Emerald Bay Golf Club

Course was in vg condition. Greens are small but fair but a little slow. 4 some played 18 in about 3 1/2 hours. Will go back.

Upon arrival, I asked the lady behind the pro shop counter, Morgan, if there is anything we needed to know about course conditions, etc. Morgan told us we knew everything that was pertinent and Addison was driving the beverage cart and we would see her. Low and behold, we get to the 2nd hole and were informed on the screen that hole was CPO (cart path only). This was repeated on the 3rd, 4th and 6th holes. Then we get a message that holes 9 and 11 (non-par 3s) were also CPO. We called the golf shop about not yet having seen Addison and were told she had left at noon. Morgan told us a message had been sent stating that fact. We told her we received no such message. Less than 2 minutes later, a message was received about no further beverage cart service. VERY DISAPPOINTING being lied to for no reason.

Will DEFINITELY NOT BE RETURNING. Much burn out on fairways and tees. Greens were slow but in good condition. Can NOT recommend.

I have been a member of Emerald Bay for a couple of years. Overall, I get what I pay for. More so than not, someone from my group has to call the club house because the GPS yardages are significantly off. Sometimes they are corrected, sometimes not. Some of the bridges need repair as do the cart paths. I am not sure if these repairs are on the schedule as I haven't received an email stating as such.

Course conditions (fairways, greens, etc.) have significantly improved. On the left side of hole 13 there is a wet area where carts cannot drive; it needs drainage to allow for drying of the turf.

Nice layout. Fairways in great shape. Greens were aerated but were in puttable condition .

We played for the first time and loved everything about the course except the rental clubs. The website says they have Callaway clubs for rentals but when we showed up they only had stiff Strata clubs that looked and played like Top Golf clubs. They also only had stiff shafts and I am 60 and need regular flex shafts. In their behalf, they did say that they have never had so many people rent clubs that day and they were out of the better clubs but at approximately $350 for 3 people (for green fees and rentals), I expect better rental clubs than we received. Other than the rental clubs, everything else was excellent! The course was beautiful and in ideal condition. Pace of play was pretty good (we finished in about 4 hours and 15 minutes). I will definitely play here again when I come to Destin but I will definitely bring my own clubs next time.

The course was nice, a little dry, but not bad. The greens were recovering from aeration, but not in terrible shape. There were a couple of them that bounced the ball around, but we were warned before we made tee times, and they were nicer than we anticipated, so no complaints. Not used to this Bermuda grass, so that was different. Glad to get that experience. Nothing to compare it too except Chicago area courses, (a lot of Kentucky blue etc.) A lot of water hazards especially on the back nine. Lost a few balls but that's what happens when you don't connect properly every time.

The staff was very nice and attentive to our needs. The carts are very nice and love the GPS. I didn't see any ball washers on the course, and no place with fresh water to dunk a towel on the 1st and 10th hole. I know its dry and sandy, but they should have those on every golf course. But not something that we couldn't get around. Up north they even include club scrubbers on the carts on some courses. (I get it, the black dirt and mud thing.)

All in all, it was a great time playing with my two sons, and I would play here again in a heartbeat.

Course is fun. Greens were punched early in the month so they were still a little rough and slow. Other than that, not many complaints.