What’s better than spring training baseball? How about a little golf on top courses before catching a game in the Cactus or Grapefruit leagues? Both Arizona and Florida, the annual homes to Major League Baseball’s spring training, are full of great courses.
Arizona might have an upper hand, as so many of the state’s top courses are clustered near the Phoenix area, the hub of spring training there. It’s entirely possible to play a quick, early-morning round, then catch a game in the afternoon.
The baseball is more spread out in Florida, with games stretching from the Tampa area, down the southwest coast and all the way across to the Atlantic coast. Some of the best golf, such as TPC Sawgrass, isn’t very close to spring training, but for fans driving south to catch a few games, there is plenty of great golf along the way.
Check out the top-ranked courses in each state to see where golf might best mix with any baseball plans. The members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them based on our 10 criteria. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings on each course are averaged to produce a final rating for each course. Then each course is ranked against other courses in its state to produce the final rankings.
Spring training games begin Feb. 21.
Cactus League
Teams: Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, LA Angels of Anaheim, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers
Arizona: Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play (public access)
1. We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro), Fort McDowell (m)
2. Quintero GC, Peoria (m)
3. Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Dove Mountain (Saguaro/Tortolita), Marana (m)
4. Wickenburg Ranch, Wickenburg (m)
5. TPC Scottsdale (Stadium), Scottsdale (m)
6. Ak-Chin Southern Dunes, Maricopa (m)
7. Troon North (Monument), Scottsdale (m)
8. We-Ko-Pa (Cholla), Fort McDowell (m)
9. Troon North (Pinnacle), Scottsdale, (m)
10. Ventana Canyon (Mountain),Tucson (m)
11. Verrado GC, Buckeye (m)
12. Boulders Resort (North), Carefree (m)
13. Sewailo GC, Tucson (m)
14. Laughlin Ranch, Bullhead City (m)
15. Boulders Resort (South), Carefree (m)
16. Apache Stronghold, San Carlos (m)
17. Grayhawk (Raptor), Scottsdale (m)
18. Talking Stick (North), Scottsdale (m)
19. Grayhawk (Talon), Scottsdale (m)
20. La Paloma GC (Ridge/Canyon), Tucson (m)
21. Gold Canyon Golf Resort (Dinosaur Mountain), Gold Canyon (m)
22. Papago Municipal Golf Course, Phoenix (m)
23. SunRidge Canyon Fountain Hills (m)
24. Victory at Verrado, Buckeye (m)
25. Los Caballeros Golf Club, Wickenburg (m)
26. Kierland GC, Scottsdale (m)
27. Camelback GC (Ambiente), Scottsdale (m)
28. Wigwam Golf Club (Gold), Litchfield Park (m)
29. Ventana Canyon (Canyon), Tucson (m)
30. Wildfire at Desert Ridge (Faldo Course), Phoenix (m)
(m): modern – built in 1960 or after
(c): classic – built before 1960
Grapefruit League
Teams: Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Miami Marlins, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays and Washington Nationals
Florida: Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play (public access)
1. TPC Sawgrass (Players Stadium), Ponte Vedra Beach (No. 22 m)
2. Streamsong (Red), Streamsong (No. 37 m)
3. Streamsong (Black), Streamsong (No. 38 m)
4. Streamsong (Blue), Streamsong (No. 56 m)
5. World Woods (Pine Barrens), Brooksville
6. Black Diamond Ranch (Quarry), Lecanto (m)
7. Trump National Doral Miami (The Blue Monster), Doral (m)
8. Bay Hill Club, Orlando (m)
9. Innisbrook (Copperhead), Tarpon Springs (m)
10. Hammock Beach Resort (Ocean Course), Palm Coast (m)
11. PGA National Resort & Spa (Champion), Palm Beach Gardens (m)
12. Camp Creek, Panama City Beach (m)
13. Turnberry Isle Resort (Soffer), Aventura (m)
14. Sandestin Resort (Burnt Pine), Destin (m)
15. Victoria Hills, Deland (m)
16. Crandon Park GC, Key Biscayne (m)
17. Mission Inn Resort (El Campeon), Howey-in-the-Hills (c)
18. Hammock Beach Resort (Conservatory), Palm Coast (m)
19. Black Diamond Ranch (Ranch), Lecanto (m)
20. Trump National Doral Miami (Gold), Doral (m)
21. World Woods (Rolling Oaks), Brooksville (m)
22. PGA Golf Club (Dye), Port St. Lucie (m)
23. Turnberry Isle Resort (Miller), Aventura (m)
24. PGA Golf Club (Wanamaker), Port St. Lucie (m)
25. Capital City CC, Tallahassee (c)
26. Orange County National (Panther Lake) Orlando (m)
27. Winter Park Municipal GC, Winter Park (c) *
28. The Breakers (Rees Jones Course), West Palm Beach (m)
29. Gasparilla Inn & Club, Boca Grande (c)
30. Reunion Resort (Watson Course), Reunion (m)
(m): modern – built in 1960 or after
(c): classic – built before 1960
