Regatta Bay

Destin is one of the most popular beach destinations in Florida, and perhaps even in the country. One wonders where property exists for waterfront golf, then. The answer for the membership at Regatta Bay Golf & Yacht Club is the Choctawhatchee Bay, a saltwater bay that forms near the Florida-Alabama border on the state’s panhandle.

Robert C. Walker, a former design associate of Arnold Palmer, used the body and its neighboring saltwater marshes to create a challenging round of golf. The signature hole may be No. 11, a 380 cape-style par four that plays along an inland pond, with views of the bay and the Mid-Bay Toll Bridge in the background.

In recent years, the club has opened up to a semi-private model, allowing the general public to make tee times (you must bring your own yacht, however). That accompanies an investment of more than $2.25 million toward course improvements, also carried out by Walker. Those looking for a 36-hole tour of the “Emerald Coast” can head across the Spencer Parkway and visit Kelly Plantation, another public-access club.