Eglin AFB golf: what happened to the Eagle and Falcon courses, and where to play now
Eglin AFB golf status: the Falcon closed in January 2025, the Eagle in December 2025, the lease talks since, and Gator Lakes at Hurlburt Field for civilians.
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Eglin AFB golf is closed. The nine-hole Falcon Course shut permanently on January 13, 2025, and the main Eagle course officially closed on December 1, 2025, so no one, military or civilian, is eligible to play. The Air Force is negotiating a lease with a partner to reopen it, with no date set. The open military course nearby is Gator Lakes at Hurlburt Field.
This guide covers the timeline, the reopening talks and where to play instead.
Quick facts
- Course: Eglin Golf Course, 1527 Fairway Dr, Niceville. Run by the 96th Force Support Squadron.
- Eagle: 18 holes, par 72. Officially closed December 1, 2025.
- Falcon: nine holes. Permanently closed January 13, 2025.
- Who can play now: nobody. The FSGA lists the club as "Out of Business".
- Reopening: the Air Force selected the American Dunes Foundation on May 27, 2026 to negotiate a lease of up to 603 acres. No date.
- Open military alternative: Gator Lakes Golf Course, Hurlburt Field, open to civilians with a base pass.
- Military discount nearby: Rocky Bayou Country Club, 10% off for active-duty and retired military.
Eglin AFB golf timeline
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1923 | Course opened (GolfPass); William Langford design credited to 1927 |
| 2008 | Robert Walker work (GolfPass) |
| December 2017 | Went to members and sponsored guests only |
| August 2023 | Reopened to the public; cut from 36 to 27 holes, the Falcon reduced from 18 to 9 |
| January 13, 2025 | Falcon Course permanently closed; holes 1 and 18 kept for short-game practice |
| August 2025 | Air Force sought a public or private partner (proposals due September 19, 2025) |
| December 1, 2025 | Eglin Golf Course "officially closed" (96th FSS) |
| May 27, 2026 | American Dunes Foundation selected; enhanced-use lease talks begin |
| October 2026 | No reopening date announced |
Sources: the 96th FSS golf page, Eglin AFB releases, Get The Coast, WJHG, niceville.com and GolfPass, read October 26, 2026.
The Eagle course
The Eagle was the main 18 on the Eglin reservation beside Niceville, an old military parkland course. An older GolfPass card, which may not reflect its last condition, shows:
| Tee | Yards | Rating / slope |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | 6,567 | 72.9 / 137 |
| White | 6,316 | 71.2 / 132 |
| Gold | 5,511 | 67.6 / 124 |
| Red (women, par 73) | 5,158 | 70.1 / 121 |
Greens were bermuda. Since December 1, 2025 it has not been playable.
The Falcon course
The Falcon was the second course at the complex. It was an 18-hole course until 2023, when it was cut to nine as the base reopened golf to the public. On January 13, 2025 Eglin closed it permanently, citing maintenance costs and falling use, and kept holes 1 and 18 for short-game practice. The rest of the complex followed in December 2025.
Who was eligible, and who is now
Eligibility for Eglin AFB golf changed several times. From December 2017 the course was limited to members and sponsored guests. In August 2023 it reopened to the public. Since December 1, 2025 the course is closed to everyone, including active-duty, retirees and their guests.
If a partner reopens it under the lease, eligibility will depend on the new operator's terms, which have not been published. Watch for news on the American Dunes Foundation lease. American Dunes is the Folds of Honor-linked golf brand, but no official source ties this foundation to it, so treat that connection as unconfirmed. We will recheck in 2027.
Gator Lakes: the open military course
Gator Lakes Golf Course at Hurlburt Field in Mary Esther is the Air Force course that is open, and the natural substitute for Eglin AFB golf. It has been open to civilians since April 21, 2023, and it is about 28 minutes from Destin Harbor.
How civilians get on:
- Fill in the "Open to the Public" affidavit on myhurlburt.com.
- Take it to the Visitor Control Center at the main gate for a basic background check.
- Receive an installation pass valid for six months, then enter by the East Gate.
Allow time for the pass on your first visit; the course record suggests getting it on a non-golf day. Booking is 10 days ahead through Club Prophet, with a login from the pro shop (850-881-2251), and you pay at the pro shop before you play.
The course: a flat base course with lakes and views of the Hurlburt flight line, 6,894 yards from the back at 72.2 / 129 (one GolfNow card). Expect aircraft noise beside an active special-operations flight line. There is a covered Toptracer range, a pro shop and the Oasis Cafe for breakfast and lunch. Pro shop hours are 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM March to October and 6:30 AM to 4:30 PM November to February; the course is open dawn to dusk.
