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“Wastin’ away in Margaritaville” restaurants was time well spent in my early twenties. My life as a cruise ship art auctioneer saw me navigating the Caribbean and Mexican Riviera.
In honor of the recently passed Jimmy Buffet, this review focuses on Margaritaville golf course resorts and layouts to play nearby.
At the conclusion of this tribute post, you will know where Margaritaville golf courses are, the cost of green fees, and reasons to visit. I also provide nearby golf courses to consider playing when staying at Margaritaville Resort and Hotel.
I will also lay out your best golfing options near Latitude Margaritaville Retirement Communities (if you’re looking for a long-term place to call home!).
⛳️ Related: TopGolf Fun for Golfers & Non-Golfers
Margaritaville Golf Course Resorts
Margaritaville has two exquisite properties within the Margaritaville resort collection that cater to golf enthusiasts. Both resorts boast onsite golf courses, providing a perfect blend of relaxation and recreation for avid golfers as well as plenty of other activities for non-golfers.
Margaritaville Golf Course Lake Conroe
- Reasons to Visit: Golf course, Spa, Sam Houston National Forest, Fishing Trips
- Location: Montgomery, Texas
- Green Fees: Tuesday – Thursday ($45 – $55); Friday – Sunday ($55 – $75)
- Par: 71
- Length: 6,921 yards
- Architect: Jeffrey D. Blume
- Greens: Tifdwarf Bermuda grass
- Club Rentals: Yes
The Margaritaville Lake Resort course in Conroe, Texas, is an 18-hole Parkland golf course stretching 6,921 yards. Jeffrey D. Blume redesigned the golf course in 2007 to enhance the challenge of the par 71 layout. This Margaritaville Golf Course also has a driving range, putting green, and on-site PGA golf coaches.
Green fees are seriously affordable, even when teeing off on a weekend morning, the most expensive time to play. You will not have any challenges making your tee time, as you can stay on-site in one of the 32 Lakeside Cottages and 303 luxury Tower Suites.
If you feel peckish before or after your round, satisfy your thirst and hunger at one of the ten on-site restaurants or bars.
When you travel with family, make sure they remain entertained so you can play in peace. The resort offers an abundance of activities, including fishing trips, water parks, and beer and wine tours. The Margaritaville Spa is also located on-site, should you need a massage or rest and relaxation after your round of golf.
Margaritaville Golf Course Lake of the Ozarks
- Reasons to Visit: Golf, Spa, Wine and Dine, Indoor Waterpark, Watersports
- Location: Osage Beach, Missouri
- Green Fees: Tuesday – Thursday ($45 – $69); Friday – Sunday ($66 – $85)
- Par: 71
- Length: 6,432 yards
- Architect: Bruce Devlin, Robert Von Hagge
- Greens: Bentgrass
- Club Rentals: Yes
Margaritaville brings island life to the Midwest town of Osage Beach with their Lake of the Ozarks Resort. An 18-hole golf course is the centerpiece of proceedings, offering visitors a challenging outing riddled with stunning lake vistas.
The Oaks Golf Course at Margaritaville Lake Resort is a par 71 design that put itself on the map after the 1994 PGA Club Pro Championship. Like other Margaritaville golf courses, the green fees are highly affordable, starting at $45 on weekday mornings before bumping up to $85 on weekend mornings.
The Margaritaville Lake Resort features 494 guest rooms and suites to increase the convenience of your golfing experience. If you are traveling in a large group, you may prefer the option of a house stay at the nearby Tan-Tar-A property.
Nongolfing members in your party have plenty to keep them occupied while you traverse the links. A spa is located onsite along with tennis courts, outdoor pools, and miniature golf facilities. Adventurers have the option of horseback riding tours, wakeboarding, and WaveRunner rentals.
5 Top Margaritaville Hotels Near Golf Courses
Margaritaville Beach Resort Cap Cana – Dominican Republic
Nearby Golf Courses:
- Punta Espada
- Corales Golf Course
- La Cana Golf Club
Take to the links in paradise when you stay at the Margaritaville Beach Resort Cap Cana in the sunny Dominican Republic. There is no golf course on site, but the all-inclusive resort offers a golfing getaway package that includes 2 rounds at the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, Punta Espada.
