Play Like a Pro: Golf on 30A

Greg Flannagan, a PGA-certified golf professional and the club's current Director of Golf, knows exactly what it takes to play with the upper hand. From the wind patterns that shape your drive to the right angles off the tee, he understands the challenges of each course—and how to turn them to your advantage.

Camp Creek Golf Course

Par 72 · 7,120 Yards · 5 Tees  · Yardage Chart

Designed by architect Tom Fazio, Camp Creek Golf Course offers a challenging 30A golf experience. The course is a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary that protects and integrates with the surrounding wetlands, offering golfers undulating fairways, natural hazards, and native plants.

These elements add challenges, but Flannagan believes the course rewards a tactical approach: "A lot of players automatically reach for driver, but position is usually more important than distance," he says. "If you can stay on the correct side of the fairway and avoid short-siding yourself, you'll save a lot of strokes." That mix of challenge and scenery comes through across the course.

Course Highlights

• Hole 1: At 371 yards, this par-4 hole is often praised as one of the best opening holes in the area.
• Hole 8: The longest hole on the course, playing 580 yards from the black tee.
• Hole 9: This challenging par-5 is the No.1 handicap and wraps around a lake.
• Hole 12: One of the longer holes on the course, it's also home to the converted 1958 Chevrolet Viking truck, which serves refreshments and wood-fired pizza.
• Hole 14: The shortest hole at 178 yards from the black tee, its downhill design offers scenic views of water and peninsula greens.

Shark's Tooth Golf Course

Par 72 · 7,246 Yards · 5 Tees · Yardage Chart

Shark's Tooth Golf Course offers a challenging game of golf with stunning views of Lake Powell, the largest dune lake in Florida. Greg Norman designed the course to blend the beauty of a coastal sanctuary, surrounded by pine and oak trees, with undulating greens and deep bunkers.

Those views are a highlight, but Flannagan cautions that they can be deceiving: "Where golfers can get fooled is with depth perception on a few holes that have open areas behind the green." A few holes in particular reward that kind of focus.

Course Highlights

• Hole 5: This hole plays toward Lake Powell, but Flannagan warns this par 3 is notorious for leaving a mark on your scorecard if it isn't handled correctly. It often plays into the wind, and the carry to the green is longer than it looks, so he suggests taking an extra club.
• Hole 13: This par-5 hole begins a stretch of three that border Lake Powell. It measures 533 yards from the black tee, with the lake and its length as its primary obstacles.
• Hole 15: Flannagan flags this as the best example of a hole that often deceives players—his advice is to trust your yardage and commit to the shot.
• Hole 17: At 575 yards from the black tee, this is the longest hole at Shark's Tooth. The fairway is lined with pine trees, making it a challenging par 5 that demands focus and precision.

The Third Golf Course

Par 71 · 7,252 Yards · 6 Tees · Yardage Chart

The Third Golf Course completes the trio. The course can be found north of Shark’s Tooth Golf Course and was designed in the "coastal links" style by Davis Love III. Golfers can expect to see natural elements woven throughout the layout, and on most days, wind can have a noticeable but fun impact on the game.

According to Flannagan, “Golfers who are willing to keep the ball lower and use the ground will usually have more success than those trying to hit everything high in the air.” That links-style character shows up hole after hole.

Course Highlights

• Hole 4: Often considered the most difficult hole on the course, this hole challenges golfers with a narrowing corridor lined with pine trees.
• Hole 5: At over 600 yards, this is the longest hole, showing how vast the course is.
• Hole 8: The use of white sands and trees gives this hole a unique bottleneck design and shows off the Third Golf Course's unique “coastal links” style, reminiscent of an Australian Sandbeltstyle course.
• Hole 17: The penultimate hole shows off Northern Florida’s beauty with a stunning carry over protected wetlands and a Biarritz green.

Stay at Camp Creek Inn

Golfers staying at Camp Creek Inn are met with variety, from their choice of courses and accommodations to the many ways to spend their downtime. Flannagan points to the "Member for a Stay" philosophy as what sets the resort apart—guests enjoy the same privileges as members, from the Golf Performance Center to clubhouse dining and private beach club access.

About Greg Flannagan Greg Flannagan is a PGA-certified golf professional and the Watersound Club® Director of Golf in Inlet Beach, Florida. With over a decade in the industry and past leadership roles at Old Waverly and Mossy Oak Golf Club in Mississippi, he specializes in player development, tournament coordination, and instruction. A native of Sunnyside, Florida, he helps foster a welcoming environment for Camp Creek Inn guests.