Rainbow Springs at Rainbow Springs Golf and Country Club

Rainbow Springs Golf and Country Club sits in Dunnellon, a small city in north-central Florida known for its natural springs and the Rainbow River. Joe Lee designed the course during his prolific period of Florida golf architecture, which spanned from the 1960s through the 1980s. Lee, who worked extensively throughout the state, typically routed courses that incorporated Florida's native landscape features while creating strategic interest through water hazards, bunker placement, and green complexes suited to the region's flat to gently rolling terrain.

The course occupies land characteristic of this part of Marion County, where limestone formations create the spring systems that define the area. Lee's routing likely works with stands of native pines, oaks, and palmettos, and incorporates water features that reflect the region's aquifer-fed hydrology. His design approach in Florida generally emphasized playability for a range of skill levels while requiring thoughtful course management, particularly around water hazards that serve both strategic and aesthetic purposes.

Rainbow Springs functions as a private country club serving the Dunnellon community and surrounding areas of the Nature Coast region. The club provides a golf-centered amenity in a part of Florida less densely developed than the state's coastal metropolitan areas, drawing members from the local population and seasonal residents attracted to the area's natural environment and outdoor recreation opportunities.