Kelly Plantation Golf Club: rates, how to book and the renovated layout
Kelly Plantation Golf Club in Destin: public access, GolfNow rates seen in 2026, the 2024 Bergin renovation, nine tee sets and where to stay nearby.
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Kelly Plantation Golf Club is a public course in Destin, a 1998 Fred Couples and Gene Bates design renovated by Bill Bergin in 2024. It books through GolfNow, where late-October 2026 deals ran $89.99 to $118.99 with cart and early-September mornings $169.99 to $179.99. It is about 13 minutes from Destin Harbor.
On our research it is the best course anyone can book in Destin. Here is what it costs, how to get a time and how it plays. Prices were seen on GolfNow on October 26, 2026, and change by the hour.
Quick facts
- Access: public, inside the gated Kelly Plantation community.
- Designer: Fred Couples with Gene Bates; opened 1998.
- Renovation: 2024, Bergin Golf Design (tees and bunkers redone, greens upgraded).
- Holes: 18, par 72.
- Back tees: Couples, 7,099 yards, 74.6 rating, 141 slope.
- Tee sets: nine, from 7,099 to 4,096 yards.
- Booking: GolfNow, or 850-650-7600.
- Address: 307 Kelly Plantation Drive, Destin.
- Drive: 13 minutes and 5.1 miles from Destin Harbor.
Kelly Plantation Golf Club rates seen in 2026
| Date | Price (GolfNow) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2, 2026 | $119 | paid by a GolfPass reviewer |
| Aug 9, 2026, 7:36 AM | $160.99 | Hot Deal, cart included |
| Late Aug 2026 | $70 | GolfPass reviewer; likely twilight or aerification rate |
| Sep 6-7, 2026, mornings | $169.99-$179.99 | Hot Deals |
| Oct 28-Nov 2, 2026 | $89.99-$118.99 | Hot Deals, read Oct 26 |
There is no official rate sheet on the club site, and prices swing widely by date and time. Late October was roughly half the price of early September mornings. If you have flexibility, compare a few days on GolfNow before you commit. Our Destin golf rates guide shows how this compares with other courses.
How to book
Kelly Plantation books through GolfNow; the "Book a tee time" button on its site opens the GolfNow search. You can also call the tee-time line, 850-650-7600. The booking window is not published, so for spring dates, look as soon as GolfNow shows them. There is no resort stay that gives priority or a discount.
The Kelly Plantation tees
| Tee | Yards | Men (rating / slope) | Women (rating / slope) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Couples | 7,099 | 74.6 / 141 | n/a |
| Plantation | 6,453 | 71.9 / 135 | 78.3 / 143 |
| Member 1 | 6,134 | 70.2 / 126 | 76.1 / 138 |
| Palmetto | 5,904 | 69.1 / 124 | 75.0 / 136 |
| Member 2 | 5,664 | 68.1 / 121 | 73.8 / 131 |
| Sterling | 5,436 | 67.0 / 114 | 72.4 / 130 |
| Magnolia | 4,989 | 64.7 / 109 | 69.8 / 121 |
| Member 3 | 4,418 | 65.1 / 111 | 70.4 / 122 |
| Anderson | 4,096 | 60.9 / 101 | 64.7 / 111 |
The ratings are from the GolfNow card and were not checked against the USGA database. The ladder is the point: a scratch player, a 20-handicap and a beginner can all find a fair set, which makes Kelly Plantation one of the best courses in Destin for a mixed group.
The layout
Kelly Plantation is a lake-heavy parkland course on Choctawhatchee Bay. There are 11 lakes, a 7.5-acre lake frames the 9th and 18th, magnolia and palmetto stands line the holes, and the 4th has a bay overlook.
Water is on most holes, so the slope climbs quickly from the back: 141 from the Couples tees and 135 from Plantation. The 2024 Bergin renovation fully redid the tees and bunkers and upgraded the greens, which are bermuda (variety not published).
Practical notes: cart is included, soft spikes only, and there is a driving range, chipping area and putting green with a teaching pro. The clubhouse restaurant is on 850-269-1120, and clubs can be rented.
