Tiburón Golf Club - The Black Course

Amazing golf course , manicured like a top flight golf course .... slick but smooth greens .... this place better than advertised. I’ll be playing this bad boy again in the future.

I wouldn't recommend playing for at least 48 hours after a fairly minor rain. Many fairways were extremely wet. Lots of standing water in treed areas. Driving range and putting green closed for tournament following week, cart path only, full price though, would not recommend.

Played Saturday before the QBE Shootout, course is immaculate! Greens are tough but what you expext for this level of play...best round all week! Loved it and is a must play in Naples...100%

I played the black course early morning, the course was in really great conditions, the drive from 3 to 4th hole it's nice, I would come back any time.

This was one of golf now’s top 50 courses, it was beautiful but covid 19 had them on the poor side of service . In addition on course beverages were very pricey $20. For a beer and hard cider. It is definitely a great course but maybe less attractive because of having to mask up to go inside.

Well conditioned, manicured green complexes with mowed run offs in many instances. Firmness was consistent around the greens and approaches other than for a few lower areas. A treat worth playing a couple times per year.

Challenging course from the tips but worth every penny. Parts of the course feel like you are golfing in the middle of a sanctuary. Staff and pro shop are 5 Stars

Course (Black) was in excellent shape. Greens were in great shape and consistent through all 18. Unique layout. If you can’t enjoy this course, then you must be a tour player.

Excellent course with a great staff. Course was pristine and well laid out. One of the best courses in Naples!

Not a very good layout for the price / actually a very boring course
There are so many better layouts and values in the Naples area

It’s a tight course to say the least, first time playing i had 2 balls that landed in fairway and energy up in water. Really cool layout with trails and always keto you exciting. The par 3s are w bit vanilla for what was expecting. Greens were unreceptive long irons won’t hold you have to land in front of greens, unless you have 8-or shorter in the ball will not hold. Didn’t use the ball mark repair took I got 1 time today

I lived in Fort Myers, FL for a few years and had the opportunity to play the Tiburón Golf Club on several occasions. There were several memorable holes; the finishing holes on each side and the first hole on the Gold Course, a reachable par five. More on that in a bit. Another memory that stood out in my mind about the course was the rough, or lack thereof. As I recall, the grass was the same length, whether you were in the middle of the fairway or rolling off the side into a palmetto bush. Any type of hook or slice – which was my game at the time – usually meant reaching into the bag for another ball. It also led to long rounds of golf; sometimes 4 ½ - 5 hours. Trust me, you didn’t want to be the group behind us!

That was about 7 or 8 years and several sets of clubs ago. A few months ago I had the opportunity to spend a couple of days at Tiburón and play both courses and my, how things have changed! There’s now a cut of rough which defines the fairways as well as areas around several greens where deeper Bahia rough has been recently planted and should fill in nicely before the 2020 season officially kicks off. For my money, both courses are a lot more playable and enjoyable.

In case you’re not familiar with the property, Tiburón Golf Resort is located in Naples, FL and features two 18-hole, Greg Norman-designed golf courses that are consistently rated among the top 20 golf facilities in Florida by Golf Digest and GOLF Magazine. Each year The Gold and The Black Courses play host to the LPGA Tour's CME Group Tour Championship and the PGA TOUR's QBE Shootout (formerly the Shark Shootout). Tiburón – which by the way is Spanish for shark - Golf Club has been designated as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary by Audubon International.

As you play your way around either course, you’ll encounter numerous and various hazards. Towering pines form the boundaries on several holes and are often surrounded by coquina shell waste areas. You’ll also need to play around or over water on at least 13 holes depending on how bad you spray it. Many of the greenside bunkers have stacked sod walls which look great and can be very penal, although I hit into one on the 9th hole of the Gold Course and it shot around and out the other side like the high banked ovals at Daytona!

The Gold Course opened in 1998 and the Black Course in 2001. Both courses follow Norman's philosophy of blending the course in with the natural allure of the land. Tiburón is a semi-private golf club meaning memberships are available and guests of the hotel and the general public are welcome to play. Although Tiburón’s average age is probably in the mid-60s - low for this part of the country - they do cater to a younger crowd by offering Golfboards – a motorized type of skateboard with a golf bag attachment - as an alternative to golf carts.

Of the two courses, the Gold Course is a little over 400 yards longer and can play a masochistic 7,382 yards, compared to 6,949 yards on the Black. However, the slope rating on the Gold is 137 vs 147 for the Black, making it considerably easier. There are enough sets of tees on each course that you’ll find a comfortable yardage regardless of your ability.

The Black Course has a very distinctive look with its pine straw-lined fairways, crushed coquina waste areas and undulating greens nestled amidst acres of pine trees and native Florida foliage. The Black Course offers six sets of tees and is similar in design and beauty to the Gold Course. As you make your way around, you’ll find lush playing conditions and wonderful views. The green complexes can be penal and some of the bunker complexes are massive. Play around your way around the layout without finding a trap and you’ve accomplished something.

The 9th hole is a par 5 that is a three-shot hole for most players. A tee shot that finds the fairway is a great start, but it’s just the beginning. You’ll need to hit a precise second shot, preferably in the middle of the fairway to have the best angle in to the green. Your approach shot will be over a large coquina shell waste area and a lake that protects the left side. Now that you’re skilled at playing over water, you’re ready to take on the par 3, 10th hole, that plays 188 yards from the back tees. A right-side pin placement can be tricky as it leaves only a sliver of green over a bunker. Par both of these holes and you’ve accomplished something!

Within Tiburón's 27,000 square-foot Mediterranean-style clubhouse you’ll find private locker rooms for members with lounge areas and an award-winning golf shop. There are also three dining rooms including Sydney’s Pub, which has a full liquor bar and features daily drink and happy hour specials. They also offer a rotating selection of local draft beers. The non-member dinner menu includes a wide variety of items including meatloaf, chicken pot pie, and braised short ribs. The Ritz Carlton Golf Resort is located on the property as well. As a Tiburon Club Member, you’ll have access to the tennis courts at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort as well as the fitness center, pool, and spa.

Becoming a member at Tiburon is easy; they offer several options that will meet anyone’s needs and budget. Medallion, Associate Club and Signature Memberships are available to both residents and non-residents of Tiburón communities and also include the use of Tiburón Golf Club's Member Concierge Program. The Medallion Membership is by invitation only. There’s also a Preview Membership if you’re not 100% sure, but with everything Tiburón has to offer how can there be any doubt?

It is worth the price to play the Black Course once. Great condition, fair layout.

I’ve been waiting to play this course for a year. The Black course has no rough to speak of, but you have to keep it on the fairways to have any chance for a good round. The course is in great condition and the greens were perfect. Nonetheless, it did not live up to my expectation and from a value-for-the-money point of view, I won’t be back. By the way, don’t bother with the Gold course. It lacks the character of the Black. The 19th hole was great for drinks and lunch. The golf shop staff was superb.

Very nice course. Greens were fast but overall true. Nice layout and there was a person selling refreshments on the course which was great as it was a hot day. Probably a bit pricey for this time of the year but we enjoyed the course.

The staff at any course can make or break your experience. Here the staff made mine. Friendly and accommodating they made the experience better. The course is asimple but challenging experience - not every hole is a driving hole, and precision matters. Course management is rewarded not just long driving. Great day.