Cape Coral has good golf. Coral Oaks is a well-maintained municipal course. Cape Royal offers 27 holes with pleasant surroundings. For a midweek round close to home, both serve their purpose.
But if you have played these courses more than a few times, you already know their fairways. You know where the water is. You know which holes play long and which give strokes back. The familiarity is comfortable — and eventually, it is the reason you start looking for something different.
That something is twenty minutes from your driveway.
The Dunes Golf and Tennis Club on Sanibel Island is a championship-caliber course unlike anything in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, or the surrounding area. Eighteen holes designed by a ten-time PGA Tour winner, set entirely within an Audubon-sanctioned wildlife preserve, with water on seventeen of eighteen holes and a level of natural beauty that turns a round of golf into something closer to an experience.
It is open to the public. And for Cape Coral golfers willing to cross the causeway, it may be the most rewarding round available anywhere in Southwest Florida.
The Drive
From central Cape Coral, The Dunes is roughly twenty to twenty-five minutes by car. Take Veterans Memorial Parkway to Summerlin Road, cross the Sanibel Causeway, and follow Periwinkle Way to Sand Castle Road. The club is at 949 Sand Castle Road.
The causeway toll is $6 and the drive itself is part of the appeal — the final stretch across the causeway offers open water views of San Carlos Bay and Pine Island Sound that set the tone for what lies ahead. Many Cape Coral golfers who make the trip for the first time say the same thing: they cannot believe they waited so long.
The Course
The Dunes was designed by Marc McCumber, a ten-time PGA Tour winner, and opened in 1995. It plays 5,606 yards from the championship tees at a par 70 with a slope rating of 129.
Water comes into play on seventeen of the eighteen holes. Not decorative ponds near the clubhouse — active waterways, lakes, and wetlands that shape every tee shot and approach. The course demands strategy. It rewards placement over distance. And it penalizes carelessness in ways that are both fair and memorable.
The fairways wind through an Audubon-sanctioned wildlife preserve, which means the landscape is not manufactured — it is native vegetation, natural shorelines, and mature tree lines that have been part of this ecosystem for decades. The visual contrast between a typical Southwest Florida development course and The Dunes is striking from the very first tee.
The Wildlife
This is what separates The Dunes from every other course in the region.
Because the course sits inside a functioning wildlife preserve, encounters with native species are not occasional — they are routine. On any given round, you may observe great blue herons standing in the shallows near the green, osprey diving into the lakes to feed, anhingas spreading their wings on the cart path, and alligators resting along the banks. During nesting season, bird activity intensifies considerably.
For golfers accustomed to courses where the only wildlife is a stray ibis near the ninth hole, The Dunes offers an entirely different relationship between the game and its setting. The preserve is not scenery. It is the environment you play through — alive, active, and constantly present.
How It Compares to Cape Coral Golf
The comparison is not about quality — it is about kind. Cape Coral courses and The Dunes serve different purposes, and understanding the distinction helps determine when the drive to Sanibel is worth making.
Coral Oaks Golf Course is a well-regarded municipal course designed by Arthur Mills. It plays 6,623 yards at a par 72 through an oak hammock setting in northwest Cape Coral. It is accessible, reasonably priced, and suitable for a quick round on a weekday afternoon. The atmosphere is relaxed and the pace is typical of a popular public course.
Cape Royal Golf Club offers 27 holes in a semi-private setting with water features and residential surroundings. It is the most complete golf facility within Cape Coral proper, with a clubhouse, events, and a course that provides a pleasant round.
The Dunes is a different category. The Marc McCumber design presents a championship-level test with water on nearly every hole. The Audubon designation places it in an ecological context that no Cape Coral course can replicate. The practice facility includes the Aqua Driving Range. The instruction program is led by Nolan Henke, a three-time PGA Tour winner. And the clubhouse offers lunch daily from 11am to 3pm, cocktails on the patio from 3 to 6pm overlooking the 18th fairway, and Edgar’s Steakhouse — Sanibel’s only steakhouse — for dinner nightly at 5pm.
For the Cape Coral golfer who plays Coral Oaks or Cape Royal regularly and wants a round that feels elevated — a course that challenges differently, a setting that surprises, and a post-round experience that extends the afternoon — The Dunes is the destination.
The Complete Experience
What Cape Coral golfers often discover on their first visit to The Dunes is that the round is only part of the day.
