Golf in Naples and Southwest Florida
The self styled golf capital of the world, where Naples packs more golf holes per head than anywhere in America, the Greg Norman courses at Tiburon host the LPGA, and warm Gulf winters, white sand beaches and an embarrassment of resort and community courses fill an easy week. The courses that matter, the regions, the seasons and how to plan it.
Photograph: Tiburon Golf Club, Naples, via Google
Why golf in Naples and Southwest Florida
Naples bills itself as the golf capital of the world, and the numbers back the boast: this stretch of the Gulf coast has more golf holes per resident than anywhere in the United States, with well over a hundred courses inside a short radius of the city. The golf is mostly modern, manicured and water laced, set among palms, lakes and gated communities, and the winter climate, warm, dry and sunny from December to April, makes it one of the prime cold weather escapes in American golf. Add white sand beaches, fine dining and a polished resort scene and you have a destination that rewards a relaxed week as much as a buddies trip.
The headline is Tiburon, the two Greg Norman courses at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, the Black and the Gold, which host the LPGA's CME Group Tour Championship and the QBE Shootout and are open to resort guests. Around it, the region runs deep: Lely Resort offers two public courses by Robert Trent Jones Senior and Lee Trevino, Talis Park pairs Greg Norman with Pete Dye, and the very best courses, Calusa Pines and Old Collier, sit behind ultra private gates. Spread north and the wider Southwest Florida golf belt, Bonita Springs, Estero, Fort Myers and Marco Island, adds resort and daily fee golf that fills out an itinerary.
The regions
Naples
The heart of it, where Tiburon and the Ritz-Carlton lead a vast field of resort, community and private golf, from public Lely Resort to ultra private Calusa Pines. The natural base for a Gulf coast golf and beach week.
Bonita Springs and Estero
Just north of Naples, with Raptor Bay at the Hyatt, the public Old Corkscrew, and the resort and community golf of Bonita and Estero. A quieter, often better value base within easy reach of Naples and Fort Myers.
Fort Myers and Marco Island
Fort Myers spreads the golf belt further north with daily fee and resort courses, while Marco Island to the south adds the Rookery and Hammock Bay. Good for combining golf with the beach and the Gulf islands.
The courses that matter
Tiburon, Black and Gold
The two Greg Norman courses at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, with coquina waste bunkers and stadium style finishes. The Gold hosts the LPGA's CME Group Tour Championship and the QBE Shootout. The marquee playable golf of Naples and the headline of any trip, open to resort guests.
Lely Resort, Flamingo Island
A bold, water laced Robert Trent Jones Senior design with the architect's trademark sweeping bunkers and big greens, the more celebrated of Lely's two courses. Open to the public and to villa guests, it is the best accessible round in Naples for a visiting group.
Lely Resort, Mustang
The second Lely course, designed by the major champion Lee Trevino, a tighter, more strategic layout threading through lakes and wetlands. A natural pairing with Flamingo Island for a two course public day at one of the most accessible resorts in the area.
Talis Park
A rare collaboration between Greg Norman and Pete Dye in north Naples, a beautifully conditioned and dramatic community course routed through preserve and water. Highly rated but private, it is a members and guests round and one of the best designs in the region.
Calusa Pines Golf Club
The most exclusive and most admired course in Naples, an ultra private club famous for its astonishing conditioning and a man made hill in flat Florida. Almost impossible to access, it tops most regional rankings and is a course most golfers only ever read about.
Old Collier Golf Club
A serene Jack Nicklaus design along the Cocohatchee River, planted with paspalum turf and built for an exclusive membership. Quiet, refined and very private, it is another of the elite Naples clubs that sits at the top of the rankings and beyond the reach of most visitors.
Old Corkscrew Golf Club
A public Jack Nicklaus Signature course in Estero, north of Naples, routed through cypress and wetland preserve with generous fairways and big, bold greens. One of the best daily fee rounds in Southwest Florida and an accessible way to play a Nicklaus design.
Raptor Bay Golf Club
A Raymond Floyd design at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point in Bonita Springs, an environmentally certified resort course winding through mangrove and preserve. A reliable, scenic resort round and a good base for golf just north of Naples.
Hammock Bay Golf and Country Club
A Peter Jacobsen and Jim Hardy design near Marco Island, a tumbling, water laced course with elevation changes unusual for the region. A characterful round to pair with a Marco Island or southern Naples beach base.
