Receive your complimentary relocation guide
Guide to the Top Golf Communities in Florida
Guide to the Top Golf Communities in Florida
Golf communities in Florida are among the region’s best retirement communities. Retirees and other seniors who love to play golf can take advantage of top-notch courses and an active social calendar that comes with the country-club lifestyle. 
Designed with Play in Mind
The best golf communities feature courses designed by the finest minds in the industry, including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Tom Watson. Acclaimed architects Tom Fazio, Pete Dye, Tom Jackson, and Arthur Hills have also created exceptional courses all over the country.
Of course, a great golf community starts with a course that uses the area’s natural features to create a unique experience. Mountain courses challenge players with elevation changes and reward them with sweeping views. Lakeside links are dotted with water features to maneuver around. Tidal wetlands and strong ocean breezes of seaside courses test the most skilled golfers.
Courses are the gems of golf residential communities; thus, upkeep is a priority. From routine maintenance to complete refurbishments, golf communities offer consistently high-quality courses.
Most golf communities have multiple onsite courses—some as many as six! This means convenient tee times and a rotation of different challenges. And even if there is only one course within the community, residents are usually provided complimentary access to other local courses.
Up-To-Par Member Services
Golf community residents experience superior services to help them reach the top of their game. Professional instruction, available as group or private lessons, takes players’ skills to the next level. For those who prefer a tech approach, digital swing analysis may also be available.
Professional staff help residents book lessons and tee times. They also manage league schedules and member-exclusive tournaments. An onsite pro shop means that residents are always fully equipped to play.
Clubhouse Calendar
New residents and veteran members can mingle at the clubhouse. Restaurants and private dining rooms provide an intimate setting for old friends, while lounges and outdoor decks are great places to make new ones.
Aside from golf, clubhouses also feature amenities such as state-of-the-art fitness facilities and pool complexes. Those who want to take a break from golf can pick up a racket and play on the tennis courts.
From playgrounds to lounges, these communities offer amenities to entertain residents of any age. Further, these amenities add value to the neighborhood, which benefits homeowners in these great communities.
Sample Communities to Discover
Amelia National Golf and Country Club
A Place to Call Home. Amelia National Golf & Country Club, a new home community in Fernandina Beach, FL, provides residents with some of the most sought after amenities. Manned, gated security, 18 holes of immaculate golf from master designer, Tom Fazio, practice facilities, brand new lighted tennis courts, fitness center with spa, and a charming French provincial county club featuring a resort-style pool are just a few of the amenities we offer.
- Manned, Gated Security
- Private Tom Fazio Golf Course
- Low Initiation Fee
- Practice Facilities & Pro Shop
- On Staff Golf Pro
- Use Your Own Golf Cart
- Brand New Lighted Tennis Facility
- On Staff Tennis Pro
- Clubhouse with Full Bar and Dining
- Community Pool with Hot Tub
- State-of-the-Art Fitness Center & Spa
- Homes with Golf & Preserve Views
Location, Location, Location
Amelia National’s close proximity to Amelia Island, the Jacksonville International Airport and the beach make it a highly desirable location for those looking for new homes in Fernandina Beach. Some of the finest restaurants, shopping and attractions are just a short drive from your front door. If you are feeling a little more adventurous, the heart of Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Georgia are easily accessible because of Amelia National’s convenient location just a few miles from interstate 95.
Homes that Meet Your Exact Needs
Luxury homes of grace, beauty and magnificent golf course views. ICI Homes has earned its reputation as Florida’s Custom Home Builder by offering in-house architectural services so you can design your new custom home from scratch or from a favorite plan you’ve found. Or if you’d prefer, you can select from our extensive portfolio of award-winning floors plans, all of which can be totally customized to suit.
Because ICI Homes has built thousands of homes, from affordable villas to breathtaking mansions, ICI Homes benefits from a volume purchasing advantage that ensures your home is built with the best quality materials at the greatest value for your money. Building a brand-new, one-of-a-kind home easy and surprisingly affordable, with home/lot packages starting from the $300’s.
Shell Point Retirement Community
THE BEST PLACE TO BE
Shell Point® is an award-winning lifecare retirement resort located along the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers, Florida just minutes from Sanibel Island and the Gulf of Mexico. When you retire at Shell Point, you have the comfort of knowing that your needs will be taken care of – both now and in the years to come.
RECREATION FOR EVERYONE
Shell Point offers an unparalleled lifestyle in an unparalleled waterfront setting. For those who enjoy exploring Florida’s waterways, there’s boating, fishing, sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and canoeing. For sport and fitness fans there is Shell Point’s championship golf course, four Har-Tru tennis courts, five pickleball courts, a bocce court, fitness centers with trained professionals and four heated swimming pools. Nature lovers will enjoy the boardwalks, bridges, bike paths and miles of walking trails. Residents who are interested in gardening enjoy individual garden plots, a lovely rose garden, and a fully-equipped orchid greenhouse and a butterfly garden.
ARTFUL LIVING
No other community offers the variety of outlets for creativity and personal expression that are available at Shell Point. Shell Point provides extensive craft and hobby facilities, including a complete woodworking shop, lapidary room, train room for miniature train enthusiasts, digital photography lab, modern pottery and ceramics studio, and an art studio with classes for beginners as well as advanced artists in a variety of media. Performing arts are enjoyed through choral ensembles, a jazz band, and multiple musical groups for participants at all levels.
DISCOVER SHELL POINT
Discover for yourself what residents of Shell Point already know – that Shell Point is the perfect place for retirement living – all in a resort-style setting. Shell Point offers private appointments with a tour of the community. Schedule your visit by calling (239) 466-1131, press 1 for Sales.
Ave Maria
Ave Maria is an award-winning master-planned community that combines an active lifestyle with the charm and friendliness of a small town in the Gulf Coast region of southwestern Florida. The Collier County community encompasses multiple residential neighborhoods, schools, a town center with shopping and dining, office space, business parks, and recreational amenities located 20 minutes east of Interstate 75 near Naples, Immokalee and Bonita Springs.
One of the best-selling communities in the nation, Ave Maria features a resort-style water park and two expansive community parks with picnic areas, sports fields, playgrounds, tennis, bocce and pickleball courts. Residents also have access to quality K-12 education, 100 miles of nature, hiking and biking paths, a dog park, a fitness center, 2 championship 18-hole golf courses, and much more.
Real estate options within Ave Maria include several family-friendly neighborhoods of homes in a variety of styles- from single-family homes to condominiums, plus the Del Webb Naples 55+ active adult community
Get Started
Finding and choosing the right golf community can be a daunting task. This is where ideal-LIVING can help. Sign up below to receive our complimentary relocation guide, which offers tips on how to find a community that suits your needs. In this guide, you’ll discover the best golf communities in Florida, as well as what you can do to get started. Sign up for this free package to take the first step in your exciting journey.
Free Package includes:
- ideal-LIVING Relocation Guide
The ultimate guide to finding your ideal destination, life and home. This annual guide contains more than 15 state maps, a location-based cost of living and climate comparison chart and discovery travel packages.
- ideal-LIVING Magazine
Quarterly print magazine features the best places to retire and/or purchase your ideal second home.
- ideal-LIVING E-Newsletter
Receive our digital newsletter, two to three times a month, highlighting communities around the country and abroad.
- Tickets to ideal-LIVING Live Events
The ideal-LIVING Resort & Retirement Show has helped retirees and second-home buyers find their ideal community and home for more than 30 years.
© 2025 ideal-LIVING Magazine • 265 Racine Dr #201 • Wilmington, NC 28403 • 910.763.2100