Golf Pro Explains: What to Look for in the Right Ocala Golf Club

Finding the right golf club to join is one of the most important decisions you will make as an avid golfer. When moving to Ocala, finding the right Ocala golf club is crucial to your social and athletic life. Luckily for you we have an Ocala golf pro to help you decide what you want. 

When you are looking for the right Ocala golf club, you want to find a golf club with a membership you can afford. You also want to pick a golf club that has a premier golf clubhouse, an excellent golf pro and a course that you love to play. This should include a golf course with tribute holes if you’re looking for a course with style and one that has a historic feel. An overall championship golf course experience from top to bottom is important too, according to a local golf pro.  

There’s a lot involved with choosing the right golf club in your community, based on whether you are looking for a public course or a private course. Here’s some tips to help you navigate the Ocala golf club scene and find a golf course with tee times that meet your needs. Read on to understand what a local golf pro says should be the top reason for picking a golf club in the area. 

How to Choose the Right Golf Club

When you are looking for a golf club, you have to figure out first what kind of golf course you want to play. There are two types of golf courses we will review together:

Public golf courses

Public golf courses are typically owned by the city or county in which you live. The budget for these courses are set for the year by the city council or county government. Anyone is allowed to play at a public golf course and there are many beautiful golf courses throughout the country that you can play at for daily rates that are typically very affordable. Drawbacks, however, include: 

• The course greens may not be up to par
• Limited revenue streams mean a lack of upgrade at several courses
• Golf course maintenance is not held to a high standard

Private golf courses

Private golf courses are owned by a company or individual that can bring more flexible cash flow to the course based on exclusive membership fees from its golf playing members. Private golf courses are more upscale and offer better tee times for members. Benefits of private golf courses include:

• Grounds that are maintained impeccably
• Membership dues that pay for high quality restaurants and other membership benefits
• A golf pro shop that is stocked with everything you need
• Less restriction on play time

How Many Golf Courses are in Ocala FL?

There are 17 golf courses in Ocala, Florida. Only one of those courses is a municipal course. 

The golf courses in Ocala include: 

• Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club
• Ocala Golf Club
• Ocala Palms Golf & Country Club
• Stone Creek Golf Club
• Country Club of Ocala
• Ocala National Golf Club
• Stone Creek Golf Club
• Royal Oaks Golf Club
• The First Tee of Greater Ocala
• The Golf Club at Ocala Preserve
• Baseline Golf Course
• Candler Hills Golf Course
• The Club at Ocala Preserve
• Rolling Greens Executive Golf
• Golden Hills Country Club
• Lake Diamond Golf & Country Club
• On Top of the World Golf Club

How Do I Choose a Golf Club? 

Picking a golf club is difficult. To make sure you pick the right one, we recommend the following: 

• Ask for course access and play a round before deciding. 
• Make a pros and cons list to decide what golf club amenities are important to you. 
• Find a club with membership perks and social events that matter to you
• Love the location
• Talk to other members and residents and get their opinions
• Find a course with great course maintenance and tribute holes

You can find all this and more at beautiful Florida golf courses. Read on to discover more about the golf course. 

Why Choose a Private Golf Club?

Director of Golf Ryan Gray, a PGA Class A Member and a Florida golf pro, says there’s more to a golf course than playing it and finding which one you want. 

“You have to pick a club that feels right and that means finding a club with golf professionals you can work with and members that make you feel like you’re at your home away from home,” Gray said. “You should look for both a championship caliber facility and championship caliber people.”

Who Designs Florida Golf Courses? 

There are so many luxurious golf courses to try in Florida that have names associated with them that include golf legends such as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and more. 

Golf architects also play a crucial part to the design, flow and feel of a golf course. Golf architect Ron Garl, for instance, designed  an 18-hole Florida championship course that has tribute holes based on the following world-renowned golf courses: 

• Augusta National Golf Club
• St. Andrews Links, Scotland
• Baltusrol Golf Club, Springfield, NJ, USA
• Muirfield Village Golf Club, Scotland
• Royal Troon Golf Club, Scotland

What Golf Courses Offer Tribute Holes?

There are four public golf courses around the country that offer tribute holes to Augusta National Golf Club. Renditions Golf Club in Maryland claims to offer a Grand Slam Experience from Augusta’s holes 6-8. 

Many courses offer a tribute to the Masters Golf Tournament. The course offers tributes to the Augusta golf course on the following holes:

• The 11th hole
• The 12th hole copies Augusta’s Par 5 13th hole
• The 6th hole is a tribute to the Masters Tournament’s 16th hole. 

What is the Most Famous Hole in Golf?

This is a highly debatable argument among the Golf Gods but arguably the most famous hole in golf is the 17th hole at St. Andrews, also known as the Road Hole. 

From the tee shot to the fairway to the most intimidating bunkers in the world, this hole is a challenge from start to finish. 

Other famous holes include: 

• The 7th Hole at Pebble Beach
• Amen Corner, Holes 11-13 at Augusta National
• The 17th Hole at TPC Sawgrass
• The Postage Stamp, the 8th Hole at Royal Troon
• The 16th Hole at Cypress Point
• The Church Pews, Holes 3 and 4 at Oakmont Country Club

How Much is a Membership at Florida Golf Courses?

A golf membership is typically attainable for those that live inside the gates and outside the gates of Florida golf courses. Membership offerings include offerings like:

• Platinum Memberships for those that live inside a golf community that provide access to immediate family members
• Gold Memberships for those that live outside the gates but want full membership for themselves and family members
• Young Executive Membership for members under 40 looking for full membership
• Sports Memberships for those with active lifestyles looking for limited golf access. 

There are also social memberships and clubhouse memberships available. The right Ocala golf club membership is out there for you today!