Best golf communities in Florida: 21 ranked (2026)

How we ranked Florida golf communities

We ranked 21 residential golf communities across Florida by the number of golf courses inside the community, as stated by the club, the developer or an established community directory. Where two communities have the same number of courses, they are listed alphabetically. A community with more courses gives you more tee times, more variety and, usually, a larger club with more amenities.

We added Zillow's typical home value for each community's city in August 2026 as a guide to the surrounding market. It is not the price of homes in the community itself, which can be far higher or lower.

Course count is not a quality score. It says nothing about design, conditioning, membership cost or waiting lists, so use the ranking to build a shortlist and then play the courses.

Florida golf communities ranked

Rank	Community	Location	Golf	Type	City typical value
1	The Villages	The Villages	14 championship and 42 executive courses (711 holes)	55+; executive golf included in amenity fee	$392,083
2	Boca West Country Club	Boca Raton	4 championship courses	Private, member-owned; membership tied to home ownership	$576,824
3	Villages of Citrus Hills	Hernando (Citrus Hills)	3 championship 18-hole courses and a 9-hole course	All ages with active adult appeal	$353,162
4	BallenIsles Country Club	Palm Beach Gardens	3 championship courses	Private club community	$695,799
5	On Top of the World	Ocala	54 holes on 3 courses	55+; two private clubs and one semi-private	$265,333
6	Pennbrooke Fairways	Leesburg	3 nine-hole courses	55+, gated	$275,435
7	Reunion Resort	Kissimmee	3 signature courses by Palmer, Watson and Nicklaus	Resort community; many homes are vacation rentals	$355,971
8	Broken Sound Club	Boca Raton	2 18-hole championship courses	Private club	$576,824
9	Cypress Lakes	Lakeland	2 18-hole courses at Big Cypress Golf Club	55+, gated	$309,954
10	Grand Harbor	Vero Beach	2 courses	Gated; beach club and marina	$362,300
11	Harbour Ridge	Palm City	2 championship courses	Private, gated; marina and yacht club	$622,339
12	Heathrow Country Club	Heathrow (Lake Mary area)	36 holes on 2 courses	Private club	$465,757
13	Ponte Vedra Beach (TPC Sawgrass)	Ponte Vedra Beach	2 PGA TOUR courses by Pete Dye	TOUR courses with bookable tee times	$821,628
14	Quail West Golf and Country Club	Naples	2 championship courses	Private club community	$544,120
15	Solivita	Kissimmee (Poinciana)	2 courses at Stonegate Golf Club	55+, gated	$279,614
16	World Golf Village	St. Augustine	King and Bear, Slammer and Squire	Public courses within a planned community	$429,114
17	Ave Maria	Ave Maria	Panther Run Golf Club	All ages plus Del Webb 55+ section	n/a
18	Bay Hill	Orlando	Championship course plus lodge	Private club with surrounding neighborhoods	$371,120
19	Indian River Colony Club	Melbourne	1 private 18-hole course	55+ golf community	$356,996
20	Isleworth	Windermere	1 Arnold Palmer-designed championship course	Private club community	$707,471
21	Miromar Lakes	Estero area	1 Arthur Hills signature course	Private beach and golf club	$485,717

The golf communities in detail

1. The Villages, The Villages

The Villages has more golf than any other community in the country: Florida for Boomers counts 711 holes across 14 championship and 42 executive courses, and the developer calls it the largest golfing community in the world. Executive courses are free to play under the $189 monthly amenity fee, with a trail fee if you use your golf car on their paths; championship courses cost extra. It is age-restricted, so at least one resident of most homes must be 55 or older.

Golf: 14 championship and 42 executive courses (711 holes). Type: 55+; executive golf included in amenity fee.

2. Boca West Country Club, Boca Raton

Boca West is a private, member-owned club community west of Boca Raton with four championship golf courses, six restaurants and 30 hydro tennis courts, according to the club. Membership requires owning a home in Boca West, a sponsor and a vetting process including an interview, plus fees. Budget for both HOA dues and club dues and any capital contribution. See our Boca West guide.

