's Copperhead Course, former home of the annual JCPenney Classic, number one in Florida. Each year, 1,000 students go through Innisbrook's Golf Institute. Golfers from around the world come to play the 600 acres of courses.

Walt Disney World (Orlando): The resorts surrounding the theme parks have 99 regulation holes that let you walk in the footsteps (and share the frustrations) of the game's greatest players. Those with a shorter stroke can play the master miniature courses: Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland.

Ladies Professional Golf Association/LPGA International (Daytona Beach): This "women-friendly" course (unless you're Anika Sorenson) has multiple tee settings, unrestricted tee times, a great pro shop, and state-of-the-art facilities. Designed by Rees-Jones, the older of the two courses here was chosen as one of the "Top Ten You Can Play" by Golf magazine.

TPC at Sawgrass (Ponte Vedra Beach, near Jacksonville): With 99 holes, Pete Dye's Tournament Players Club (TPC) at Sawgrass makes top-10 lists everywhere. The 17th hole, on a tricky island, is one of the most photographed holes in the world.

Ocean Hammock Golf Club (Palm Coast, between Daytona Beach and St. Augustine): Opened in late 2000 with six of its holes actually skirting the Atlantic Ocean, this Jack Nicklaus-designed course is the first authentic seaside links built in Florida since the 1920s.

Amelia Island Plantation (Amelia Island): This exclusive resort has three of the state's best courses. Long Point Club, designed by Tom Fazio, is the most beautiful and challenging. Pete Dye's Amelia Links comprises two courses, Oak Marsh and Ocean Links. All are open only to resort guests.

Marriott's Bay Point Resort Village (Panama City Beach): Thirty-six holes of championship golf at this Marriott include the Lagoon Legends course, one of the country's most difficult. Nearby is the Hombre, an 18-holer where O. J. Simpson played a round right after his acquittal.

• Daytona Beach
• Florida Keys
• Fort Lauderdale
• Fort Myers
• Jacksonville
• Miami
• Orlando
• Sarasota
• St. Petersburg
• Tampa