45 minutes from 30A. Another world away.
Old Charlie sits about 45 minutes due north of Santa Rosa Beach in Walton County, Florida. Close enough to 30A and The Emerald Coast for a day at the beach, but far enough away for seclusion, peace, and quiet.
We're 45 minutes from 30A's beach towns, but the land here doesn't feel like coastal Florida. It's higher elevation, cooler nights, and terrain that's built for golf. That's part of the reason why some of the best designers are building here.
Beaches, family, and everything else.
Old Charlie is a golf trip first, but it's also less than an hour from some of the best beaches in the country. The Emerald Coast, named for the beautiful blue-green color of the water here, features sugary white sand, tiny beach towns with tons of character, and plenty to do when you're not on the course.
Bring the family. Spend a day on 30A. Explore Seaside, Rosemary Beach, or Grayton. Send the kids to the beach while you play your round, then meet up at The Hammock for dinner. This isn't just a golf destination. It's a vacation destination that happens to have exceptional golf.
Pack accordingly.
The golf pilgrimages are coming.
Image: Windswept Dunes (windsweptdunes.com)
We’re not the only reason to visit the 30A region. The area already has strong golf options. Watersound's three courses (including Davis Love III's The Third), Windswept Dunes in Freeport, and several clubs at Sandestin Resort near Destin are all great options to add to your Old Charlie vacation.
But the biggest news is Dream Golf. The team behind Bandon Dunes, Sand Valley, and some of the most celebrated golf destinations in the world is building Old Shores just 45 minutes east of Old Charlie. Their first course, featuring 18 holes from Tom Doak, should be opening around the same time we do. We can't wait to play it.
This region is becoming a golf pilgrimage site. Old Charlie will be a part of that story.
Image: Dream Golf (oldshores.com)
Image: The Third (watersoundclub.com/golf/the-third-golf-course/)