Alright, going to Destin in August....staying right on the beach....I want the best recommendations for golf in the area as well as any other thing you guys/gals can think of.

We have already planned a day at Big Kahuna's water park....and at least one lunch/dinner at The Back Porch.

Help me out.......

There used to be a place on the beach called "Howl at the Moon". It had two nightclubs, both with live music. One was aimed at the young crowd, while the other was for the older folks.

Chi-Town Wrote:Alright, going to Destin in August....staying right on the beach....I want the best recommendations for golf in the area as well as any other thing you guys/gals can think of.

We have already planned a day at Big Kahuna's water park....and at least one lunch/dinner at The Back Porch.

Help me out.......

Destin is btiger's personal playground but his suggestions would be enough to bankrupt you or me.

TG4 Wrote:

Chi-Town Wrote:Alright, going to Destin in August....staying right on the beach....I want the best recommendations for golf in the area as well as any other thing you guys/gals can think of.

We have already planned a day at Big Kahuna's water park....and at least one lunch/dinner at The Back Porch.

Help me out.......

Destin is btiger's personal playground but his suggestions would be enough to bankrupt you or me.

btiger likes it there? I guess there is true meaning to the term redneck riviera.

I played at the SanDestin Resort. Don't ask me too much about it, I was drunk the whole time there. I don't remember playing very well. I also played Indian Wells, that was a fun course. This was about 6 years ago.

JTiger Wrote:I played at the SanDestin Resort. Don't ask me too much about it, I was drunk the whole time there. I don't remember playing very well. I also played Indian Wells, that was a fun course. This was about 6 years ago.

I had someone else recommend Indian Bayou (?) and it is right down the street from where we are staying. I'll add it to the list....thanks --

Ft Walton has a little 9 hole par 3 lighted course on the main drag that's fun especially if you get too much sun but still want to hit some balls and it's a short drive from Destin. Good exercise and you only need a 5-7-W-P to play.

Chi-Town Wrote:

JTiger Wrote:I played at the SanDestin Resort. Don't ask me too much about it, I was drunk the whole time there. I don't remember playing very well. I also played Indian Wells, that was a fun course. This was about 6 years ago.

I had someone else recommend Indian Bayou (?) and it is right down the street from where we are staying. I'll add it to the list....thanks --

That may be the name of the course, like I said, I was pretty wasted the whole time.

depends on what you want to pay...High dollar, try Burnt Pine or Regatta Bay

The Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort would be the best, IMO. I just played a round of golf there 3 weeks ago. Pretty damn nice!

http://sandestin.com/















Welcome to MY Paradise!

BTW, Big Kahuna's Water Park is nice, but not as good as Panama City Beach's Shipwreck Island Water Park. Here are some Big Kahuna's pictures though:

homefry20 Wrote:depends on what you want to pay...High dollar, try Burnt Pine or Regatta Bay

Regatta Bay was recommended by several and is 5 mins from where we are staying. Price on-line is listed as $125....that ain't cheap, but not bad either if the quality is what I have been told.

SCC, what did you shoot? A 300? lmfao That pic looks awesome, I'll check it out on-line......

Chi-Town Wrote:

homefry20 Wrote:depends on what you want to pay...High dollar, try Burnt Pine or Regatta Bay

Regatta Bay was recommended by several and is 5 mins from where we are staying. Price on-line is listed as $125....that ain't cheap, but not bad either if the quality is what I have been told.

SCC, what did you shoot? A 300? lmfao That pic looks awesome, I'll check it out on-line......

It was my very first time EVER playing any type of golf other than miniature. I am happy to just say that my golf score was lower than my bowling average.

We'll leave it at that, ok?

SCConway Wrote:The Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort would be the best, IMO. I just played a round of golf there 3 weeks ago. Pretty damn nice!

http://sandestin.com/















Welcome to MY Paradise!

BTW, Big Kahuna's Water Park is nice, but not as good as Panama City Beach's Shipwreck Island Water Park. Here are some Big Kahuna's pictures though:

Wow, SCC!!!! Your photography has dramatically improved.

OneShiningMoment Wrote:Wow, SCC!!!! Your photography has dramatically improved.

Hell, I wish I could take photography that good. lol

Chi-Town Wrote:

homefry20 Wrote:depends on what you want to pay...High dollar, try Burnt Pine or Regatta Bay

Regatta Bay was recommended by several and is 5 mins from where we are staying. Price on-line is listed as $125....that ain't cheap, but not bad either if the quality is what I have been told.

Check the after 3 pm twilight rate. Most of those courses offer a reduced rate after 3.

I'm actually driving up to Destin for work tomorrow morning and think I might sneak in a round on Windswept Dunes on my way into town before dinner.

The single best course in the area (IMO) is Shark's Tooth, a private club on the way to Panama City. (Isn't that where Conway is from?) I find golf around Destin in the summer extremely pricey.

#2 for me is a tie between Camp Creek (I believe you can still play it daily-fee) and Burnt Pine (the private club inside the Sandestin gates, there is a photo above of a par 3 over a marsh on this course). Camp Creek is a Tom Fazio design around Seaside where they filmed part of that Jim Carrey movie where he didn't get out. Truman? Burnt Pine is a very good Rees Jones design that is only hindered by his garish mounding. Fortunately his philosophy evolved past those.

A half a run below for me at #4 is Raven, the very upscale Country Club for a Day at Sandestin. Other folks prefer this to Burnt Pine, probably more than half. Designed by RTJ, Jr., this is the only place in the world where Rees and Bobby worked at the same place. Rumors are the two don't get along well.

I do not care for Regatta Bay or Kelly Plantation. Of the two I'd choose the latter. People are probably steering you to these. They enjoy good reputations up there.

I did not play it, but Emerald Bay looked interesting to me. Moreso than Regatta and Kelly.

If you don't really like spending three figs for golf just play something passable and pick your battles elsewhere. If you don't mind the tariff, go for a special treat like one of the top four above. I'd be leery about dropping more than $100 for some of the others just because it is high season.

Enjoy. And be sure to hit the Red Door in Grayson Beach if time permits.

Ayatollah is right on about going to Red Bar in Grayton it is worth the drive from Destin but go early and take cash; no credit cards and it gets crowded quickly. As far as golf I would pretty much agree about the golf course rating although I have not played Shark's tooth or Windswept Dunes which I think is over the Mid-Bay Bridge. Camp Creek is really nice but another drive from Destin. Burnt Pine and Raven are really nice in Sandestin and much closer to you. Again if you want to drive a little bit down 30-A try out the Santa Rosa golf club, its nothing flashy but alot of fun and typically cheaper than the Regatta or Emerald. As far as anywhere else to possibly eat AJ's is great for local atmosphere and tourists alike; Louisiana Lagniappe is good and kind of old school, blue hair type place; old standbys like back porch, capt daves are all good in Destin. Down 30-A has alot of nice restaurants: Goatfeathers has good seafood but not fancy, the best restaurant in the area in my opinion in Criollas on 30-A; the restaurant in Seaside: Bud and Alleys has a cool sunset tradition of ringing a large bell when the sun takes its last dip behind the horizon. The seafood shack on the beach side in Seaside serves great fish tacos. I could go on and on. Have fun.