Bay Point Golf Club, Meadows Course, CLOSED 2018

Guest (cart included), played on Wednesday, December 2017 at

The Meadows Course dates back to 1965 and uses the original 328 Bermuda pushup greens. They’re still in great shape, a lasting testament to a good grounds crew. The Meadows plays 6,913 yards from the back tees. Tee 2 plays about 550 yards shorter and is still a challenge for most. This course has stood the test of time and can play tough – especially if you tend to spray the ball. Case in point is Number 4, a narrow par 4 (372 yards from Tee 2), slight dogleg right that is the course’s #1 handicap. Center or just left of center off the tee is the preferred shot, just be sure to avoid the fairway bunker on the left. From there, trust your club selection into a small, elevated, triangular green protected on all sides by sand.

Number 5 is the course’s first par 5 (480 yards from Tee 2) and is also a narrow driving hole, however, with a good tee shot, it is reachable on two. Water comes into play on the left side about 250 yards off the tee, so favor the right. For most players, it’s a three-shot hole and an approach from the left side takes a few of the infringing pines on the right side out of play. The green is small and well protected. Number 9 (509 yards from Tee 2) is the second par 5 on the outward 9 and this double dogleg is a good test of your shotmaking ability. Water short and left of the green sees a lot of action and the elevated green is large and may require an extra club, depending on pin position.

Number 10 is a long par 4 (409 yards from Tee 2) with water on the right off the tee that creeps into the fairway and catches unsuspecting players. Most players will need to hit a long approach shot into a shallow green. Par is a good score here. Number 13 is the most picturesque hole on the course, a short par 3 (132 yards from Tee 2) over water into a well-protected green. Choose the right club off the tee and a low score is possible.

The Meadows also finishes with one of the layout’s most memorable holes, a 384-yard (Tee 2) dogleg right par 4 with bunkers on either side off the tee right at the bend. A good drive will leave a mid to long iron into a small green protected on the right with water and sand on either side. Another strong finishing hole.

The winter months are a great time to visit the resort and take advantage of everything Bay Point has to offer. And, since Northwest Florida’s seasonality peaks in the summer, a great value can be had between January and March.

If you’re coming down from the northern states during the winter to play golf, here’s something to consider. Yes, you can get about 5 degrees warmer in February if you go down to the Orlando area, but is 6 hours of drive time each way worth it? Go to Panama City and you can use that 12 hours of windshield time and get in two or three extra rounds of golf. Couple that with the money you’ll be saving on a round of golf and the decision is easy.