USA · Florida
Three world-top-100 public courses by Coore & Crenshaw, Doak and Hanse on dramatic reclaimed dune land. How to play Red, Blue and Black, when to go, and how to get there.
By Tom Whitaker · Staff Writer
Streamsong looks and plays nothing like the flat, palm-lined Florida golf you're picturing. Built on reclaimed phosphate-mining land in central Florida, its terrain is all dramatic sand dunes, deep lakes and rugged elevation — and it's the only place on earth to play courses by Coore & Crenshaw, Tom Doak and Gil Hanse side by side. It's remote, walking-friendly and caddie-oriented: a genuine modern golf pilgrimage.
The three championship courses — Red, Blue and Black — all sit in the US top-100 public rankings, and choosing a favourite is half the fun. Here's how to plan it: the courses, when to go, how to get there, where to stay, and how to make the most of an isolated, play-all-three destination.
Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw · 2012 · 18 holes · Dunes / strategic
A fixture in Golf Digest's America's 100 Greatest Public Courses
The Golden-Age-inspired course — strategic, walkable and beautifully natural, threading the big dunes and lakes it shares with Blue. The most decorated of the three in Golf Digest's public ranking, and for many the purest expression of what Streamsong is.
Tom Doak · 2012 · 18 holes · Dunes / links-style
Doak's minimalist, St Andrews-influenced counterpoint, sharing the same dramatic dune-and-lake landscape as Red. Bold greens, big scale and its own passionate following — the eternal 'Red or Blue?' debate is exactly why you play both.
Gil Hanse & Jim Wagner · 2017 · 18 holes · Dunes / modern
Golf Digest Best New Public Course, 2018
The biggest and boldest of the three, at its own separate clubhouse — huge, wildly contoured greens and an open, playable-yet-demanding modern design. It was Golf Digest's Best New Public Course of 2018 and rounds out one of the deepest single-resort line-ups anywhere.
Gil Hanse & Jim Wagner · putting course holes · Putting
A sprawling, wildly contoured putting course beside the Black clubhouse — the perfect wind-down after 36 holes, drink in hand.
Central Florida's peak golf season runs roughly October to May, when it's cooler, drier and most comfortable. Summer (June–September) is hot and very humid with near-daily afternoon thunderstorms — playable, and rates drop, but tee times shift early and heat and lightning delays are common. Honest take: autumn and spring are the sweet spots; walking these dune courses in July heat is punishing.
It's genuinely remote — part of the appeal. Tampa International (TPA) is about 1h15; Orlando International (MCO) about 1h30 — roughly 90 minutes from either. A rental car is effectively required, and there's little around the property, so plan to settle in on-site once you arrive.
Lodging is on-site and self-contained: The Lodge (the main hotel, with lake, golf and sunset views) plus The Clubhouse near Red and Blue. Dining is on property — you eat where you stay. The culture is walking-first with a strong caddie tradition; carts are seasonal (roughly March to late December), and the resort goes fully walking-only from late December through February.
This is a play-all-three destination, not a single-round stop. A typical trip is a stay-and-play of two to three nights and three to five rounds — one each on Red, Blue and Black, ideally with a caddie, plus time for The Gauntlet and the practice ground. Because it's isolated, the ideal rhythm is to arrive, settle into The Lodge, and play back-to-back days on foot.
What to pack
Streamsong is hot, humid, walkable dune golf with afternoon storms in summer — pack for sun, sweat and the odd downpour:
Tifosi
$60
Florida sun and glare off the sandy dunes are relentless — wraparound lenses you can wear all round are essential here.
Under Armour
$30
A cooling cap is a genuine comfort upgrade in central-Florida heat and humidity over a long walking round.
Srixon
$15
Humidity and sweat destroy grip; an all-weather glove that holds when damp, plus a dry spare, keeps your hands in it.
Sunday Golf
$250
Streamsong is walking-first — a light carry/stand bag beats hauling a heavy tour bag over the dunes for 36 holes a day.
Bushnell
$750
Big, bold greens and blind lines over the dunes make a precise rangefinder genuinely useful.
Galvin Green
$450
Summer afternoons bring quick thunderstorms — a packable waterproof shell keeps a passing cell from ending your round.
Plan your trip
Plan the trip
Explained
A no-fluff guide to the best golf trip destinations worldwide, what kind of golfer each one suits, when to go, and the kit that travels anywhere.
Explained
A Florida golf trip is the winter-sun capital for Americans and Brits alike: huge density, easy logistics and family-friendly resorts. Here's where to play, when to go, and why you pack a waterproof even in the sun.
Explained
The difference between a smooth golf getaway and a stressful one is mostly in what you pack. Here's the away-day checklist that earns its place in the bag.
More in USA