Fees: the civilian daily green fee is not published online. One directory lists $36 for 18, unverified and undated. Published rates include Youth on Course juniors at $3 for 9 or $5 for 18 walking, and E1-E4 airmen free after 10 AM on Saturdays, space available, with a $10 cart.
Public access depends on base policy and could change; Eglin itself went private in 2017 after local objections.
| Stay | To Gator Lakes |
|---|---|
| Holiday Inn Resort Fort Walton Beach | 19 min |
| Four Points by Sheraton Destin-Fort Walton Beach | 19 min |
| Destin West RV Resort | 19 min |
| Destin Harbor | 28 min |
Routed free-flow times, not including gate time.
Other courses near Eglin
With Eglin closed, the Niceville side has two courses open to visitors, and Shalimar is just west:
- Rocky Bayou Country Club: semi-private, $109 for 18 with cart and range balls, $69 for nine. Active-duty and retired military get 10% off daily rates, and military memberships are offered. See the Rocky Bayou course guide.
- The Golf Club at Bluewater Bay: public, late-October 2026 deals of $38.99 to $57.99 with cart. A local guide mentions a military rate, amount not published. Recent reviews describe poor conditions. See the Bluewater Bay course guide.
- Shalimar Pointe: semi-private with public tee times, October 2026 deals of $33.99 to $50.99 with cart and a snowbird membership from $450 a month. See the Shalimar Pointe course guide.
The Hampton Inn Niceville - Eglin Air Force Base is 9 minutes from Rocky Bayou and Bluewater Bay and about seven miles from Eglin's East Gate. Our Niceville golf and Fort Walton Beach golf guides cover each side of the bay.
If you are planning a trip now
Do not build a 2026-27 trip around Eglin AFB golf. Plan on Gator Lakes for a base course, and on Rocky Bayou or Bluewater Bay for the Niceville side, and check the 96th FSS golf page before any later trip in case the lease produces a reopening.
Off the course
The Air Force Armament Museum sits just outside the Eglin gate on SR 85, with no base access needed, about 10 minutes from the VPS airport. VPS itself is a joint-use airport on Eglin AFB; see flights to Destin.
For more on what is private or closed across the area, see private golf clubs near Destin, and for a winter of golf with a base pass, the Destin winter golf guide. For another Air Force course on the Gulf Coast, see Keesler's Bay Breeze golf in Biloxi.
Plan it on the map
Eglin is not on the Destin golf map while it is closed, but Gator Lakes and every course around Niceville and Fort Walton Beach are, with drive times from each stay. The $30 plan can build a trip or a winter rotation that includes the base course at Hurlburt Field.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
Is Eglin AFB golf course open?
No. The 96th Force Support Squadron golf page says the Eglin Golf Course officially closed on December 1, 2025. The nine-hole Falcon Course had already closed permanently on January 13, 2025. No reopening date had been announced as of October 2026.
Who could play Eglin golf course before it closed?
The course went to members and sponsored guests only in December 2017, then reopened to the public in August 2023. Since the closure on December 1, 2025, no one can play it, military or civilian.
Will Eglin golf course reopen?
Possibly. On May 27, 2026 the Air Force said it had selected the American Dunes Foundation and begun negotiating an enhanced-use lease of up to 603 acres to improve and run the course. No reopening date had been announced by October 2026.
Is American Dunes the Folds of Honor course brand?
American Dunes is the Folds of Honor-linked brand, but no official source we found ties this foundation to it; the link comes only from reader comments. Treat it as unconfirmed.
Where can military golfers play near Destin now?
Gator Lakes Golf Course at Hurlburt Field in Mary Esther is the open Air Force course nearby. Rocky Bayou Country Club in Niceville also gives active-duty and retired military 10% off its daily rates.
Can civilians play Gator Lakes at Hurlburt Field?
Yes, since April 21, 2023. Civilians fill in the Open to the Public affidavit on myhurlburt.com, take it to the Visitor Control Center at the main gate for a basic background check, and receive an installation pass valid for six months. Then enter by the East Gate.
What happened to the Falcon Course?
Eglin closed the nine-hole Falcon Course permanently on January 13, 2025, citing maintenance costs and falling use, and kept holes 1 and 18 for short-game practice. Before 2023 the Falcon was an 18-hole course; it was cut to nine when the complex reopened to the public.
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