Teeing Off for Your Best Game of Golf at the Beach

The anatomy of a great game of golf includes challenge, dynamic play, interesting vistas, a clear progression, and a whole lot more.

Playing a great game of golf on a challenging course is truly part of what makes the sport so appealing and popular – and there are plentiful opportunities in Bradenton and Sarasota.

The Bradenton-Sarasota region is a warm and exciting place to play, with some of the best golf in Florida. It has some high-level courses, some welcoming places for beginners, and a mix of public and private options. Players of all skill levels can learn how to play their best game right in the heart of this Florida paradise.

How Can I Improve My Golf Swing?

You can get much more out of each round and improve your golf score with a few quick tips. Beginners simply need to practice their swing as much as possible and working with a golf coach, even for just one or two sessions, can make a huge difference, along with plenty of driving, mid and short game practice.

Identify your swing weaknesses and improve upon them. Just one aspect such as your posture can play a significant role in your power and accuracy. An experienced pro will be able to pinpoint your mistakes and give you that trained perspective you need to fix the big problems with your swing.

Spend plenty of time at the driving range to practice your swing; it’s not enough to just play at the course. Before you do this, however, establish proper swing mechanics; this is more easily said than done and again, lessons are the perfect place to start.

Don’t neglect your short game either, spend at least 15-30 minutes on various putting drills before or after a round of golf to keep improving this crucial aspect of your game. Those challenging putts outside the 4-foot range are a huge difference-maker in your score.

Finding a Challenging Golf Course

You will also have to start to become skilled at playing on multiple types of terrain, obstacles, and hole types. The variety of courses near Anna Maria Island are impressive and will test your abilities, so you will want to be prepared for the varied challenges ahead.

What is the anatomy of a challenging Anna Maria golf course that will push you to be at your competitive best? This can vary tremendously based on preferences and your current skill level.

Generally, a good golf course has a number of different features to vary the challenge as well as the visual look of the course. No matter how challenging a particular course is, most will offer multiple tees to accommodate your ability, with the white tees usually being the furthest from the hole and blue tees being the closest.

The Manatee County Golf Course has quite a few shallow and narrow channels, testing your ability to stay on point. Bunkers and water hazards are positioned on every hole, making #5 and #16 particular challenges.

Plan Your Stay

You can have an amazing round of golf near Anna Maria Island. Research the courses, book an AMI vacation rental, take a few lessons from the local pro, and work on your swing at the driving range. You, too, can dominate in one of the leading golf regions in the world.

You will need to practice various clubs to accommodate the hole type and terrain. Many mid-tier players are familiar with at least six different golf club types. The website for the Manatee Club offers direct advice for navigating almost every one of the eighteen holes.

Pinebrook Ironwood Golf Club offers 18 walkable holes and low daily rates with several challenging holes that will push you to be at your best. Several bodies of water on the course will test your accuracy along with narrow fairways, while many holes are short in distance and manageable.

Many other courses are available in Bradenton near Anna Maria Island, and depending on your skill level you will want to assess tee locations, bunkers, water hazards, grass types and more to gauge the unique aspects of the course.

How Grass Affects Your Play

Grass plays a significant role in how you play, and being a well-rounded golfer means that you should know how to play on different types. Some grasses make the ball sit up perfectly while others make it sit further down, and you have to adjust your swing to accommodate.

The most popular is Bermuda, but some courses on Anna Maria have adopted other grass types. For example, the Pinebrook Ironwood course has recently upgraded to the Champion Ultra Dwarf Bermuda. According to the website, it offers far superior play compared to the traditional Bermuda grass.

Book Your Anna Maria Island Rental

Florida Dreams has a large variety of Anna Maria Island vacation rentals near local gold courses as well as other things to do on AMI, so you’ll never be far from the fun!