Golf: 4 championship courses. Type: Private, member-owned; membership tied to home ownership.

3. Villages of Citrus Hills, Hernando (Citrus Hills)

The Villages of Citrus Hills, in Citrus County west of The Villages, has three 18-hole championship courses and an additional nine-hole course, according to Florida for Boomers, which lists it among communities still selling new homes. Citrus County's typical value was $271,610 in August 2026, well below the state's $375,470.

Golf: 3 championship 18-hole courses and a 9-hole course. Type: All ages with active adult appeal.

4. BallenIsles Country Club, Palm Beach Gardens

BallenIsles is a private club community in Palm Beach Gardens with three championship courses, and homes ranging from villas to estates. Palm Beach Gardens had one of the strongest price trends in Florida: Zillow's typical value there rose 3.2% in the year to August 2026 and 36.9% over five years.

Golf: 3 championship courses. Type: Private club community.

5. On Top of the World, Ocala

On Top of the World has 54 holes on three courses: The Tortoise and The Hare and The Links, which Florida for Boomers describes as private clubs, and Candler Hills, which is semi-private. It is one of the cheapest golf communities with new homes, starting in the $200,000s.

Golf: 54 holes on 3 courses. Type: 55+; two private clubs and one semi-private.

6. Pennbrooke Fairways, Leesburg

Pennbrooke Fairways is a gated 55+ community outside Leesburg with three nine-hole courses, practice facilities and a pro shop, according to 55places. Its 1,200 homes include manufactured homes, cottages and villas, which keeps its price band low: from below $100,000 to the mid $300,000s in September 2026 listings.

Golf: 3 nine-hole courses. Type: 55+, gated.

7. Reunion Resort, Kissimmee

Reunion, southwest of Orlando near Disney, is the only place with courses by Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus in one community, according to the resort, with three signature courses from 6,916 to 7,219 yards. Many homes are in its vacation rental program, so it suits a second-home buyer more than someone wanting a quiet residential street.

Golf: 3 signature courses by Palmer, Watson and Nicklaus. Type: Resort community; many homes are vacation rentals.

8. Broken Sound Club, Boca Raton

Broken Sound Club in Boca Raton has two 18-hole championship courses, including The Old Course redesigned by Rees Jones, according to the club. It sits in the same Boca Raton market as Boca West, where the city's typical value rose 3.7% over the year to August 2026. See our Broken Sound guide.

Golf: 2 18-hole championship courses. Type: Private club.

9. Cypress Lakes, Lakeland

Cypress Lakes is a gated 55+ community of 1,604 single-family homes in Lakeland whose Big Cypress Golf Club has two 18-hole championship courses, according to 55places. Listed prices ran from the low to high $100,000s in September 2026, making it one of the cheapest golf communities in the state.

Golf: 2 18-hole courses at Big Cypress Golf Club. Type: 55+, gated.

10. Grand Harbor, Vero Beach

Grand Harbor is a gated community in Vero Beach with two golf courses, a beach club and marina access, according to Private Communities Registry, which lists homes from the $200,000s. Vero Beach's typical value was $362,300 in August 2026.

Golf: 2 courses. Type: Gated; beach club and marina.

11. Harbour Ridge, Palm City

Harbour Ridge is a private, gated community of 885 acres on the St. Lucie River in Palm City, with two championship courses, a marina and a yacht club, according to Private Communities Registry, which lists cottages and condos from the $200,000s. Palm City's overall typical value was $622,339.

Golf: 2 championship courses. Type: Private, gated; marina and yacht club.

12. Heathrow Country Club, Heathrow (Lake Mary area)

Heathrow Country Club, north of Orlando near Lake Mary, has 36 holes of championship golf on two courses, with clubhouses about two miles apart at Heathrow and The Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes, plus 13 tennis courts, according to the club. Both appear in our Orlando gated communities guide.

Golf: 36 holes on 2 courses. Type: Private club.