The Golden Bear designed golf course was rated number 1 in the Caribbean and Mexico for 8 years running. Another layout within reach of Margaritaville Cap Cana is the Tom Fazio designed Corales Golf Club. It hosted its inaugural PGA Tour event in 2023, the Corales Puntacana Championship.
If you’re traveling with children – this one isn’t for you. Margaritaville Beach Resort is adults only.
Margaritaville Beach Resort Riviera Maya – Mexico
Nearby Golf Courses:
- Puerto Aventuras,
- Moon Spa And Golf Club
- Gran Coyote
- Nicklaus Design Golf Course At Vidanta Riviera Maya
I spent 3 years navigating the Riviera Maya, home to resort towns like Tulum, Cozumel, and Playa del Carmen. There is no shortage of golf courses, white sandy beaches, and accommodations in the area. However, the Margaritaville Resort Riviera Maya does well to cater to everyone in the family.
A wealth of golf courses are awaiting your tee time in the vicinity, but there are none on the property. To the north sits Cancun Country Club and Moon Spa And Golf Club, but it’s the southside where the action heats up. Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, and Pete Dye have all put their hands on the championship course near the town of Playa del Carmen.
These are premium golf courses, and you can expect to fork out the corresponding amount for green fees. Another factor to consider is transport to and from the golf course. On average, you can expect a 20 to 30-minute drive from the Resort to the golf course, so ask the Margaritaville staff to arrange a cab if you are not in a rental car.
Margaritaville Beach Resort Riviera is also an adults only all-inclusive resort experience.
Margaritaville Palm Springs Resort & Spa – Palm Springs, CA
Nearby Golf Courses:
- Mission Hills Country Club
- Desert Princess Country Club
- Tahquitz Golf Resort
- Escena Golf Club
Venture out into the desert for warm weather, cocktails, outdoor swimming pools, and a healthy selection of golf courses. Mission Hills Country Club is the standout venue in the vicinity, with 3 Championship golf courses designed by the likes of Arnold Palmer and Pete Dye.
The Dinah Shore Tournament Course hosts the annual LPGA ANA Inspiration events. Mission Hills is only 10 miles from the Margaritaville Palm Springs Resort & Spa, but there is a catch. It is managed by Invited Clubs, formerly Clubcorp. That means you must hold an Invited Clubs membership that entails you to a round at Mission Hills.
Alternatively, you can try the Legends Course at Tahquitz Golf Resort, designed by William Francis Bell. The very same gentleman who gave us the Torrey Pines. After your round, treat yourself to a spa treatment and a feed at one of six on-site Margaritaville restaurants.
Compass by Margaritaville Hotel Naples – Naples, FL
Nearby Golf Courses:
The Compass by Margaritaville Hotel is within reach of many forbidden fruits. The area is stacked with manicured fairways and greens. However, a fair share of establishments are private, and visitors have no chance of securing a tee time. Naples also has some of the best shopping and beaches in Florida.
The premier golfing experience is the Tiburon Naples. It annually hosts the PGA Tour Champions players at the Chubb Classic. You can stay and play at the Ritz Carlton Naples, but this luxury golf getaway isn’t necessarily affordable!
Courses like the Bear’s Paw and Grey Oaks are all private, ruling them out for a golfing trip. However, a short 20-minute drive north leads you to Glades Country Club, where two 18-hole courses await your arrival. The Pines course is a par 70, water heavy layout, while the Palmetto course is only a par 55.
The Island-Style Hotel is significantly different to the standard Margaritaville Resort structure. Beverages are in abundance, and you will have to settle for bar food if you plan on eating in.
Margaritaville Resort Orlando
Nearby Golf Courses:
- The Legends At Orange Lake
- Reunion Resort And Golf Club
- Mystic Dunes Golf Club
- Champions Gate Country Club
- Celebration Golf Club
Who said Disney World was the main attraction in Orlando? As a golfer, you will be in your element at the Margaritaville Resort. The Arnold Palmer designed Legends At Orange Lake is less than 3 miles up the road from the resort. And, being located in Orlando, all season golf is possible year-round!
The front nine at The Legends course attempts to replicate the experience of playing a round of golf in Scotland. However, Arnie changed tactics on the back nine, paying homage to the Carolinas.
