Where to Play Golf on Marco Island and the Islands

Island Golf in Southwest Florida: A Different Experience

Southwest Florida's barrier islands and coastal communities offer a golf experience that stands apart from the mainland courses around Naples and Fort Myers. Playing golf on Marco Island, Sanibel Island, or the surrounding islands means ocean breezes, unique coastal landscapes, and a laid-back atmosphere that makes every round feel like a vacation, because it is one.

But island golf comes with its own considerations. Course options are more limited than on the mainland.

Access can be restricted by bridges and seasonal traffic. And the courses themselves tend to reflect their environment: flatter terrain, more wind exposure, and coastal wildlife that includes ospreys circling overhead and alligators sunning themselves on cart paths.

This guide covers every golf option available on and near Southwest Florida's islands, with practical advice on booking, pricing, and what to expect when you arrive.

Golf on Marco Island

Marco Island is the largest and most developed of Southwest Florida's Ten Thousand Islands. Located about 20 minutes south of Naples, it's a popular destination for beach vacations, and it happens to have solid golf options for visitors.

Hammock Bay Golf and Country Club

Hammock Bay Golf and Country Club is a Peter Jacobsen and Jim Hardy-designed course that serves as Marco Island's primary golf destination. The course features generous fairways that wind through mangrove preserves and around interconnected lakes.

Water comes into play on the majority of holes, and the ocean breeze, especially during winter months, adds a consistent challenge.

Hammock Bay is semi-private, meaning public play is available. Green fees during peak season range from $89 to $175, depending on time of day.

Summer rates drop to the $45–$80 range. The facility includes a full practice range, a well-stocked pro shop, and a clubhouse grille with views of the course.

Green Fee Range: $45–$175 depending on season

Access: Semi-private; public play welcome

Best For: Marco Island visitors who want a full 18-hole experience without leaving the island

Marco Island Marriott Golf Resort

The Marriott on Marco Island partners with nearby golf courses to offer stay-and-play packages for resort guests. While there is no course on the Marriott property itself, the concierge can arrange tee times at courses throughout the Naples and Marco Island area.

This is a convenient option if you're staying at the resort and want someone else to handle the logistics.

Check the Marriott website for current golf package offerings, which typically bundle one or two rounds with accommodations at a discounted rate.

Golf Near Marco Island

Several excellent courses are located within a 15–30 minute drive of Marco Island on the mainland. If you're staying on Marco, these courses substantially expand your options.

Lely Resort Golf and Country Club

Just 15 minutes north of Marco Island, Lely Resort offers three distinct courses: the Flamingo Island Course (Robert Trent Jones Sr.), the Mustang Course (Lee Trevino), and the Classics Course. This is one of the best multi-course facilities in the region and a natural complement to a Marco Island golf trip.

The Flamingo Island Course is the headliner, with its dramatic mounding and the unforgettable island-green par 3. The Mustang Course plays shorter and tighter, rewarding accuracy.

Playing all three courses over consecutive days gives you a complete picture of Florida golf design across different eras.

Distance from Marco Island: 15–20 minutes

Green Fee Range: $55–$175 depending on course and season

Naples Beach Golf Club

Naples Grande Golf Club (formerly Naples Beach Hotel) is about 25 minutes from Marco Island and offers a Rees Jones-redesigned course that has quickly become one of the best layouts in the Naples area. The course is well worth the drive for golfers who want a step up in design quality and conditioning.

Distance from Marco Island: 25–30 minutes

Green Fee Range: $75–$199 depending on season

Fiddler's Creek Golf

Located between Marco Island and Naples, Fiddler's Creek is a community with two Arthur Hills-designed courses. The Creek Course and the Marsh Course offer distinct playing experiences within the same community.

Access for outside play varies, check with the pro shop for current availability and rates.

Distance from Marco Island: 10–15 minutes

Golf on Sanibel and Captiva Islands

Sanibel and Captiva Islands, located off the coast of Fort Myers, are known for their natural beauty, shelling beaches, and wildlife refuges. Golf options are limited but notable.

The Dunes Golf and Tennis Club

The Dunes Golf and Tennis Club is Sanibel's only golf course, an 18-hole layout that plays through native vegetation and around freshwater lakes. The course underwent significant restoration work after Hurricane Ian in 2022.

The rebuilt layout has been well received by members and visitors.

The Dunes is a semi-private club, and public play is available with advance booking. The course is shorter than most mainland options (playing under 6,600 yards from the tips), but the tight fairways, prevailing island winds, and small greens make it play longer than the yardage suggests.

Green Fee Range: $50–$150 depending on season

Access: Semi-private; public play available

Best For: Sanibel visitors who want to play without leaving the island

Note: Captiva Island does not have a golf course.