13. Ponte Vedra Beach (TPC Sawgrass), Ponte Vedra Beach

TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach has two PGA TOUR championship courses designed by Pete Dye, including THE PLAYERS Stadium Course with its island-green 17th hole, and hosts THE PLAYERS Championship every March. Homes in the surrounding neighborhoods are among the most expensive in North Florida: Zillow's typical value in Ponte Vedra Beach was $821,628 in August 2026.

Golf: 2 PGA TOUR courses by Pete Dye. Type: TOUR courses with bookable tee times.

14. Quail West Golf and Country Club, Naples

Quail West in Naples has two restored championship courses, a 100,000-square-foot clubhouse and a two-story fitness center, according to the club, with single-family and estate homes. Naples' typical value was $544,120 in August 2026, down 2.4% on the year.

Golf: 2 championship courses. Type: Private club community.

15. Solivita, Kissimmee (Poinciana)

Solivita, the large 55+ community south of Orlando, has two courses at its Stonegate Golf Club and more than 150 clubs, according to Private Communities Registry. 55places listed homes there from the low $300,000s in September 2026.

Golf: 2 courses at Stonegate Golf Club. Type: 55+, gated.

16. World Golf Village, St. Augustine

World Golf Village, off I-95 north of St. Augustine, has the King and Bear course co-designed by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus and the Slammer and Squire, according to the golf club. Both are public, so you can play without a membership. The Census World Golf Village area had a median year built of 2009.

Golf: King and Bear, Slammer and Squire. Type: Public courses within a planned community.

17. Ave Maria, Ave Maria

Ave Maria, the planned town east of Naples, has the Panther Run Golf Club at its center, according to Private Communities Registry. Its developer lists new homes from the low $200,000s to the $800,000s, including Del Webb Naples for buyers 55 and over.

Golf: Panther Run Golf Club. Type: All ages plus Del Webb 55+ section.

18. Bay Hill, Orlando

Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club and Lodge in southwest Orlando hosts the PGA TOUR's Arnold Palmer Invitational each year. Homes in the surrounding Bay Hill neighborhoods sit in the Dr. Phillips area; see our Dr. Phillips guide.

Golf: Championship course plus lodge. Type: Private club with surrounding neighborhoods.

19. Indian River Colony Club, Melbourne

Indian River Colony Club is a 55+ golf community of 453 acres in Melbourne with a private 18-hole course, according to Private Communities Registry, which lists homes from the $200,000s. Melbourne's typical value was $356,996 in August 2026.

Golf: 1 private 18-hole course. Type: 55+ golf community.

20. Isleworth, Windermere

Isleworth is a private estate community in Windermere, southwest of Orlando, whose 18-hole championship course was originally designed by Arnold Palmer and runs among lakes, according to the club. Windermere's typical value was $707,471 in August 2026, and estate homes inside Isleworth sit far above that.

Golf: 1 Arnold Palmer-designed championship course. Type: Private club community.

21. Miromar Lakes, Estero area

Miromar Lakes, between Fort Myers and Naples, has an 18-hole Arthur Hills signature championship course and a private lake beach club. Its developer listed new coach homes from $1.2 million and villas from $2.6 million in September 2026.

Golf: 1 Arthur Hills signature course. Type: Private beach and golf club.

Florida golf questions answered

What town in Florida has the most golf courses?

The Villages, by a wide margin. Florida for Boomers counts 14 championship and 42 executive courses there, 711 holes in all, and the developer describes it as the largest golfing community in the world. No other community on our list has more than four courses.

What area of Florida has the best golf?

Three areas stand out on the evidence in this guide. Northeast Florida has TPC Sawgrass, home of THE PLAYERS Championship. Orlando has Bay Hill, host of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, plus Isleworth, Reunion and Heathrow. Palm Beach County has the largest concentration of big private clubs, including Boca West, BallenIsles and Broken Sound.

Where do most golfers live in Florida?

There is no official count of golfers by town. The biggest concentrations of golf community homes are The Villages, the Palm Beach County club belt from Boca Raton to Palm Beach Gardens, the Naples and Fort Myers area, and the Orlando suburbs. Florida for Boomers estimates that about a third of The Villages' residents play golf.