The clubhouse serves lunch daily with a menu that has earned a loyal following. The signature steak sandwich with caramelized onions and gorgonzola fondue, the coconut shrimp, and the pan-seared grouper are among the most requested dishes. Happy hour on the patio from 3 to 6pm offers cocktails, appetizers, and a sunset view over the fairway that has no equivalent in Cape Coral.
Edgar’s Steakhouse is open nightly at 5pm for dinner, with premium steaks, fresh seafood, craft cocktails, and live music. It is Sanibel Island’s only steakhouse and is open to the public.
For those interested in racquet sports, The Dunes maintains six Har-Tru tennis courts and four dedicated pickleball courts. Daily tennis clinics begin at 8am, and pickleball open play runs every morning at 8:30am. A Tennis Concierge is available to arrange matches for visiting players.
The swimming pool and sundeck are available to members, and 2027 memberships are now available in five categories beginning at $1,060 per year.
Membership for Cape Coral Residents
A growing number of Cape Coral residents have chosen The Dunes as their primary club — and the membership structure is designed to accommodate golfers who do not live on Sanibel.
The Full Club Membership begins at $6,850 for a single and includes no greens fees, no court fees, 14-day advance tee times, unlimited pool and sundeck, 15 percent off dining, and 20 percent off instruction. The Senior and Associate rate — available to members 80 and over or 49 and under — begins at $4,015 for a single.
The Sports Membership at $2,900 offers no court fees year-round, reduced greens fees in season, and complimentary golf from May through October — an attractive option for the Cape Coral golfer who plays frequently in the summer months.
The new Court Club Membership at $1,750 provides unlimited tennis and pickleball, pool, and dining discounts for those whose primary interest is racquet sports.
For those who wish to enjoy the dining, pool, and social aspects of the club without a sports commitment, the Social and Pool Membership begins at $1,060.
To learn more about membership, please contact Dana Swanson, Director of Membership Sales, at (239) 472-3355 or dswanson@sanibeldunesresort.com.
Booking a Tee Time
Non-members may reserve tee times up to five days in advance. The pro shop can be reached at (239) 472-3355. Callaway club rentals are available for those who prefer to travel light, and the Aqua Driving Range is open daily from 7am to 5pm.
Greens fees vary by season, with summer rates significantly lower than peak season. For golfers who anticipate playing regularly, the membership options outlined above may represent a more favorable value.
The Details
The Dunes Golf and Tennis Club 949 Sand Castle Rd, Sanibel, FL 33957 (239) 472-3355 Open to the public
Approximately 20-25 minutes from central Cape Coral via Summerlin Road and the Sanibel Causeway.
Reserve a tee time | Explore membership | View the course | Edgar’s Steakhouse
The Dunes Golf and Tennis Club has served the Sanibel Island community for over thirty years. The club features an 18-hole championship golf course inside an Audubon wildlife preserve, six Har-Tru tennis courts, four dedicated pickleball courts, a swimming pool and sundeck, Edgar’s Steakhouse, and a full-service clubhouse. Membership inquiries are welcomed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is The Dunes from Cape Coral? The Dunes is approximately 20 to 25 minutes from central Cape Coral via Summerlin Road and the Sanibel Causeway. The causeway toll is $6.
Do I need to be a member to play golf at The Dunes? No. The Dunes is open to the public. Non-members may book tee times up to five days in advance by calling (239) 472-3355.
How does The Dunes compare to Coral Oaks or Cape Royal? The Dunes is a championship course designed by a ten-time PGA Tour winner, set inside an Audubon wildlife preserve with water on 17 of 18 holes. It offers a more challenging layout, a unique natural setting, and a full-service clubhouse with dining and racquet sports that Cape Coral courses do not provide.
Can I rent clubs at The Dunes? Yes. Callaway club rentals are available through the pro shop.
Is there a restaurant at The Dunes? Yes. The clubhouse serves lunch daily from 11am to 3pm and happy hour from 3 to 6pm. Edgar’s Steakhouse is open for dinner nightly at 5pm. Both are open to the public. Members receive 15 percent off dining.
What membership options are available for Cape Coral residents? The Dunes offers five membership categories beginning at $1,060 per year. The Full Club, Sports, Court Club, Social and Pool, and Corporate memberships each provide different levels of access to the golf course, courts, pool, and dining. Contact Dana Swanson at (239) 472-3355 for details.