Destin vs Panama City Beach golf: which base gets you the better golf trip
Destin vs Panama City Beach golf: the courses each base reaches, drive times, fees, the private St. Joe courses in between, airports and where to base.
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Destin vs Panama City Beach golf is mostly a question of course count. Destin puts Kelly Plantation, Regatta Bay, Emerald Bay and Indian Bayou within about 8 minutes of an east Destin base, with Sandestin's four courses a short drive east. Panama City Beach has three courses open to visitors, led by Bay Point's Nicklaus course, about 85 minutes from Destin harbour.
The private Watersound Club courses sit in between, at the east end of 30A, and change the answer for some golfers. This guide compares the two bases and that middle option.
Quick facts
- Destin base: about a dozen courses open to visitors within roughly 30 minutes.
- PCB courses open to visitors: Bay Point Nicklaus, Legacy, Signal Hill.
- Drive from Destin harbour: Legacy 70 min, Signal Hill 75 min, Bay Point 85 min (routed, free-flow).
- In between: Camp Creek, Shark's Tooth and The Third, private, $295 a round for St. Joe inn guests.
- Airports: VPS for Destin; ECP for Panama City Beach and east 30A.
Destin vs Panama City Beach at a glance
| Destin base | Panama City Beach base | |
|---|---|---|
| Courses open to visitors nearby | Kelly Plantation, Regatta Bay, Emerald Bay, Indian Bayou, Sandestin's Raven, Baytowne and Links, and more | Bay Point Nicklaus, Legacy, Signal Hill |
| Best public test | Regatta Bay, slope 147 | Bay Point Nicklaus, slope 137, water on 16 of 18 holes |
| Stay-to-play | Burnt Pine for Sandestin guests | Watersound Club courses via St. Joe inns, between the two |
| Airport | VPS, 33 min | ECP (82 min to Destin) |
| Closed since Hurricane Michael | None on this list | Hombre; Bay Point Meadows |
The Panama City Beach courses
These are off the edge of our Destin board, at the east signpost. Drive times are routed from Destin harbour.
| Course | Access | Back tees, rating / slope | Fee seen (2026) | From Destin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Point Nicklaus | Semi-private, public tee times | 7,053 yds, 74.5 / 137 | $76.99-$91.99 (late Oct-Nov deals) | 85 min, 53.5 mi |
| Legacy Golf Club | Open to the public | 6,859 yds, 72.6 / 126 | $75.99-$91.99 (late Oct-Nov deals) | 70 min, 44.1 mi |
| Signal Hill | Public, walk-on friendly | 5,617 yds, 66.5 / 118 | $75 cart / $62 walking (summer 2026) | 75 min, 47.8 mi |
| Panama Country Club | Private, Lynn Haven | 6,573 yds, 72.9 / 137 | Not open to visitors | 107 min, 61.1 mi |
Bay Point Nicklaus is the best public-access test in Panama City Beach: a water-heavy marsh and lagoon course on St. Andrew Bay, rebuilt by Nicklaus Design in 2005, with TifEagle greens since 2018. Late-October reviewers praised the greens; an October 2026 reviewer noted storm damage to the shop and food service. See the Bay Point Nicklaus course guide.
Legacy is the old Holiday Golf Club, renamed in late 2022: a flat, open course a mile from the beach, with a 9-hole par-27 executive course. Reviewers rate its greens highly. Carts are required. See the Legacy course guide.
Signal Hill is a short, hilly 1962 layout on Thomas Drive where walking is allowed, rare for the area. No coolers, and every player needs their own bag.
Two more PCB courses are gone: Hombre closed for good in October 2018 after Hurricane Michael, and Bay Point's Meadows course closed after Michael and has no plans to reopen. Tyndall Air Force Base's Pelican Point course is not on our map: status unclear, call first. Our Panama City Beach golf guide covers all of them.
The Destin side
From a Destin base the choice is much wider. Drive times from the Holiday Inn Express in east Destin, routed:
| Course | Drive | Fee seen (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Regatta Bay | 5 min | $90.99-$189.99 (GolfNow) |
| Emerald Bay | 6 min | $96.99-$101.99 (GolfNow, Nov 1-2) |
| Kelly Plantation | 7 min | $89.99-$118.99 (GolfNow) |
| Indian Bayou | 8 min | $74.99-$160.99 (GolfNow) |
| The Links | 13 min | $119 public, $95 resort guest |
| Baytowne | 14 min | $99 public, $75 resort guest |
| The Raven | 16 min | $159 public, $130 resort guest |
On fees, PCB's Bay Point and Legacy are in the same range as Kelly Plantation and Emerald Bay. Destin simply has more of them close together. See the Kelly Plantation course guide and our best golf courses in Destin.