What are some good 55+ golf communities in Florida?

Age-restricted communities in this guide are The Villages, On Top of the World, Pennbrooke Fairways, Cypress Lakes, Solivita and Indian River Colony Club, and Del Webb Stone Creek in Ocala has an 18-hole championship course. Kings Ridge in Clermont and Timber Pines in Spring Hill are other gated 55+ options. See our 55+ communities guide.

What golf community living costs

Equity and membership fees

Private clubs such as Boca West, BallenIsles and Quail West typically charge an initiation or equity fee and annual dues on top of the HOA. Boca West requires home ownership in the community for membership. Ask for the current fee schedule and any planned capital projects before you make an offer.

Bundled versus pay-as-you-play

Some communities include golf in the HOA or amenity fee, as The Villages does for its executive courses. Others, such as World Golf Village, have public courses you pay to play. Private Communities Registry notes that access varies, so confirm whether golf is included, optional or separate.

Mandatory memberships

In some private clubs, every home carries a mandatory social or golf membership that transfers with the house. That can add thousands of dollars a year and affects resale. Read the declaration and the club's membership documents.

Property tax and insurance

Golf community homes pay the same county property tax as any other home, plus any CDD. At the 7.03% average rate (Freddie Mac, September 24, 2026), principal and interest with 20% down is about $2,905 a month on a $544,120 home, Naples' typical value. See our Florida property tax guide.

How to choose a golf community in Florida

Play before you buy

Most clubs offer a trial round or a stay-and-play. Play at the time of day you would usually play, and ask how far ahead members can book.

Check the club's finances

Ask for the club's budget, reserves, membership numbers and any waiting list. A shrinking membership can mean higher dues for those who stay.

Weigh the region

Southeast and Southwest Florida clubs cost the most. Inland communities in Ocala, Lakeland and Leesburg offer golf at a fraction of the price, with longer drives to the coast.

Compare with gated and master-planned options

Many golf communities are also gated or part of a larger master plan. See our best gated communities and best master-planned communities guides.

Common questions

What is the best golf community in Florida?+

By amount of golf, The Villages is first, with 14 championship and 42 executive courses. Among private clubs, Boca West has four championship courses and BallenIsles three. The best choice depends on budget: Boca West requires home ownership and club fees, while Cypress Lakes in Lakeland offers two 18-hole courses with homes listed in the $100,000s.

What town in Florida has the most golf courses?+

The Villages has the most golf of any community in Florida and, its developer says, the world. Florida for Boomers counts 711 holes across 14 championship and 42 executive courses. Executive golf is included in The Villages' $189 monthly amenity fee, while championship courses carry separate fees.

What are affordable golf communities in Florida?+

Communities with golf and low entry prices include Cypress Lakes in Lakeland, Pennbrooke Fairways in Leesburg, On Top of the World in Ocala, and Grand Harbor, Harbour Ridge, Solivita and Indian River Colony Club, which Private Communities Registry lists from the $200,000s. Check whether golf is included or costs extra.

What area of Florida has the best golf?+

Northeast Florida has TPC Sawgrass, home of THE PLAYERS Championship each March. Orlando has Bay Hill, host of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and Reunion's three signature courses. Palm Beach County has the densest cluster of large private clubs, including Boca West, BallenIsles and Broken Sound.

Do you have to join the club to live in a Florida golf community?+

It depends on the community. Some private clubs make membership mandatory for every home, and Boca West ties membership to owning a home there. Others, such as World Golf Village, have public courses, and The Villages includes executive golf in its amenity fee. Read the declaration and membership documents before buying.

Are there 55+ golf communities in Florida?+

Yes. The Villages, On Top of the World, Solivita, Cypress Lakes, Pennbrooke Fairways and Indian River Colony Club in this guide are all 55+ golf communities, and Del Webb Stone Creek in Ocala has an 18-hole championship course. Federal and Florida law require at least 80% of occupied homes to have a resident aged 55 or older.

Best golf communities in Florida, ranked by courses

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