Golf Near Anna Maria Island: Best Public & Private Courses

Where Can You Golf Near Anna Maria Island?

by Hunt Brothers Realty

You can golf surprisingly close to Anna Maria Island, although only one course is actually on the island. Key Royale Club in Holmes Beach is a private nine-hole club, while public golfers can cross to Bradenton for Manatee Golf Course, IMG Academy Golf Club, Pinebrook Ironwood Golf Club, and other options. Golf Digest currently identifies 27 courses within a 15-mile radius of Anna Maria Island, including both public and private facilities. That means buyers and visitors can combine the beaches, boating, and relaxed atmosphere of Anna Maria Island with a substantial selection of nearby golf.

Quick Answers About Golf Near Anna Maria Island

Is There a Golf Course on Anna Maria Island?

Yes. Key Royale Club in Holmes Beach is the only golf course on Anna Maria Island. It is a private, member-owned club with a 2,050-yard, par-32 nine-hole walking course.

Can Visitors Play Key Royale Club?

Key Royale is not a public golf course. Golf generally requires the appropriate membership or qualifying guest access. As of August 2026, the club reports that golf membership is at full capacity and its golf waitlist is currently closed, so prospective members and guests should contact the club for current access information.

What Is the Closest Public Golf Course to Anna Maria Island?

Manatee Golf Course in West Bradenton identifies itself as the closest public golf course and driving range to Anna Maria Island, Holmes Beach, and Longboat Key. It offers an 18-hole course, five sets of tees, TifEagle greens, a grass-tee driving range, putting and chipping areas, and golf instruction.

Is IMG Academy Golf Club Open to the Public?

Yes. IMG Academy Golf Club in Bradenton is open to public golfers as well as members. Its 18-hole championship course extends to more than 6,800 yards from the back tees and includes multiple practice areas.

Are There Shorter Golf Courses Near Anna Maria Island?

Yes. Key Royale provides a nine-hole island layout for members, while Pinebrook Ironwood Golf Club in Bradenton is a public 18-hole, par-61 course measuring 3,752 yards from its longest tees. Pinebrook can be a practical option for golfers who want a shorter round without giving up a full 18-hole format.

Are There Private Golf Clubs Near Anna Maria Island?

Yes. In addition to Key Royale, nearby private options include Bradenton Country Club and clubs farther south toward Longboat Key and Sarasota. Membership availability, guest privileges, reciprocal arrangements, and fees vary, so access should be confirmed directly with the individual club.

Can You Live on Anna Maria Island and Golf Regularly?

Yes. The island itself has limited golf, but the Bradenton mainland provides multiple public and private choices. For someone considering buying real estate on Anna Maria Island, the practical question is how often they want to cross the bridge for golf and which courses best fit their preferred style of play.

1. Key Royale Club: Golf on Anna Maria Island

Best for: Anna Maria Island residents seeking private, walkable golf without leaving the island.

Key Royale Club is the starting point for any discussion of golf on Anna Maria Island because it is the island's only golf course. The private club is located at 700 Key Royale Drive in Holmes Beach, within the residential Key Royale neighborhood.

The course is a 2,050-yard, par-32 nine-hole walking layout. Golfers wanting an 18-hole experience can play different sets of tees, producing a combined distance of 3,768 yards. The club also has a putting green, chipping practice area, and hitting cages, although it does not have a traditional driving range.

Key Royale does not use conventional tee times for its members. The course is open from sunrise to sunset, giving the club a relaxed format that fits its island setting.

The club's history is tied directly to development of the Key Royale neighborhood. According to the club, it was organized in 1965 and the course opened for play in September 1966 as part of the development of what had previously been known as School Key.

Is Key Royale Public?

No. Key Royale is a private, member-owned club offering golf and social memberships. Golfing membership is limited, and the club currently reports that golf membership has reached full capacity and that its golf waitlist is closed.

Why it stands out: Key Royale provides something no mainland course can replicate, the ability for qualifying members to play a casual round while remaining on Anna Maria Island.

2. Manatee Golf Course: The Closest Public Option

Best for: Visitors and island residents who want convenient public golf without traveling far into the Sarasota-Bradenton area.

Manatee Golf Course, located at 6415 53rd Avenue West in Bradenton, specifically describes itself as the closest public golf course to Anna Maria Island, Holmes Beach, and Longboat Key.

For an Anna Maria Island visitor who simply wants to book a traditional 18-hole round, that makes Manatee Golf Course one of the most practical places to start. The course winds through wetlands and water features and offers five sets of tees, allowing golfers to choose a distance appropriate to their game.

