I've stayed at the Vinoy and played the course. It was convenient, obviously, but the course was flat and boring to me. The grooming was nice and pro shop staff welcoming.
45 minutes north is a resort called Innisbrook with 2 courses I loved. One of them, Copperhead, hosts PGA events on the Florida swing.
Another 1/2 hour north of Innisbrook is World Woods and well worth the time to get there. It's more than golf, it's an experience on 2 courses ranked in the top of all Florida tracks. Stunning. And you are getting into the area where @sdandrea1 has located his winter headquarters.