Burnt Pine Location and Vibe
Where: On the northern point by Choctawhatchee Bay within the 2,400-acre Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Miramar Beach, Burnt Pine Golf Club is the crown jewel among the resort’s four championship courses. The property sits between the Choctawhatchee Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, providing diverse landscapes and microclimates within a single round.
Where did Burnt Pine get its name?…Liam said a fire destroyed part of the pine forest in this area prior to the golf course development in 1994. Thus, the name “Burnt Pine.” –Liam Branagan, Director of Golf for Burnt Pine Golf Course
Why Golfers Play Here: Called “The Crown Jewel of Florida Golf,” Burnt Pine Country Club offers an exclusive experience with a Premium Golf Package that allows you to play all 73 holes at Sandestin! The course’s dual personality—with pine canyons on the front nine and bay views and water hazards aplenty on the back nine—provides a dramatic backdrop that rivals many courses on the Emerald Coast. Resort guests gain coveted access to what is primarily a private country club.
A Rees Jones Crown Jewel as “The Open Doctor”
Architect: Rees Jones, “The Open Doctor,” is renowned for his U.S. Open redesigns and rigorous championship layouts.
His renovation and restoration skills have been applied to seven U.S. Open venues, nine PGA Championship courses, five Ryder Cup and two Walker Cup sites as well as three Presidents Cup venues. – Rees Jones Inc.
Signature Style: Jones’s trademark strategic design philosophy is evident throughout, with thoughtfully placed bunkers that dictate play and large, subtly contoured greens that can transform friendly pin positions into diabolical ones. His routing maximizes the natural terrain, creating distinct bayfront and inland sections that require completely different approaches.
Burnt Pine Awards & Accolades
✔ Ranked #1 in Northwest Florida by Florida Golf Magazine
✔ Named among “Top 30 Courses in Florida” by Golf Digest
✔ Awarded 4.5 stars in Golf Digest’s “Places to Play”
✔ Consistently rated as Sandestin’s most challenging and prestigious course as a Must-Play
Golf Course Stats by the Numbers
Yardage/Slope/Rating: Par 72, 7,001 yards from the championship tees, Slope 144, Rating 74.7
Key Features: Burnt Pine’s distinct nines offer contrasting challenges—the front nine winds through pine forests and wetlands. At the same time, the back nine opens up along the Choctawhatchee Bay with stunning water views and coastal breezes that significantly impact club selection. Water plays on 12 holes, making it a challenging track with water hazards along the entire fairway and strategic bunkering throughout… including forced carries on three of the four par 3 holes. Water is always on the player’s left on the first ten holes. Then it’s all on the right on holes 12,13,15,16,17.
Burnt Pine Signature Holes
Most Difficult Hole: 4th Hole: A tricky Par 4 presents a difficult shot to a small green guarded by two bunkers. Personally love it.
7th Hole: This long par-4 404 yards requires a precise drive through a narrow pine corridor before revealing an elevated green guarded by a creek and six deep bunkers—quintessential Rees Jones challenge golf.
Bayfront Stretch (14-16): You will want to soak these scenic holes in. Take selfies and Panoramic pictures as these holes hug the bay with panoramic tee box views. The par 5 16th features a risk-reward tee shot and a tricky second shot to a narrowing green flanked on the left by a series of sandtraps and a lake hazard to the right.
14th Hole: A Epic Par 3 Perhaps the most photographed at Sandestin, this stunning par-3 plays along the bay with marshland carrying all the way (200 yards) to the green. Wind direction here can turn a mid-iron into a wood or vice versa.
19th Hole at Burnt Pine
Dining: The newly renovated Burnt Pine Grill offers upscale dining with bay views and a comprehensive wine list that complements its seafood-forward menu. The Club Bar provides a refined atmosphere for post-round drinks. Join us at our 19th Hole Happy Hour in the newly remodeled clubhouse! Enjoy delicious drink specials every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Pro Shop: The boutique pro shop features premium apparel brands and custom-logoed merchandise exclusive to Burnt Pine. Calloway Club Rentals are also available, but they must be reserved early.
Extras: Comprehensive practice facilities include a driving range, short game area, and putting green. Stay-and-play packages through Sandestin Resort offer preferred access to all four resort courses with luxury accommodations steps away from the first tee. Discover Walton County Golfing, Beaches, and Beachfront Dining options.
Local Pro Tips
Course is quite most of the time with uncorowded tee boxes. Greens are fast and course is always in great shape. Course features and raised greens, water hazards, and generous bunkers make the second shots important for club selection and accurate shots.
Booking Tee-Times and Stay and Play Options
📍3300 Burnt Pine Lane
Miramar Beach, FL 32550
⏱ Peak season (May – October) rates vary depending on the length of stay and season value in the winter, which provides excellent value and golf.
💡 Insider Hack: Book the first tee time of the day for perfect playing conditions and the fastest pace of play, or inquire about the “Premium Golf Package” that includes multiple Sandestin courses for extended stays, and you get to play all four golf courses.
Call for a Tee Time 850-267-6500
FINAL VERDICT
Burnt Pine delivers a championship experience where Rees Jones’s architectural brilliance meets Florida’s coastal beauty—a strategic jewel of golfing that deserves every accolade and demands a spot on any serious golfer’s Emerald Coast itinerary.