The middle option: east 30A and the St. Joe courses
The three private Watersound Club courses, Camp Creek (Tom Fazio), Shark's Tooth (Greg Norman, on Lake Powell) and The Third (Davis Love III, 2025), carry Panama City Beach addresses but sit near Inlet Beach and Watersound. Overnight guests of Camp Creek Inn and Watersound Inn can play them at $295 per golfer per round. The public Origins short course is nearby.
From Camp Creek Inn, routed drive times run: Camp Creek 1 minute, Origins 9, Shark's Tooth 22, Legacy 28, Signal Hill 33, Baytowne 33 and Bay Point Nicklaus 43. That makes east 30A the one base that reaches both the PCB courses and Sandestin in under 45 minutes. After Hurricane Isaias in October 2026, Shark's Tooth was closed until further notice and Camp Creek was on its front nine only, so check before booking. Our Watersound Club golf guide has the access rules, and 30A vs Destin weighs that base against Destin.
Airports
VPS is the Destin airport, about 33 minutes from Destin harbour and 43 from Sandestin. ECP serves Panama City Beach and the east end of 30A, about 35 to 45 minutes from Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach, Inlet Beach and Watersound (not router-checked), but 82 minutes from Destin. Southwest is ECP's largest carrier. Fly into the airport on the side where you sleep. See flights to Destin.
Weather and storms
The two are 50-odd miles apart and share the same seasons: spring and October peak golf, hot and stormy summers, and a June 1 to November 30 hurricane season. Both are on Central Time; Florida switches to Eastern Time just east of Bay County. Panama City took the worst of Hurricane Michael in 2018, which closed two of its courses, while Isaias in October 2026 made landfall near Destin. See Destin hurricane season.
Who should base where
- Most golf trips: Destin. The course count within 15 minutes is far higher, and Sandestin's guest rates and Burnt Pine are close.
- Private St. Joe golf: east 30A at Camp Creek Inn or Watersound Inn, with one day trip to Bay Point.
- Already booked in PCB for the beach: play Bay Point Nicklaus and Legacy, and drive west to the St. Joe courses only with an inn stay.
- Budget walkers: Signal Hill, the walkable PCB option.
For the full Destin course list, see Destin golf courses, and for an area overview, Emerald Coast golf.
Plan it on the map
Open the Destin golf map to see every course from Fort Walton Beach to the PCB signpost and the drive from each base. The plan builds the trip day by day from whichever base you choose.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
Is Destin or Panama City Beach better for a golf trip?
Destin, for most golfers. From a Destin base, Kelly Plantation, Regatta Bay, Emerald Bay and Indian Bayou are within about 8 minutes of east Destin, and Sandestin's four courses within about 13 to 20. Panama City Beach has three courses open to visitors on our research, the best being Bay Point's Nicklaus course.
How far is Panama City Beach golf from Destin?
On routed free-flow times from Destin harbour, Legacy Golf Club is about 70 minutes and 44.1 miles, Signal Hill 75 minutes and 47.8 miles, and Bay Point Nicklaus 85 minutes and 53.5 miles. Summer and spring-break traffic on US 98 adds to that.
What are the golf courses in Panama City Beach?
Open to visitors: Bay Point's Nicklaus course (semi-private, public tee times), Legacy Golf Club (the old Holiday Golf Club, renamed in 2022) and Signal Hill, a walkable 1962 short course. Panama Country Club in Lynn Haven is private. Hombre and Bay Point's Meadows course closed after Hurricane Michael in 2018.
Are the Watersound Club courses in Panama City Beach?
Camp Creek, Shark's Tooth and The Third have Panama City Beach addresses but sit near the east end of 30A, close to Inlet Beach and Watersound. They are private and sold only to Camp Creek Inn and Watersound Inn guests, at $295 a round. From Camp Creek Inn, Legacy is about 28 minutes away.
Which airport is better for Panama City Beach golf?
Northwest Florida Beaches (ECP) serves Panama City Beach and the east end of 30A; it is about 82 minutes from Destin. VPS is about 33 minutes from Destin harbour. Pick the airport on the same side as your base.
How much is golf in Panama City Beach?
Bay Point Nicklaus ran $76.99 to $91.99 on GolfNow deals for late October and November 2026, and Legacy $75.99 to $91.99. Signal Hill's summer 2026 rates were $75 with cart or $62 walking. Prices change, so check before you book.
Is there a good base between Destin and Panama City Beach?
The east end of 30A, around Watersound and Inlet Beach. From Camp Creek Inn, Camp Creek is a minute away, Origins about 9 minutes, Legacy 28 and Bay Point Nicklaus 43, while Sandestin's Baytowne is 33 minutes west. It suits a trip built around the private St. Joe courses.
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