Fort Walton Beach golf: the city courses, Shalimar, Hurlburt and an Okaloosa Island base

Fort Walton Beach golf is the value end of the Emerald Coast: the city's two 18s, the Pines and the Oaks, plus Shalimar Pointe and Gator Lakes at Hurlburt Field, with dynamic rates that often sat in the $30s to $50s in 2026. Base on Okaloosa Island, about 16 minutes from the city club, and drive east to Destin for one bigger round.

Here is what each course offers, how to get on the base course, and how an island base works. Prices were seen in 2026 and change, often by the hour.

Quick facts

• Courses: FWB Pines, FWB Oaks, Shalimar Pointe, Gator Lakes (base pass needed).
• Cheapest prices seen: about $34-$43 with cart (GolfNow deals and snapshots, Aug-Oct 2026).
• Base: Okaloosa Island beach hotels and RV parks.
• Closed: the Eglin AFB course in Niceville, since December 1, 2025.
• From Destin Harbor: 25 to 29 minutes.
• Events: Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival in mid-May; a small Mardi Gras parade in winter.

Fort Walton Beach golf courses side by side

Drive times are free-flow router estimates from the Holiday Inn Resort and Four Points on the island. Tee data for the city courses may predate the 2025 Pines renovation, and older cards show a longer Pines back tee.

Fort Walton Beach Golf Club: Pines and Oaks

The city of Fort Walton Beach runs 36 holes from one clubhouse at 1955 Lewis Turner Blvd. Anyone can play, no membership needed.

The Pines is the longer course, through upland pine forest north of downtown. A 2025 renovation costing $613,710, funded by Okaloosa County's tourist development tax, replaced all 18 greens with TifEagle bermuda. A local guide puts peak rates at $72-$82 with cart; August 2026 deals were $36.99-$42.28.

The Oaks, a 1975 Jim Hughes design, is shorter and tighter, with narrow oak-lined fairways and more water. At a 116 slope from the Blue tees it is the easier of the two, a good pick for higher handicaps or a second round the same day. A local guide puts morning rates around $58 with cart.

Practical points:

• Booking: on the club's Teesnap site. Rates lock when you book, and a no-show or cancellation inside 24 hours costs 50% of the booking.
• Dynamic pricing: updated, in the club's words, "often hourly" by demand and weather.
• Cart fee: $20 in August 2026, with a proposed rise to $32 alongside a new GPS cart fleet.
• Practice: a lighted TrackMan driving range opened September 26, 2025. A five-bay TrackMan simulator Performance Center was due to open in winter 2026-27.
• Leagues: Winter Spark nine-hole social leagues on Thursdays from November 5 and Sundays from November 8, 2026; free to join, pay per round.

Members pay 50% of the dynamic rate, and public juniors also get 50% off. Our Fort Walton Beach Golf Club guide goes deeper, and the FWB Pines course guide has the card.

Shalimar Pointe

Shalimar Pointe opened in 1968 and was redesigned by Joe Finger and Ken Dye in 1986. A $1.7 million renovation, reopened June 16, 2023, brought new TifEagle greens, irrigation, rebuilt bunkers and new carts. It has hosted U.S. Open qualifiers.

It is the strongest test on this side, at 73.5/135 from the 6,818-yard Black tees, and cart is included. October 2026 GolfNow deals ran $33.99-$50.99, with a $35 time in September. The clubhouse grill is open to the public. Book on its Teesnap site or GolfNow; GolfNow pairs groups under four with other prepaid golfers. See the Shalimar Pointe course guide.

Gator Lakes at Hurlburt Field

Gator Lakes is the Air Force course on Hurlburt Field in Mary Esther, open to civilians since April 21, 2023.

1. Fill in the Open to the Public affidavit on myhurlburt.com.
2. Take it to the Visitor Control Center at the main gate for a basic background check.
3. Get an installation pass, valid six months, then enter by the East Gate.
4. Get a booking login from the pro shop (850-881-2251). Tee times open 10 days ahead on Club Prophet, and you pay at the pro shop.

Allow time for the pass on your first visit, or get it on a non-golf day. The course is flat, with lakes and views of an active special-operations flight line, so expect aircraft noise. There is a covered Toptracer range and the Oasis Cafe. The civilian green fee is not published online. Public access depends on base policy and could change.

Basing on Okaloosa Island

No live room rates were captured for the island hotels in October 2026, so check rates. The Holiday Inn charges about $15-$20 a night for parking and may add a service fee. The island is also handy for Destin: Indian Bayou is about 19 to 20 minutes away. Compare bases in where to stay in Destin for golf.

After the round

Floyd's Shrimp House, on the Santa Rosa Sound side of the island, is handy for groups. The island strip also has the Gulfarium marine park and the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier, which may have post-Isaias restrictions. Stewby's Seafood Shanty on Racetrack Rd is a local seafood counter near the city golf club. Our where to eat in Destin guide covers more.

Mixing in Destin

A Fort Walton Beach golf trip works well with one or two Destin rounds. Indian Bayou is the closest and cheapest in the afternoon, and Kelly Plantation is the most complete public course in Destin. Hurricane Isaias brought wind damage to Okaloosa Island and Fort Walton Beach on October 9, 2026, so check that your hotel and course are fully open for a fall trip.

For all the courses, see Destin golf courses, and for budgets, cheap golf in Destin. If you fly, Pensacola can suit an island base; see flights to Destin.

Plan it on the map

Open the Destin golf map to see Fort Walton Beach golf, the Okaloosa Island stays and the drive east to Destin. The $30 plan can build a value trip around the city courses, with one Destin round on the best day.