Rainbow'S End Golf Club

Dunnellon sits in the heart of Marion County, a part of central Florida where horse farms spread across rolling, oak-shaded land more reminiscent of Kentucky bluegrass country than the flat coastal terrain most visitors picture when they think of the Sunshine State. The Withlacoochee and Rainbow Rivers run through this corner of the state, giving the region a natural character that sets it apart from the resort corridors to the south and east.

Rainbow's End takes its name from that river heritage, and the layout reflects the wooded, rural personality of the surrounding countryside. At par 72 over 18 holes, it offers the kind of unhurried, community-rooted round that defines golf in small-town Florida — a contrast to the manicured resort machines a few hours down the interstate.

Marion County has quietly built a reputation as one of inland Florida's more interesting golf destinations, with a mix of public and semi-private tracks serving a local population that takes its golf seriously. Rainbow's End fits that mold: a real course for real golfers, without the performance-venue pretense.