The Rookery at Marco and Hammock Bay: the JW Marriott Marco Island's courses for its guests
The Rookery at Marco and Hammock Bay: how JW Marriott Marco Island guests book, Rookery tees and slopes, the shuttle, dynamic fees and parking costs.
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The Rookery at Marco is a Robert Cupp course owned by the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort and run as "resort private": resort guests book tee times, and a free reserved shuttle takes them there. Despite the name it is on the mainland, inside Fiddler's Creek. Its sister course, Hammock Bay, works the same way. Pricing is dynamic, and no rates were published.
Together they are the reason to pick the JW Marriott for a golf stay on Marco. This guide covers who can book, how the two courses compare, what the files say about fees, the shuttle, and what the resort costs once parking and the resort fee are added. Facts were checked November 3, 2026.
Quick facts
- Access: JW Marriott Marco Island guests and members (partial-equity membership covers both courses).
- Book: rookeryatmarcogolf.com, for both courses. Rookery 239-389-6600; Hammock Bay 239-389-6610.
- The Rookery: Robert Cupp, opened 1991 and later redesigned by Cupp; 18 holes, par 72; 7,170 yards, 75.4/138 from the back.
- Hammock Bay: originally Marco Shores by Bruce Devlin and Robert von Hagge, 1974; recently regrassed in PlatinumTE paspalum.
- Fees: dynamic, not published. Resort release: $79-179 by season (undated).
- Shuttle: free, every half hour 6:30am-3:30pm, reservation required.
- From downtown Naples: Rookery about 29 minutes, 14.0 miles; Hammock Bay about 23 minutes, 13.3 miles.
- Google rating: Rookery 4.6 (310 reviews); Hammock Bay 4.6 (179).
Who can play the Rookery at Marco
The Rookery at Marco and Hammock Bay Golf Club are owned by the resort and run as resort-private courses. Play is for members and resort guests. GolfPass's resort page says a stay is required for a tee time, and the Rookery site does not say whether non-guests can book, so plan on a room at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort.
One report says the two courses alternate days between members only and members plus guests. The resort's own watch-out is plain: ask which course is open to guests on your dates.
The Rookery sits inside the gated Fiddler's Creek community, which also has The Club at Fiddler's Creek. That is a separate private club for residents, members and their guests; a JW Marriott stay does not get you on it. See private golf clubs in Naples for how private-club access works.
Rookery tees and slopes
| Tee | Yards | Men (rating/slope) | Women (rating/slope) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 7,170 | 75.4/138 | n/a |
| Blue | 6,749 | 73.5/134 | n/a |
| White | 6,355 | 71.5/131 | n/a |
| Yellow | 5,910 | 69.7/126 | n/a |
| Green | 5,384 | 67.3/117 | 72.1/129 |
| Red | 4,984 | n/a | 69.8/123 |
| Purple | 4,821 | n/a | 69.0/120 |
It is a long course. The research calls it the Marriott's main course and a long Cupp design. The Yellow tees, under 6,000 yards, are the sensible starting point for most visitors; even the White tees slope 131.
There is a practice range, carts and TaylorMade rental clubs. The dress code asks for golf attire, with no T-shirts, tank tops, gym wear or swimwear. Open the Rookery course guide for the hole map.
Hammock Bay
Hammock Bay is the older of the two, built in 1974 as the Marco Shores course by Bruce Devlin and Robert von Hagge. The resort's golf site says it reopened after a $4.8 million turfgrass replacement and redesign, with PlatinumTE paspalum on greens and fairways; the date was not given. Par, tees and ratings were not published in the files. It is the closer course to the resort, about 15 minutes and 6.3 miles by the map's estimate, against 26 minutes and 9.8 miles for the Rookery. See the Hammock Bay course guide.
What the Rookery at Marco costs
| Figure | Amount | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Green fees | dynamic; no amounts published | Rookery site, Nov 3, 2026 |
| Seasonal green fee range | $79-179 | resort release, undated |
| Bring Your Swing: 9 holes after 2pm with rental clubs | $149 | Rookery site |
| Rental clubs | $90 for 18, $55 for 9 | Rookery site |
| JW Marriott resort fee | about $55 a night plus tax | Tripster listing, undated |
| JW Marriott parking | self $38, valet $48, plus tax, per night | Tee Times USA, Tripster, Sembo |
Label the green fee range as undated and check rates for your date; rates change. The Rookery's own tip: book further ahead for lower dynamic rates. The resort sells golf packages too, through the resort and Tee Times USA, with rates by phone (800-374-8633).