Slightly further north of the Legends course is the Reunion Resort, where Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Tom Watson rolled out golf courses.
Orlando is one of our favorite budget golf trips since there are approximately 100 courses nearby! You can get steep discounts if you don’t mind playing in the summer months.
Margaritaville Beach Resort Playa Flamingo
Nearby Golf Course: Hacienda Pinilla
Located on the Brasilito Bay on the Pacific Ocean is the Margaritaville Playa Flamingo Resort in Costa Rica. Unlike Orlando or Naples, there are minimal options on the golfing front. However, you can reserve a tee time at the spectacularly located Hacienda Pinilla and Robert Trent Jones II Reserva Conchal Golf Course.
The par 72 Hacienda Pinilla is a beast off the back tees for amateurs, reaching 7,200 yards that offers challenging dog legs. Its lengthy layout brings the wind into play. The stand-out holes are the 14th and 15th, which lie on the ocean.
Robert Trent Jones II is also a long course for amateurs, stretching 7,021 yards, with a total par score of 71. After your round of golf, journey back to the resort to wine and dine, take a dip in the refreshing Pacific Ocean, or layout on the sandy beach.
Margaritaville Retirement Communities
The Jimmy Buffett brand has expanded beyond restaurants, hotels, and resorts into retirement communities. Although none of the establishments in Hilton Head, Daytona, and Watersound have on-site golf courses, the section below reveals what golfing opportunities are available to you within the vicinity.
For retirees looking for that laid-back vibe, Margaritaville Retirement Communities has much to offer. While Latitude Margaritaville continues to expand premier destinations for golfers.
Latitude Margaritaville: Hilton Head
Nearby Golf Courses:
- Harbour Town Golf Links
- Hilton Head Lakes
- Eagles Pointe Golf Club
- Harbour Town Golf Links
The Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head Community is based in Hardeeville, South Carolina. Hidden Cypress Golf Club is the nearest course to the community, just under 7 miles away. Your commitment will be rewarded if you decide to drive the 27.5 miles to Harbour Town Golf Links.
Harbour Town is an annual stop on the PGA Tour calendar for the RBC Heritage, played after the Master in April. Pete Dye designed the course with the assistance of Jack Nicklaus, and it is a challenging links-styled course where skilled players risk returning high scores.
If you struggle to get a round in at The Links, try the neighboring Herron Point or Atlantic Dunes. The former was also designed by Pete Dye, while David Love III is responsible for the latter.
Latitude Margaritaville: Daytona, FL
Nearby Golf Courses:
Daytona is famed for the Speedway, but it is now home to a Latitude Margaritaville retirement community and an abundance of world-class golf courses. Chief among them is the LPGA International, home to the Tour with its namesake. The home of professional ladies golf is only 3.5 miles down the road.
Two golf courses are open to tackle at the LPGA International. The Hills Course takes its name from designer Arthur Hills, while the Jones Course is named after Rees Jones. Alternatively, you can try the Daytona Beach Golf Club on the Halifax River, which boasts 2 18-hole parkland golf courses.
Latitude Margaritaville: Watersound, FL
Nearby Golf Courses:
The Latitude Margaritaville Watersound complex is located in Panama City Beach, Florida. Although there are golf courses around, prepare yourself for a 15 to 40-minute commute, depending on the location.
The nearest course open to the public is Legacy Golf Club, which is just under a 14-minute drive from the Latitude Margaritaville, Watersound. The Legacy Golf Club has a championship golf course and a par 3 layout to challenge all skill levels.
Final Farewell to Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett became a household name in the 1970s with his breakout singles Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude, and Margaritaville. As we mourn the passing of an icon, we can reflect fondly on the legacy he built beyond music.
Our tribute to the legend highlighted the popularity of his restaurants, resorts, hotels, and now, retirement communities. Despite his passing, we will continue to enjoy visions created and inspired by Bubba.
Now that you know where the Margaritaville golf course resorts are, what will it be? If I had to choose one, I would go for the Margaritaville Golf Course at Lake of the Ozarks. However, I would highly consider a trip to the Margaritaville Beach Resort Riviera Maya, given the beauty of the location and the wealth of world-class golf courses.
