Sunny Hills Golf Club

Sunny Hills Golf Club is a public facility in Sunny Hills, Florida, a small community in the state's Panhandle region near the Gulf Coast. The course was designed by Ken Venturi and Gene Sarazen, both major championship winners who turned to course architecture after their competitive careers. Venturi won the 1964 U.S. Open and later became a longtime CBS golf commentator, while Sarazen claimed seven major titles in the 1920s and 1930s and remained active in golf for decades. Their collaboration on this project reflects a period when accomplished tour professionals frequently lent their names and design input to courses, particularly in Florida's development boom. The layout occupies rolling terrain characteristic of northwest Florida's interior, with natural elevation changes more pronounced than the flat coastal courses found elsewhere in the state. Pine and oak trees frame many holes, and the design incorporates the region's sandy soil and native vegetation. The course serves both local residents and seasonal visitors drawn to the area's affordable golf options and quieter atmosphere compared to more developed parts of Florida. Sunny Hills Golf Club operates as a straightforward daily-fee facility without the resort amenities or tournament history of higher-profile Florida venues. The course provides a playable test for recreational golfers while reflecting the design sensibilities of two players who understood competitive golf from the inside.