Practice facilities include a grass-tee driving range plus putting and chipping areas. Golf instruction is also available through the facility's golf academy.

Why it stands out: Convenient location and public access make Manatee Golf Course particularly useful for someone staying on Anna Maria Island who wants a straightforward 18-hole golf day.

3. IMG Academy Golf Club: Championship Golf in Southwest Bradenton

Best for: Public golfers wanting a longer championship layout, practice facilities, and a more traditional club experience.

IMG Academy Golf Club is located at 4350 El Conquistador Parkway in southwest Bradenton. The club is open to both the public and members and serves as the home course for IMG Academy's golf program.

The 18-hole championship course dates to 1972 and underwent a major Gene Bates renovation before reopening in 2003. Current course information shows multiple tee choices, with the back tees extending beyond 6,800 yards.

The setting includes pines, mature oaks, native vegetation, lakes, and substantial bunkering. Practice facilities, a grille, and fitness facilities complement the course.

Public tee times can currently be booked three days in advance. Golfers should check the club's current tee sheet and policies before traveling from the island because booking windows and availability can change seasonally.

Why it stands out: IMG Academy Golf Club gives Anna Maria Island visitors access to a full-length championship course while remaining in the Bradenton area.

4. Pinebrook Ironwood Golf Club: A Shorter Public Round

Best for: Casual golfers, shorter rounds, walkers, and players who enjoy accuracy-focused golf.

Pinebrook Ironwood Golf Club in Bradenton provides a different experience from the area's longer championship courses. The Dean Refram-designed layout opened in 1970 and is an 18-hole, par-61 course measuring 3,752 yards from the longest tees.

Shorter does not necessarily mean simple. The club reports that water borders 16 fairways and more than 30 bunkers protect the greens, putting an emphasis on accuracy and short-game control.

Public golfers can book tee times, and the course offers both walking and riding options. That can make Pinebrook Ironwood particularly appealing to someone who wants golf to occupy part of an island vacation day rather than committing most of the day to a long championship round.

Why it stands out: It offers a full 18-hole public round in a compact format relatively close to Anna Maria Island.

5. Bradenton Country Club: Historic Private Golf

Best for: Private-club golfers, Donald Ross enthusiasts, and residents seeking a traditional country-club experience close to the island.

Bradenton Country Club is one of the region's historic private golf clubs. Founded in 1924, it is located at 4646 9th Avenue West in Bradenton and features a Donald Ross-designed golf course.

The club's history traces back to the former Palma Sola Country Club, and Donald Ross was involved with the property during its early development. Today, Bradenton Country Club combines golf with tennis, pickleball, fitness, swimming, dining, and other private-club facilities.

This is not a daily-fee alternative for an island visitor looking for a spontaneous tee time. It is a private, member-oriented option that may be relevant to full-time or seasonal residents considering a longer-term connection to golf in the Bradenton area.

Why it stands out: Historic Donald Ross golf and a full private country-club environment are available relatively close to the island.

6. Buffalo Creek Golf Course: Public Championship Golf in Palmetto

Best for: Golfers willing to drive farther for a full-length public course with a more rural setting.

Buffalo Creek Golf Course is a public, county-owned facility in Palmetto. The Ron Garl-designed course opened in 1988 and stretches 6,926 yards from the back tees.

Unlike many Florida golf courses built within residential developments, Buffalo Creek has a more open, rural setting. The par-72 layout has multiple tee options, a driving range, putting and chipping areas, and golf instruction.

Buffalo Creek is farther from Anna Maria Island than the West Bradenton choices, but it provides another public option when tee times closer to the coast are limited. It also shares membership options with Manatee Golf Course.

Why it stands out: Nearly 7,000 yards of Ron Garl-designed public golf provides a different challenge from the shorter coastal options.

Which Golf Course Near Anna Maria Island Fits Your Day?

What You Want	Course to Consider	Access
Golf without leaving Anna Maria Island	Key Royale Club	Private
Closest practical public option	Manatee Golf Course	Public
Full-length championship golf	IMG Academy Golf Club	Public and membership
Shorter 18-hole round	Pinebrook Ironwood	Public
Historic Donald Ross golf	Bradenton Country Club	Private
Longer public course in a rural setting	Buffalo Creek	Public

How Much Golf Is Really Available Near Anna Maria Island?

The selection is larger than the island's beach-oriented character might suggest. Golf Digest's current course database identifies 27 golf courses within a 15-mile radius of Anna Maria Island, including 13 public courses and 14 private clubs.

