Golf Digest released its annual list of the Top 100 Golf Courses in America earlier this month and three courses in Florida made the list.
One of them, Calusa Pines is right here in Southwest Florida. The Naples course is a regular on what many consider to be the most prestigious list of best golf courses in the United States. Calusa Pines came in at No. 69, moving up a few spots from its 2022 placement on the list.
Also on the list in Florida: Seminole Golf Club (No. 10) and TPC Sawgrass-Stadium Course (41).
No. 1 on the 2023 list? Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey.
A closer look at the Florida course: Top 100 hundred golf courses in the US: Florida has three courses on the prestigious list
Calusa Pines, Naples
GOLF DIGEST RANKINGS: No. 69 (up from 74 in 2022)
PUBLIC OR PRIVATE: Private
WHAT GOLF DIGEST SAID: “Calusa’s developer, Gary Chensoff, a Chicago venture capitalist, survived a rare form of cancer despite long odds, and his recovery strongly influenced how Calusa Pines was designed and built. Chensoff decided to gamble, instructing Hurdzan-Fry to design the most unique course in south Florida despite a dead flat site. They responded by piling up fill from ponds to form ridge lines up to 58 feet, then planted them with mature oaks, pines and sabal palms. Calusa Pines sports perhaps the firmest, fastest Bermuda fairways and greens in Florida, rivaled only by the turf at Streamsong. Recent removal of overgrown vegetation between holes has returned beautiful long-range views to the course and made it more playable.”
DID YOU KNOW: Calusa Pines does not release membership information, has no tee times, and features a strong caddy program as members and guests are encouraged to walk the course.
DID YOU KNOW: Golf legend Phil Mickelson played a round at Calusa Pines in 2019.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Golf digest top 100 golf courses list includes calusa pines in naples