Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club

Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club: The Only 30A Course With Two Holes on the Gulf

Golf Magazine called it the “Purest Golf in the Florida Panhandle.” Visit South Walton gave it Best Golf Course two years running. Golf Inc. named the 2021 renovation Renovation of the Year. The accolades are genuine and they point to something real: Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club is built on 85 acres with the Gulf of Mexico as an actual feature of the layout, not just a backdrop, and what Bill Bergin did to this course in 2021 turned a good community track into one of the most talked-about designs on the Emerald Coast.

The club was established in 1969 as a nine-hole course, expanded to 18, and sat relatively under the radar for decades. The 2021 renovation changed that. Bergin — who Golf Magazine has named one of the top 10 most influential people in golf — spent approximately ten months on the project, adding an acre to the green complexes, reshaping all 18 holes, exposing native sand throughout, and building The Loop: a six-hole short course on six acres adjacent to the clubhouse, designed for quick short-game sessions. The result earned the Renovation of the Year distinction from Golf Inc. before the turf had fully settled.

Two holes, the 4th and 5th, run directly along the Gulf of Mexico — the only holes on the entire Emerald Coast where the Gulf is a genuine feature of the hole, not a distant view. Holes 9 and 18 both finish at the clubhouse, which keeps the routing logical for walking, and the course is deliberately designed for walkers — minimal distance between greens and tees, a feature that’s increasingly rare at any club worth playing.

The layout plays par 72 from six tee sets (Green, Peach, Gray, White, Blue, and Teal) with 6,820 yards from the tips, a 73.8 rating, and a 136 slope. Water hazards come into play frequently, strategic bunkers guard the green complexes, and the elevation changes — genuine ones, by Florida Panhandle standards — give the course a character that most coastal layouts simply can’t replicate. The course carries Audubon International certification for its environmental management of the native dune and wildlife habitat areas.

The club is member-owned and managed by Troon. Membership filled following the 2021 renovation, and the golf and beach club formally became private in early 2022. Limited public tee times may be available through the pro shop; contact the club directly to confirm current availability. Vue on 30A, the club’s beachfront restaurant perched on a dune directly above the Gulf, is open to the public for dining regardless of membership status.

Guide to Emerald Coast Golf

Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club — Course Info

Membership at Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club

Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club is member-owned with membership managed through the club. Membership options include Full Golf, Social, Junior Executive, and Family tiers. Equity members direct club operations through the Board and can pass membership to immediate family for a transfer fee. Initiation fees are reported in the $25,000–$50,000 range; annual dues are not published publicly. The club announced in 2022 that membership is full, though a waitlist may exist. Contact the membership director at (850) 267-2229 or via santarosaclub.com for current status.

Frequently Asked Questions About Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club

Is Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club open to the public? The golf course and beach club are primarily private following a 2022 announcement that membership had reached capacity. Limited public tee times may still be available through the pro shop — call (850) 267-2229 to confirm current availability. Vue on 30A, the club’s beachfront restaurant, is open to the public for dining.

What awards has Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club received? Golf Inc. Magazine named the 2021 Bill Bergin renovation Renovation of the Year. Visit South Walton named it Best Golf Course. Golf Magazine has called it the “Purest Golf in the Florida Panhandle.” The course also holds Audubon International certification for environmental stewardship.

What makes Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club unique on 30A? It’s the only course on the Emerald Coast with two holes directly adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico. It also has more genuine elevation changes than most Panhandle courses, is designed for walking, and features The Loop — a six-hole short course by Bill Bergin built for short-game practice and quick rounds.

Who manages Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club? The club is member-owned and managed by Troon, one of the largest golf management companies in the world. The Director of Golf is Zach Philips.