Those choices extend beyond the six highlighted here. Other nearby courses include River Run Golf Links in Bradenton, Terra Ceia Bay Country Club in Palmetto, and additional Sarasota-area clubs farther south.

That variety gives golfers flexibility. Someone staying for a week can sample several public courses, while a seasonal or full-time resident can investigate membership at a private club that fits their preferred playing style and social priorities.

What Should Visitors Know About Driving From Anna Maria Island to Golf?

Distance on a map does not always translate directly into drive time on a barrier island. Golfers staying in Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, or Bradenton Beach generally need to cross to the mainland before reaching most courses, and traffic conditions can vary substantially by season, time of day, weather, and activity on the island.

For that reason, it is better to check current travel conditions before leaving rather than relying on a fixed drive-time estimate. An early tee time can also create a very different trip from one scheduled during a busy beach travel period.

Living on Anna Maria Island as a Golfer

Anna Maria Island is not primarily a golf destination. Its identity is built around Gulf beaches, boating, waterfront neighborhoods, restaurants, small commercial districts, and a low-rise barrier-island environment. That does not prevent golf from becoming a regular part of island life.

For qualifying Key Royale members, golf can be an island activity. For everyone else, West Bradenton provides several practical options after crossing to the mainland.

Location within the island can matter. Anna Maria Island includes three municipalities, the City of Anna Maria at the north end, Holmes Beach in the center, and Bradenton Beach to the south. A golfer who expects to leave the island several times each week may evaluate bridge access and normal mainland destinations differently from a buyer primarily focused on beach proximity.

What Should Golfers Consider When Choosing an Anna Maria Island Home?

Location within Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, or Bradenton Beach
Typical route to the mainland
Distance to preferred public golf courses
Private-club membership availability
Garage or storage space for golf equipment
Beach and boating priorities
Property-specific rental rules
Flood and insurance considerations
Seasonal traffic patterns and normal mainland destinations

Hunt Brothers Realty's Anna Maria Island real estate buyer's guide provides a broader look at the island's three municipalities, beaches, boating, rental considerations, flood exposure, insurance, and other issues that can affect a property search.

Anna Maria Island Golf Compared With Sarasota Golf

Golfers deciding where to live on Florida's Gulf Coast may also want to compare Anna Maria Island with Sarasota. Anna Maria Island provides an intimate beach-and-boating environment with nearby mainland golf, while Sarasota offers a much broader collection of courses and golf-centered residential communities.

Sarasota-area golfers can choose among public courses, Donald Ross designs, private country clubs, TPC golf, 36-hole facilities, and communities where golf is integrated directly into residential life. Buyers who place golf near the top of their priorities may therefore prefer mainland living, while someone who places the Gulf, beach, and boating first may find Anna Maria Island more appealing.

Neither approach is inherently better. The useful comparison is how frequently you expect to play, whether you prefer public or private golf, and how much driving you are comfortable incorporating into your normal routine.

Where Should You Play Golf Near Anna Maria Island?

For most visitors, Manatee Golf Course is the logical starting point because it combines public access with a convenient West Bradenton location. IMG Academy Golf Club is a strong alternative when a longer championship course is the priority, while Pinebrook Ironwood can work well for a shorter 18-hole round.

For residents interested in private golf, Key Royale provides the only course on Anna Maria Island itself, although current golf membership availability is limited. Bradenton Country Club provides a more traditional private country-club experience on the mainland.

The larger point is that living or vacationing on Anna Maria Island does not require giving up golf. The island provides the coastal setting, while Bradenton and the surrounding Gulf Coast supply a broad range of courses within reach.

Explore Anna Maria Island With Hunt Brothers Realty

If your ideal Gulf Coast lifestyle includes mornings on the golf course and afternoons near the water, Hunt Brothers Realty can help you compare Anna Maria Island and surrounding communities based on beach access, boating, golf, home style, rental considerations, and mainland convenience. Start with the Anna Maria Island real estate buyer's guide or explore Gulf Coast communities with Hunt Brothers Realty.

Informational notice: This article is provided for general informational and educational purposes. Golf-course access, membership availability, guest privileges, rates, tee times, reciprocal arrangements, course conditions, and club policies can change. Buyers considering an Anna Maria Island or golf-oriented property should independently verify club access and review property-specific association, insurance, flood, inspection, financing, tax, title, rental, and legal matters with the appropriate qualified professionals before making a purchasing decision.