The shuttle and the drive
The free hotel shuttle to the Rookery runs every half hour from 6:30am to 3:30pm, and it must be reserved. If you drive, remember that parking at the resort is $38 to $48 a night. The map's drive estimates from the JW Marriott:
| From JW Marriott Marco Island to | Minutes | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Hammock Bay Golf Club | 15 | 6.3 |
| Lely Flamingo Island | 24 | 12.0 |
| The Rookery at Marco | 26 | 9.8 |
| Eagle Lakes Golf Club | 28 | 15.1 |
| Tiburon Golf Club | 48 | 26.0 |
| Saltleaf Golf Preserve | 66 | 42.0 |
The resort research notes that Marco is 45-60 minutes from the Bonita and Fort Myers courses. A JW Marriott stay works best as a self-contained trip on the south end of the map.
The JW Marriott Marco Island
The resort is on Marco's main Gulf beach at 400 S Collier Blvd, with rooms and suites (many with balconies), a spa, several pools, kids' programs and several restaurants. It earns a 4.5 from 6,229 Google reviews. No live nightly rate was read.
The fees bite: parking plus the resort fee come to about $95-100 a night before tax. It suits couples and small groups who want a beach resort with two courses and do not plan to range up to Fort Myers.
The Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa is the other beach resort on the island. Its resort fee is $55.50 a night (resortfeechecker.com, September 2026), but it has no course of its own and unlocks none. Compare all the big resorts in Naples golf resorts, and read Marco Island golf for the island's private clubs.
Public courses near the Rookery
If you want a round outside the resort, or you are not staying at the JW Marriott, East Naples has public golf within half an hour:
- Lely Flamingo Island: Robert Trent Jones Sr.'s public course, 7,095 yards at 75.3/140 from the back. GolfNow showed about $108 with cart for a September 2026 date. See Lely Resort golf.
- Eagle Lakes Golf Club: November-December 2026 rates of $89-$109, $55 twilight from 2:30pm, and fairways redone in summer 2024.
Our East Naples golf guide covers the rest. For an RV base nearby, Naples Motorcoach Resort is about 14 minutes from the Rookery by the map; it is a gated Class A park with prices by phone.
When to go
January to April is peak season, with the highest rates. Because the Rookery uses dynamic pricing, booking further ahead helps. Summer brings afternoon thunderstorms and lightning delays but the lowest prices, so play early; summer closure dates were not published. The FSGA held amateur events on both courses on August 29-30, 2026. See the best time to golf in Naples.
Questions to ask the resort
- Which course is open to guests on my dates? One report says the two alternate between members-only and members-plus-guests days.
- What is the green fee for my tee time? Pricing is dynamic, and booking further ahead helps.
- Is a golf package cheaper? Packages are sold through the resort and Tee Times USA, with rates by phone.
- Can I reserve the shuttle with my tee time? It runs every half hour from 6:30am to 3:30pm and must be reserved.
Is the Rookery at Marco worth it?
If you want a beach resort with its own two courses, yes. The Rookery is a long, serious Cupp course, Hammock Bay has new paspalum, and the shuttle makes the mainland drive easy. The trade-offs: unpublished dynamic fees, about $95-100 a night in parking and resort fee, alternate-day guest access to check, and a long drive to the rest of the area's golf.
Plan it on the map
Open the Naples golf map to see the Rookery and Hammock Bay with their tees, the JW Marriott on Marco and the East Naples public courses. The $30 plan puts both resort courses on the right days and adds bookable rounds nearby.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
Can the public play the Rookery at Marco?
Plan on staying at the JW Marriott Marco Island. The Rookery is a resort-private course owned by the resort; guests book through the golf site, and there is a partial-equity membership. GolfPass says a stay is required for a tee time, and the golf site does not say whether non-guests can book.
Where is the Rookery at Marco?
On the mainland, not on Marco Island. It is inside the gated Fiddler's Creek development at 3433 Club Center Blvd, Naples. The map puts it about 26 minutes and 9.8 miles from the JW Marriott, and the resort runs a free shuttle.
How much does the Rookery at Marco cost?
Pricing is dynamic and no amounts were published when checked on November 3, 2026. The golf site lists a Bring Your Swing offer of 9 holes after 2pm for $149 including rental clubs, and rentals at $90 for 18 or $55 for 9. A resort release gave green fees of $79 to $179 by season, undated.
How does the Rookery shuttle work?
The hotel shuttle runs every half hour from 6:30am to 3:30pm, but it must be reserved. Book it when you book your tee time.
What changed at Hammock Bay Golf Club?
The resort's golf site says Hammock Bay reopened after a $4.8 million turfgrass replacement and redesign with PlatinumTE paspalum on greens and fairways. The date of the work was not given. JW Marriott guests book it through the Rookery golf site.
Is the Rookery hard?
From the Black tees it plays 7,170 yards at 75.4/138, and even the White tees at 6,355 yards slope 131. The Yellow tees at 5,910 yards rate 69.7/126 and suit most visitors.
Does the Hilton Marco Island include golf?
No. The Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa has no course of its own and unlocks none, and the island's Island Country Club and Hideaway Beach are private. Golfers on Marco usually do better at the JW Marriott.
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