Our History…

Golden Hills Golf & Country Club stands on land shaped by vision, family legacy, and the unmistakable spirit of Ocala. Built in 1963 by the Castro family, the property was designed to be more than a golf course — it was imagined as a gathering place, a landmark, and a reflection of the rolling beauty of Marion County’s horse country.

From its earliest days, Golden Hills became a natural home for the region’s thriving equine community. The club’s wide lawns, stately oaks, and welcoming clubhouse made it a favored venue for gatherings of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders & Owners Association (FTBOA). For decades, FTBOA members paraded their finest horses across the front of the clubhouse, celebrating the bloodlines, breeders, and champions that helped earn Ocala its title as the Horse Capital of the World.

Those moments — horses stepping proudly across the front lawn, families lining the walkways, and the community coming together in shared tradition — became woven into the identity of Golden Hills. The club grew into a place where golf and equine culture lived side by side, each enriching the other.

Today, Golden Hills Golf & Country Club honors that legacy while embracing a renewed era of growth and revitalization under the ownership of Jason Lyons & Jon McGraw. The fairways still follow the contours laid out by the Castro family more than sixty years ago, and the property continues to reflect the heritage of the horsemen, breeders, and families who shaped its story.

Golden Hills remains what it has always been:
A cornerstone of Ocala — where golf, community, and equine tradition meet.