Most golf courses have ponds. Some have nice views. A few might have an egret standing near the water every now and then.
The Dunes Golf and Tennis Club on Sanibel Island has alligators watching your approach shot on 7. Osprey diving into the lake while you line up a putt on 12. Great blue herons standing completely still on the fringe like they are reading the green with you. Anhingas spreading their wings on the cart path like they own the place. And on a quiet early morning, a bobcat crossing from one tree line to another without looking at you twice.
This is not a golf course near nature. This is a golf course inside nature. The entire 18-hole layout sits within an Audubon-sanctioned wildlife preserve on Sanibel Island — one of the most ecologically significant barrier islands in the United States.
And it is open to the public.
What Audubon Designation Actually Means
When a golf course earns Audubon designation, it means the course has met rigorous environmental standards across six categories: environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management, outreach and education, chemical use reduction and safety, water conservation, and water quality management.
There are roughly 970 Audubon-certified golf courses in the world. Approximately 111 are in Florida. But certification alone does not make The Dunes unique. What makes it unique is location.
The Dunes does not just follow Audubon environmental standards. The course physically sits inside a wildlife preserve. The lakes, wetlands, native vegetation, and undeveloped buffer zones that surround and wind through the fairways are active, thriving habitats. The animals are not occasional visitors. They are permanent residents. The golf course is built around them, not the other way around.
What You Will Actually See
This is not a situation where the marketing photos show a bird and then you play 18 holes without seeing one. Wildlife encounters at The Dunes are not rare. They are routine. Here is what you are likely to see on any given round:
Osprey are the most visible birds on the course. They nest in the tall pines and palms that line the fairways, and they hunt in the lakes that come into play on 17 of the 18 holes. Watching an osprey tuck its wings and dive into the water 50 yards from where you are standing is a moment that stops your round — in the best way.
Great blue herons are everywhere. They stand motionless in the shallows, on the banks, and occasionally on the greens themselves. They are remarkably unbothered by golfers. You will learn to check the green before you chip.
Anhingas — sometimes called snakebirds — dry their wings on rocks, cart path railings, and anything else near the water. They are striking birds and one of the most photographed species on the course.
Alligators are present in many of the lakes and waterways. They are typically basking in the sun near the banks and are not aggressive. But they are large, they are real, and the first time you see a six-footer sunning itself 15 feet from the cart path on hole 7, you will understand why people talk about this course long after they leave.
Egrets, ibises, and wood storks wade through the shallows in groups, especially in the early morning and late afternoon. During nesting season in the spring and summer, bird activity is at its highest.
Bobcats are the rarest sighting, but they do live in the preserve. Regulars at The Dunes will tell you about their bobcat encounters the way fishermen talk about the one that got away — except there are photos on their phones to prove it.
Turtles, raccoons, and river otters are also part of the ecosystem. The course is alive in a way that most golfers have never experienced on any course, anywhere.
How It Changes the Way You Play
Playing golf in a wildlife preserve changes the experience in ways that are hard to describe until you have done it.
The pace feels different. You are not just walking or riding between shots. You are moving through an environment that demands your attention — not because the course is gimmicky, but because the setting is genuinely beautiful and constantly surprising. You notice things. The light on the water. The sound of a red-shouldered hawk overhead. The way the palm tree shadows fall across the fairway at 8am.
The course itself is designed to take advantage of the setting. Marc McCumber, a 10-time PGA Tour winner, routed the 18 holes so that water is part of nearly every shot decision. But the water is not just a hazard — it is where the wildlife lives. The lakes are not lined with concrete bulkheads. They have natural, vegetated shorelines that serve as feeding grounds, nesting areas, and transit corridors for the animals that live here.
The result is a golf course that feels immersive in a way that most courses do not. You are not playing golf near some trees and a few ponds. You are playing golf inside a functioning ecosystem that was here before the course and will be here long after.
Why This Matters for the Course
Environmental stewardship is not just a marketing talking point at The Dunes. The Audubon program requires real, ongoing work. The course maintenance team manages the turf and landscaping with reduced chemical applications, monitors water quality in the lakes and wetlands, maintains native vegetation buffer zones, and participates in regular Audubon recertification reviews.
This means the course plays the way nature intended. The rough has character. The tree lines are native species. The water edges are organic and varied, not manicured into uniformity. For golfers who appreciate a course that looks and feels natural rather than manufactured, The Dunes delivers something that most modern courses have designed away.
The Best Time to See Wildlife
Wildlife is present year-round at The Dunes, but activity peaks at certain times:
Early morning (7am to 9am): This is the best window. Birds are most active in the early hours, alligators are moving between basking spots, and the light is at its most beautiful. An early tee time at The Dunes is one of the most memorable golf experiences in Florida.
Late afternoon (4pm to sunset): Bird activity picks up again as the day cools. The light turns golden over the lakes, and the wildlife settles into its evening patterns. If you are not playing, the patio at the clubhouse overlooks the 18th fairway and offers a front-row seat to the sunset and the preserve.
Spring and summer (March through August): Nesting season means more birds, more activity, and more variety. This is also when the alligators are most visible. Summer golf at The Dunes is quieter, less expensive, and the wildlife experience is arguably at its peak.
After rain: A warm afternoon rain followed by clearing skies is when the preserve comes alive. Birds emerge to feed, the lakes are active, and the course has a freshness that makes everything feel sharper.
Photography on the Course
If you are a photographer — or even if you just like taking phone photos — The Dunes is one of the best wildlife photography locations on Sanibel Island outside of Ding Darling.
The course gives you access to habitats and vantage points that you would not otherwise be able to reach. The cart paths wind along lakeshores, through tree-lined corridors, and across open wetland edges where birds are feeding and hunting. You are close to the wildlife in a way that hiking trails rarely allow.
Many members and visitors share their wildlife photos on social media after their round. If you capture something great, tag @sanibeldunesresort — we love seeing the course through our players’ eyes.
The Course Itself
The wildlife preserve is the setting. But the golf is championship-caliber.
The Dunes plays 5,606 yards from the tips at a par 70 with a slope rating of 129. Marc McCumber designed a layout that uses the natural terrain — the lakes, the wetlands, the tree lines — as the primary strategic challenge. Water on 17 of 18 holes means that nearly every tee shot and approach requires a decision about risk and reward.
The Aqua Driving Range is open daily from 7am to 5pm. Callaway club rentals are available through the pro shop. Nolan Henke, a 3-time PGA Tour winner, is on the teaching staff and offers lessons and clinics.
The course is open to the public. Non-members can book tee times up to five days in advance. Summer memberships are available from May 1 through September 30 starting at $999, which includes unlimited golf with no greens fees.
Book Your Round
If you have played golf courses across Florida and you think you have seen it all, you have not played The Dunes. There is nothing else like it in the state.
The Dunes Golf and Tennis Club 949 Sand Castle Rd, Sanibel, FL 33957 (239) 472-3355 Open to the public
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The Dunes Golf and Tennis Club also features six Har-Tru tennis courts, four dedicated pickleball courts, a swimming pool and sundeck, and a full-service clubhouse with lunch and happy hour daily. Follow us on Instagram for wildlife sightings, course conditions, and events.