The Rookery at Marco
The resort course associated with the JW Marriott Marco Island, a Joey Carbone redesign of a Robert Cupp layout among lakes and wetlands. A polished, accessible resort round that rounds out a Marco Island golf and beach stay.
TwinEagles
A 36 hole community with the Talon course by Jack Nicklaus and the Eagle course by Steve Smyers, among the better golf in north Naples. Private and members focused, it is one of the region's stronger communities for a golf and property buyer.
Tiburon Golf Resort base
The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort at Tiburon is the most refined golf base in Naples, pairing the two Norman courses with a luxury hotel, spa and shuttle to the beach club. The natural home for a trip built around the marquee Naples golf.
Designers and host history verified June 2026. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
See the best United States courses ranked Check tee time availability
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| December to April | Warm, dry, sunny, low humidity | Prime golf and the peak for crowds and prices; book early |
| May and November | Hot but settled, quieter | The best value shoulder, good weather without peak rates |
| June to September | Hot, humid, afternoon storms | Lowest rates, dawn golf, busy beach season, watch the forecast |
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November, peaking around September, so build a little flexibility into a late summer or early autumn trip.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tiburon, Black or Gold | Around US$250 to US$400+ | The marquee round, Ritz-Carlton resort guests, high season |
| Lely Resort and better daily fee | Around US$100 to US$250 | Flamingo Island, Mustang, Old Corkscrew, Raptor Bay in season |
| Value and off season golf | Around US$60 to US$120 | Daily fee courses, summer rates, twilight times |
| A week, all in | Around US$3,000 to US$6,000+ per person | Naples golf, lodging, a hire car, excluding flights; less in summer |
Indicative third party figures for the 2025 to 2026 seasons, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Southwest Florida International airport at Fort Myers is the closest gateway, around forty five minutes north of Naples, with Miami and Fort Lauderdale a roughly two hour drive across the state for more flight options. Naples sits at the southern end of the golf belt, with Bonita Springs and Estero just to the north and Marco Island a short hop south. The courses are spread across gated communities and resorts, so a hire car is essential to move between the golf, the beach and the restaurants.
Where to stay
For the marquee golf, base at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort at Tiburon, which pairs the two Norman courses with a luxury hotel and a beach club shuttle. For a beach forward stay, the Gulf front hotels of downtown Naples and the JW Marriott on Marco Island put the sand and the dining first, with golf a short drive away. Groups chasing value often base in Bonita Springs or Estero and play the public and resort courses there alongside a Naples round or two. Let one planner balance the golf, the beach and the budget.
Plan your Naples and Southwest Florida golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Naples and Southwest Florida golf questions
What is the best golf course in Naples Florida?
For the travelling golfer, the two Greg Norman designed courses at Tiburon, the Black and the Gold, at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, are the headline, hosting the LPGA's CME Group Tour Championship and the QBE Shootout and open to resort guests. The very best courses in the region, such as Calusa Pines and Old Collier, are ultra private. Naples calls itself the golf capital of the world for good reason, with more golf holes per capita than anywhere in America.
Can you play golf in Naples without being a member?
Yes, though many of the best clubs are private. The most accessible marquee golf is at Tiburon, open to Ritz-Carlton resort guests, and Lely Resort, whose Flamingo Island and Mustang courses are open to the public and to villa guests. Beyond Naples, Southwest Florida has strong public and resort golf at Old Corkscrew in Estero, Raptor Bay in Bonita Springs and a deep field of daily fee courses around Fort Myers and Marco Island. Many private communities are members and guests only.
How much does golf cost in Naples in 2026?
It is premium winter golf. In the high season, roughly January to April, the marquee resort rounds at Tiburon run indicatively from around 250 to 400 dollars or more, Lely Resort and the better daily fee courses sit roughly 100 to 250 dollars, and value golf can be found below that, especially in the off season. Summer rates, May to October, fall sharply. A week of Naples golf with lodging typically lands well above the value Florida regions. Always confirm directly before booking.
When is the best time to play golf in Naples and Southwest Florida?
The winter dry season, roughly December to April, is the prime golf window, with warm, sunny days and low humidity, and it is also the peak for crowds and prices. Late spring and autumn are pleasant shoulder seasons with better value. Summer, June to September, is hot, humid and stormy, with afternoon thunderstorms and the lowest rates, and the Atlantic hurricane season runs June to November. Always confirm seasonal rates directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
New course openings, the Gulf coast value windows and the trips our concierge is quietly building. Every other week.