Bluewater Bay Resort

Bluewater Bay Resort in Niceville, Florida, features two eighteen-hole courses that share a combined routing through the resort's wooded and wetland terrain along Choctawhatchee Bay in the Florida Panhandle. The Lake and Marsh nines were designed by Tom Fazio and Jerry Pate, with Fazio's involvement dating to the resort's development in the 1970s and Pate contributing design work following his transition from professional golf to course architecture in the 1980s. The courses reflect the collaborative nature of resort golf development during this period, when multiple designers often contributed to phased construction. The Lake and Marsh nines play through rolling terrain unusual for coastal Florida, with elevation changes that provide variety in stance and approach angles. Both routings incorporate the area's natural water features—lakes, marshes, and tidal wetlands—as strategic elements rather than mere hazards. Pine and hardwood forests frame fairways, and the sandy soil provides firm playing conditions typical of Panhandle courses. The layout accommodates a range of skill levels while requiring thoughtful course management around water hazards and through tree-lined corridors. Bluewater Bay operates as a residential resort community, and the courses serve both resort guests and local members. The facility has hosted regional amateur events and qualifiers over the years, contributing to Northwest Florida's golf scene. The setting offers views of the bay and surrounding natural areas, and the courses benefit from the temperate climate that allows year-round play in this part of the state.