Golf on Fort Myers Beach and Estero Island

Fort Myers Beach does not have a full 18-hole golf course on the island. However, several courses on the mainland are within a short drive:

• Bay Oaks Country Club: A small executive course on Fort Myers Beach. Limited to 9 holes, par 30. Good for a casual round but not a destination course.
• Raptor Bay Golf Club: Located in Bonita Springs, about 15 minutes from Fort Myers Beach. A Raymond Floyd design with resort-style amenities.
• Bonita Fairways Golf Course: A 9-hole executive course in Bonita Springs, about 20 minutes from Fort Myers Beach. Affordable and good for a quick round.
• Old Corkscrew Golf Club: About 30 minutes from Fort Myers Beach. One of the top-rated public courses in Southwest Florida and well worth the drive.

Planning Your Island Golf Trip

Here are practical tips for combining island vacation time with golf in Southwest Florida:

"One of best in Fort Myers/Naples area. Scenic well designed tour quality Jack Nicklaus course. Difficult to score well but enjoyable and challenging. Must play."

krv1950, GolfPass review

Transportation

All of the islands in Southwest Florida are accessible by car via bridges or causeways. However, bridge traffic can be significant during peak season, especially on Sanibel (the Sanibel Causeway can back up during busy weekends).

Plan to leave 15–20 extra minutes for bridge crossings during peak hours (8–10 AM and 4–6 PM).

When to Play

Island courses are exposed to ocean breezes that pick up as the day progresses. For the calmest conditions, book early morning tee times. Afternoon wind can add 1–2 clubs to your normal distances and make course management far more important than raw power.

Combining Beach and Golf

The ideal island golf day: an early morning round (7:00–7:30 AM tee time), finished by noon, leaving the entire afternoon for the beach, shelling, fishing, or exploring. This schedule also takes advantage of lower green fees on many courses that offer morning-only rates.

What to Bring

Beyond standard golf gear, island golfers should pack:

• Extra sunscreen (SPF 50+), the sun reflects off water on all sides
• A wide-brimmed hat for sun protection
• A lightweight windbreaker for breezy mornings
• Bug spray for summer rounds (mosquitoes can be active near mangroves)

Is Island Golf Worth It?

Island golf in Southwest Florida is not about playing the most challenging or prestigious courses in the region. If you want that, head to TPC Treviso Bay, Tiburon, or Old Corkscrew on the mainland.

"Always a pleasure playing at TPC Treviso. Nice layout and challenging holes with fast greens."

napolidon2012, GolfPass review

What island golf offers is atmosphere. Playing The Dunes on Sanibel while ospreys dive for fish in the adjacent lake, or teeing off at Hammock Bay with the Gulf breeze at your back, provides a sensory experience that mainland courses, regardless of design quality, can't match.

If you're visiting the islands and golf is part of your trip, absolutely play. Just calibrate your expectations: the courses are good, not great, and the experience is about the setting as much as the shot-making.

For many visiting golfers, that combination is exactly what a Florida golf vacation should feel like.

Browse all island and coastal courses in our complete course directory.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any golf courses directly on Marco Island?

Yes. Hammock Bay Golf and Country Club is the primary golf course on Marco Island, offering 18 holes of semi-private golf. Several private club courses are also located within Marco Island communities, but these require membership or member introduction.

Can I play golf on Sanibel Island?

Yes. The Dunes Golf and Tennis Club on Sanibel offers 18 holes with public access. It is the only golf course on Sanibel Island. Captiva Island does not have a golf course.

How do island golf courses compare to Naples courses?

Island courses tend to be shorter, more exposed to wind, and less heavily designed than the premium mainland courses around Naples. They offer a more relaxed, scenic experience but generally don't match the design quality or conditioning of courses like TPC Treviso Bay or Old Corkscrew.

Is there golf on Pine Island or Gasparilla Island?

Pine Island does not have a public golf course. Gasparilla Island (Boca Grande) has a small private course at the Gasparilla Inn, which is available to inn guests during season. It's a charming, historic layout but very limited in scope.

What is the best island golf course in Southwest Florida?

Hammock Bay on Marco Island and The Dunes on Sanibel are the two best options for visitor play on the islands. Hammock Bay offers a more modern, resort-style experience, while The Dunes provides a more natural, island-character round.

Both are worth playing if you're staying on their respective islands.

Can I rent golf clubs on Marco Island or Sanibel?

Both Hammock Bay and The Dunes offer club rental services. Rates vary, so call ahead to confirm availability and pricing. If you're flying in for a golf trip, renting clubs on-island saves the hassle and expense of traveling with your own set.