Naples at Country Club of Naples

The Country Club of Naples features a Bill Diddel design that opened in the 1950s, making it one of the earlier private clubs established in what would become one of Florida's premier golf destinations. Diddel, a midwestern architect who worked primarily during the mid-twentieth century, brought a straightforward approach to course design that emphasized playability while working within the natural landscape. The routing reflects the relatively flat Southwest Florida terrain typical of the Naples area, with strategic bunkering and water features providing the primary challenges.

The course sits within a mature residential community where native vegetation and established trees frame many holes. Like most Naples-area courses from this era, the layout incorporates lakes and wetlands both for drainage management in the low-lying coastal environment and as hazards that demand accuracy on approach shots. The design philosophy favors strategic positioning off the tee rather than pure length, with green complexes that reward thoughtful club selection and course management.

The club serves as a traditional private country club with golf as the centerpiece of member activity. Its location in Naples places it within a region that has seen tremendous growth in golf course development over subsequent decades, though the Country Club of Naples maintains its character as one of the area's original clubs. The course has undergone updates over the years to address agronomic improvements and evolving maintenance standards while preserving the essential routing and design intent of Diddel's original work.