Sarasota Golf Scene

In the rich history of Florida golf, there is one golf community which stands out as a legend... Palm-Aire Country Club. This unique, member-owned equity club has certainly stood the test of time. Palm-Aire Country Club offers two superb 18-hole, par 72 championship golf courses, The Champions and The Lakes.

The original golf course, The Champions, was built in 1957 to challenge some of the world's finest players. Golf enthusiasts across America had their first glimpse of this pristine piece of property when the Champions course debuted on Shell's Wonderful World of Golf - the first nationally televised golf program. The show featured legendary names such as Gary Player, Sam Snead, and Ken Venturi, who came to compete at Palm-Aire Country Club. Today this course, designed by world-renowned golf course architect Dick Wilson, also provides the avid golfer an enjoyable golf experience.

Since opening in March 1972, the Golf Club at Capri Isles has kept a commitment to providing quality golf for its members and guests. Now, 32 years of a fine golf tradition continues with a completely rebuilt 18-hole championship course. This semi-private course offers extraordinary value and is guaranteed to generate excitement for the serious, as well as the casual, lover of the game.

Architect Scott McBroom designed the new course with physical and psychological challenges that increase character and playability. The golfer’s initial impression is that the course is more open and player friendly. The openness results from the elimination of the Eucalyptus trees that tightly bordered the old fairways.

Over the past eighteen years, Imperial Lakewoods Golf Club has become one of the Tampa Bay area’s favorite places to play. While there are many reasons for the popularity of the golf club, the prime one is the care and devotion that is given to this family-owned and operated business.

Patriarch Augie Cueto’s commitment to excellence and love of the property ensured that the course was always in such great condition, that it was continuously ranked as one of the area’s best courses by Golf Digest. When his children took over the property following his death in 2002, they built on his legacy by constantly finding ways to upgrade and improve the entire facility.

The most recent improvements to the golf course include replacing all 18 greens with tifdwarf bermuda putting surfaces that are rolling firm and fast throughout. Along with the new greens, the14th and 15th holes have been redesigned for better drainage and playability by actually relocating the greens and enlarging two lakes. The 15th is a short, straight par-4 with water right and trees left.

For almost 30 years the name Bent Tree Country Club in Sarasota has been associated with the finest traditions of the game in a classic style country club setting. Spacious tree lined fairways of towering oaks draped in spanish moss, exude the charm of the old south and miles of lakes and streams are home to many species of native birds and wildlife.

The unspoiled terrain and natural beauty create the mature sense of an established golf course, set in a natural habitat - not a massive new real estate community. Bent Tree is a low key place where golfers can play a quiet round, uninterrupted by power saws and earth moving equipment that is found at so many courses continually under development in Florida today. The innate beauty is one of the reasons walking is encouraged any time at this first class championship course. Walking is not only considered a respected tradition at Bent Tree, but it also allows the golfer to behold the fundamental pleasures of the course.

For most, a trip to Venice is a trip to Paradise. So, what would one except in Paradise; perhaps, top quality golf? Of course. And, where can that be found? At The Golf Club at Capri Isles, Calusa Lakes Golf Club and Waterford Golf Club.

These three championship courses offer, in total, 63 strong holes with a great variety of play. Each course uniquely challenges players to discover the strengths and weaknesses of their individual game. A true test of every aspect of golf awaits at the Golf In Venice clubs.

When the Bobcat Trail Golf Club opened in 1998, the golf course was to be the centerpiece of the 490-unit development in North Port. With steady growth predicted for the south Sarasota County area and the Toledo Blade Boulevard corridor, he original owners of Bobcat Trail were excited about the project and enjoyed the challenge of becoming North Port's newest golf course community.

As the development flourished, so did the golf course. From the beginning, golfers from southwest Florida found the layout both challenging and beautiful, with large undulating greens, expansive fairways framed by deep bunkers and “tournament-style” mounding. In the fall of 2000, Bobcat Trail began to attach itself to the PGA by putting together a professional team tournament the likes of which this area had never seen. The Bobcat Invitational Tour & Club Pro Championship was conducted, uniquely featuring PGA Club Professionals partnered with PGA, LPGA and Senior PGA Tour Pros and was a huge success.

Heron Creek's name evokes images of natural beauty. Snowy white birds soar gracefully against the backdrop of the brilliant blue sky, or wade silently in the gently rippling water. This is the Heron Creek Golf & Country Club in North Port, where lushpalms and towering pines frame this gated golf course community, and where nature's work is preserved and enhanced.

Wander along the gently curving roadways, luxuriant with ripe Florida foliage, into the heart of Heron Creek, to a place where living well comes naturally. Heron Creek is a meticulously crafted, master planned community, where no detail has been left to chance. Nestled within its 676 acres, the community's developers have created an abundance of places to reside to play, and to enjoy Southwest Florida at its best.

Imperial Lakewoods opened for play in 1987 and was promptly ranked as one of the area’s best courses by Golf Digest. Situated on more than 500 beautifully wooded acres with 16 lakes, majestic maples, large oaks, swaying palms, and rolling terrain, Imperial Lakewoods is unique among Florida golf courses. The golf course was designed by Ted McAnlis (also the architect of the Blue Monster at Doral), who took the natural terrain surrounding Imperial Lake and produced one of his finest creations.

Not satisfied with its ranking among the top 2 or 3 public access local courses, Imperial Lakewoods has recently completed a 3-year, $3-million expansion and renovation of the course, clubhouse, restaurant and related amenities. The improvements include four new or renovated golf holes.