Lely Resort — Flamingo Island

Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed the Flamingo Island course at Lely Resort in 1989, working with his longtime associate Roger Rulewich. The result is a layout that carries the elder Jones's signature clearly: large greens, dramatic bunkering, and water hazards that create visual spectacle while providing genuine strategic options. Water comes into play on twelve of the eighteen holes, a number that sounds intimidating but functions more as a routing feature than a relentless penalty. The hazards define the edges of play rather than bisecting fairways, giving golfers clear visual information about where to aim and what to avoid.

The island fairway concept that gives the course its name appears on several holes where the playing corridor is flanked by water on both sides. These holes narrow the margin for error off the tee but reward accuracy with straightforward approaches to unobstructed greens. The course's slope of 135 is moderate for its length of 7,171 yards, reflecting the fact that the hazards, while numerous, are generally avoidable for golfers who select the correct tee box and play within their capabilities. From the forward tees, much of the water becomes peripheral rather than central to the strategy, which is a hallmark of Jones's approach to public-access design.

Champion Ultra Dwarf Bermuda greens provide putting surfaces that are smooth, fast, and consistent throughout the season. The greens are large by Naples standards, which is characteristic of Jones's public-access work: he understood that larger targets make a course more enjoyable for the average golfer without reducing the challenge for accomplished players, because the additional size creates more pin positions and more subtle breaks to read. A pin tucked behind a bunker on one of these large greens requires the same precision as hitting a smaller green at its center, and the variety of pin placements keeps the course fresh across multiple rounds.

The routing itself has the flowing quality that distinguishes Jones's Florida work from his more muscular Northern designs. Holes transition smoothly from one to the next, the lakes and waterways provide visual continuity, and the tropical landscaping frames each hole without constricting it. The course feels expansive despite the residential development that surrounds it, and the maintenance is consistent enough that the playing conditions hold up through the heavy traffic of peak season.

At $150 to $200 in peak season and $75 to $120 off-peak, Flamingo Island sits at the top of the mid-range tier. The pricing reflects its public-access status and positions it as the most affordable Jones design in the region. Booking is available directly through the resort, on GolfNow, and through TeeOff. Cart is included in the green fee, with cart-path-only conditions enforced to protect the turf.

Flamingo Island pairs naturally with the Mustang course, Lee Trevino's design at the same facility. The two courses share a clubhouse, practice area, and pricing structure, making Lely Resort the most efficient two-round day in the Naples market. For golfers with two mid-range rounds to allocate, playing both courses on consecutive days provides a useful contrast between Jones's water-heavy classical approach and Trevino's more open, length-oriented philosophy.