A Closer Look at the Courses of the Citrus Golf Trail
A great golf trip is not just about how many rounds you can fit into a few days. The courses themselves should give you a reason to look forward to the next tee time. That is part of what makes the Citrus Golf Trail in Highlands County, Florida, such an interesting destination. Rather than playing similar layouts day after day, golfers can experience a collection of courses with different histories, designs, challenges, and personalities, all within the same area.
Located throughout Florida’s Highlands County, the Citrus Golf Trail brings together courses that have been part of the local golf community for decades. Some are known for their history, while others stand out for their scenery, strategic layouts, or relaxed atmosphere. Together, they offer golfers the flexibility to build a trip around the kind of golf they enjoy most.
Sun ’N Lake Golf Club
With two 18-hole courses, Deer Run and Turtle Run, Sun ’N Lake gives golfers two distinct rounds without having to travel to a different property.
Deer Run offers a traditional Florida golf experience with mature landscaping, water features, and a layout that rewards thoughtful course management. Turtle Run provides another challenge of its own, giving golfers the opportunity to change things up while still enjoying the amenities and convenience of Sun ’N Lake.
Having 36 holes in one location also makes Sun ’N Lake an easy addition to a multi-day itinerary. Golfers can spend a full day at the property, return for another round later in their trip, or simply choose the course that best fits their plans.
Pinecrest Golf Club
For golfers who appreciate the history of the game, Pinecrest Golf Club offers a connection to an earlier era of Florida golf.
Dating back to 1926, Pinecrest has nearly a century of history behind it. The course is also associated with legendary golf course architect Donald Ross and holds a unique place in golf history as the site of the first nationally televised PGA golf tournament in 1959.
That history is still part of Pinecrest's identity today, but the experience is not limited to looking back. The course continues to welcome golfers for everyday rounds, leagues, tournaments and events. Its longstanding place in the Avon Park community gives it a character that is difficult to recreate at a newer golf property.
A round at Pinecrest is an opportunity to play somewhere generations of golfers have walked before, while still enjoying the approachable experience of a local course.
Highlands Ridge Golf Club
Highlands Ridge adds another two-course option to the Trail with its North and South courses.
For a golf group, having multiple layouts at one property can make planning especially easy. Players can experience one course and return for the other without simply repeating the same round. It also gives golfers another opportunity to see how much a course can change from one layout to the next, even within the same club.
The North and South courses contribute to one of the Citrus Golf Trail's biggest advantages: variety. Over the course of a trip, golfers can move between different designs, surroundings, and playing experiences instead of feeling as though each round blends into the last.
River Greens Golf Course
River Greens Golf Course has been part of the Avon Park community since 1969, giving it more than five decades of local golf history.
The course offers the kind of experience many golfers look for when traveling: enjoyable golf in an approachable setting. Rather than relying on extras to define the day, River Greens keeps the focus on the round itself.
It is also another example of the established golf culture found throughout Highlands County. These are not courses created solely to serve visiting golfers. They are places where local players have spent years competing, improving their games, and enjoying time on the course. Visitors get to become part of that experience for a round or two.
Country Club of Sebring
The Country Club of Sebring brings another distinct layout to a Citrus Golf Trail itinerary. Its location and course setting add to the range of experiences golfers can find without leaving the Sebring area.
That proximity matters on a golf trip. Spending less time traveling between courses means more time can be spent playing, enjoying a meal after the round, or simply relaxing before the next tee time. With several Citrus Golf Trail courses located throughout the same general area, golfers can build a full schedule without turning the trip into a series of long drives.
Country Club of Sebring fits naturally into that experience, whether it is the first round of the trip or one of several courses played over a long weekend.
More Than One Kind of Round
What connects the courses of the Citrus Golf Trail is not that they all offer the same experience. It is that they do not.
Across the Citrus Golf Trail, golfers can play courses with nearly a century of history, choose between multiple 36-hole properties, and experience layouts that have served the Highlands County golf community for generations. One round may be memorable because of a course's history, while the next stands out because of its layout, surroundings, or simply the group you played it with.
That variety makes it possible to create a golf trip that feels different from day to day. Play 18 holes and spend the afternoon exploring Sebring, schedule morning and afternoon rounds at different courses, or turn a long weekend into a tour of several Trail properties.
There is no single way to experience the Citrus Golf Trail, and that may be one of the best reasons to play it. With a collection of courses located throughout Highlands County, golfers can build their own itinerary, discover a few new favorites, and experience a side of Florida golf that has been part of the Sebring area for generations.