Conditions and overseed
No overseed policy is published, and winter dormancy is unconfirmed. A GolfPass review from August 24, 2026 mentions aerated greens, so late August may be an aeration window. Ask the shop about greens if you are booking late summer. For how bermuda behaves in winter, see Destin golf winter conditions.
Where to stay near Kelly Plantation
| Stay | Drive | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kelly Plantation rentals | 0-2 min | Private homes and condos; no golf discount found |
| The Henderson Beach Resort | 7 min | Luxury beach resort; $49 daily resort fee |
| Holiday Inn Express Destin E | 7 min | Free breakfast and parking |
| Henderson Beach State Park Campground | 7 min | Cheap state park camping; stay limits; confirm it has reopened |
| Newman-Dailey snowbird rentals | 7 min | Monthly winter condos; two-month minimum |
There is no golf lodge at Kelly Plantation. A house in the community makes sense if you will play here several times, but the course is public anyway. The Henderson has no golf ties, so you pay the same public rates as everyone else. Read where to stay in Destin for golf.
Kelly Plantation against the other Destin courses
| Course | Back tees (rating / slope) | Late-Oct 2026 deals | From Kelly Plantation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kelly Plantation | 7,099 (74.6/141) | $89.99-$118.99 | n/a |
| Regatta Bay | 6,840 (74.2/147) | $90.99-$189.99 | 9 min |
| Indian Bayou | 7,078 (74.4/132) | $74.99-$160.99 | 11 min |
| Emerald Bay | 7,050 (73.9/143) | $96.99-$101.99 (Nov 1-2) | 12 min |
Regatta Bay is harder and has better practice facilities, Indian Bayou is cheaper and quicker, and Emerald Bay has mixed recent reviews. Kelly Plantation is the most complete of the four. The Regatta Bay course guide and Indian Bayou course guide have their cards, and our ranking of the best golf courses in Destin puts them in order.
When to play it
Spring (March to May) and October are peak golf on the Emerald Coast. Kelly Plantation's late-October prices suggest fall is good value here; early September mornings were the most expensive we saw. Summer brings afternoon storms on 10 to 12 days a month by NOAA normals, so book early tee times. See the best time to golf in Destin.
Plan it on the map
Open the Destin golf map to see Kelly Plantation Golf Club, the stays around it and the other Destin courses within 15 minutes. The Kelly Plantation course guide has the card on one page, and the $30 plan can build your trip around a Kelly Plantation morning.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
Is Kelly Plantation Golf Club public?
Yes. The club site says the course is open to the public, even though it sits inside the gated Kelly Plantation community. You do not need to stay in the community to play.
How much does Kelly Plantation cost?
There is no published rate card. GolfNow Hot Deals ran $89.99 to $118.99 for October 28-November 2, 2026, while early September mornings were $169.99 to $179.99 and an August 9 morning was $160.99. Cart is included.
How do I book a tee time at Kelly Plantation?
Through GolfNow: the club's own Book a Tee Time button opens the GolfNow search. Tee times can also be booked by phone on 850-650-7600. The booking window is not published.
Who designed Kelly Plantation?
Fred Couples with Gene Bates; the course opened in 1998. Bill Bergin of Bergin Golf Design renovated it in 2024, fully redoing the tees and bunkers and upgrading the greens.
How hard is Kelly Plantation?
From the 7,099-yard Couples tees it rates 74.6 with a 141 slope, and water is in play on most holes. There are nine tee sets, down to 4,096 yards, so the Palmetto (5,904 yards, 124 slope) or Member 1 (6,134, 126) tees suit most visitors.
Can I stay at Kelly Plantation?
There is no golf lodge, only private homes and condos in the gated community, rented through VRBO and local managers. No rental-guest golf discount was found. The Henderson Beach Resort and the Holiday Inn Express Destin East are each about 7 minutes away by road.
Does Kelly Plantation have a driving range?
Yes: a driving range, chipping area and putting green, with a teaching pro, per GolfNow. The clubhouse has a restaurant (850-269-1120), a pro shop and club rental. Soft spikes only.
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