Gasparilla Inn & Golf Club

Overview: Gasparilla Inn Golf Club is an old-Florida island course on Gasparilla Island, where Charlotte Harbor, coastal wind and historic resort grounds shape the round. The 18-hole layout plays to par 72 and 6,837 yards, using the narrow island setting to bring exposed ground and water views into the strategy. Five holes run directly along the harbor, so wind direction and the choice of a conservative or aggressive line can change the character of the day. The course’s appeal comes from the relationship between golf and place: the historic Inn, mature landscape and harbor horizon are all part of the setting.

History: Golf at the Inn began in the 1910s with a nine-hole course on neighboring military-reserve land. The Boca Grande Historical Society records the Inn building a new golf course in 1930, and the National Register identifies surviving holes five and six of the historic 18-hole course as dating from about the same time. The original architect is not identified in the sources reviewed. Pete Dye renovated the course in 2004. After Hurricane Ian damaged the property, architect Tripp Davis led the 2023 restoration, preserving the strategic character of Dye’s work while adapting the course for present-day play.

Did You Know? Gasparilla’s harbor holes are a direct expression of its barrier-island location. The course occupies a relatively compact island setting, and Charlotte Harbor borders the property closely enough that the breeze is a strategic feature rather than a distant view. The long history of golf at the Inn began with a nine-hole arrangement before the resort developed its own 18-hole course, giving the current Dye-influenced layout a layered history instead of a single design moment.