Regatta Bay Golf & Country Club

Regatta Bay Golf & Country Club: In keeping with its next door neighbour, Kelly Plantation, the also immaculately presented course here at Regatta Bay is another of the Emerald Coast's gems.

The layout expansively roams through a forest of tall pine trees, occasionally passing some discreetly tucked away upscale housing, and seriously flirting with several small lakes and ponds along the way.

Wetland areas cut across some fairways, while plenty of distinctively mounded, elliptical bunkering stylishly features around the greens. A few tightish drives will need to be made between the mature pines and their attractive, though quite dense undergrowth.

Always exuding a natural feel, the holes occupy what was originally flattish terrain, which has been landscaped and mounded to create nicely raised tees and greens, and rolling fairways. Although the course doesn't bring you into direct contact or sight of Choctawhatchee Bay, this quiet, natural layout does present a wonderful array of great looking golf holes.

Pick of the holes: a stunning and challenging stretch of holes comprises the long par-4 7th, the tee-to-green water-flanked par-3 8th, and the par-4 9th, crossed twice by wetland. This attractive sequence of holes is matched by many others, not least the majestic par-5 18th, which gently snakes back to the clubhouse flanked by pine forest on one side and a large, attractive pond on the other.