Golf

Golf played a pivotal role in Sarasota's earliest beginnings, when a Scottish nobleman by the name of Sir John Gillespie purchased 60,000 acres of Florida wilderness - sight unseen, including the site of Sarasota in 1884. The decision to send his son, Colonel J. Hamilton Gillespie, to Sarasota in 1886 to manage his property, inadvertently helped set in motion events that would shape the future of the state as well as the area. Colonel Hamilton was a keen golfer, and he built an early golf course, a four-hole affair, which was later lengthened to nine holes. The dual appeal of golf and fishing set the tone for the state's popularity as a winter resort. Many locals still refer to Sarasota as the "Cradle of Golf" in the United States

Today, Sarasota County boasts more golf courses per capita than any other community in the world! Visitors from around the globe have come to tee it up and walk these fairways steeped in golfing history. The current British Course record is 62 set by a local lad, Paul Azinger, in 1980. Maybe your next round will be the new record. Enjoy and good golfing.

Check It Out!

Bent Tree Country Club (private equity)
4700 Bent Tree Blvd.
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-371-5854
www.benttreecc.net

18 holes over 6,863 yards par 72

Bird Bay Executive Golf Club (public)
602 W. Bird Bay Dr.
Venice FL
Phone: 941-485-9333

18 holes over 2,423 yards par 56

Bobby Jones Golf Complex (municipal)
1000 Circus Blvd.
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-955-8041
www.bobbyjonesgolfclub.com

American Course: 18 holes over 6,039 yards par 71
British Course: 18 holes over 6,467 yards par 72
Executive Course: 9 holes over 1,687 yards par 30

Calusa Lakes Golf Club (public)
1995 Calusa Lakes Blvd
Nokomis FL
Phone: 941-484-8995
www.golfinvenice.com/calusa.htm

18 holes over 6,740 yards par 72

Capri Isle Golf Club (public)
849 Capri Isles Blvd.
Venice FL
Phone: 941-485-3371
www.golfinvenice.com/capri.htm

18 holes over 6,472 yards par 72

Colonial Oaks Park
5300 Colonial Oaks Blvd
Sarasota FL
http://www.scgov.net/ParksandRecreation/RecreationCenters/ColonialOaksPark.asp

Evie's Family Golf Center
4735 Bee Ridge Rd
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-377-2399

Founders Club (private equity)
3800 Golf Hall Dr.
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-378-0900
www.thefoundersclub.com

18 holes over 7,400 yards par 72

Gator Creek Golf Club (private equity)
9000 Gator Creek Dr.
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-924-1111

18 holes over 6,912 yards par 72

Golf Wiz
4607 S. Tamiami Trl
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-926-2545

GolfTEC
6249 Lake Osprey Dr
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-926-6025
www.golftec.com

Gulf Gate Golf Club
2550 Bispham Rd.
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-921-5515

Red Course (public)
Blue Course (public)
18 holes over 2,579 yards par 57

Heritage Oaks Golf & Country Club (private equity)
4800 Chase Oaks Dr.
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-926-7600
www.heritageoaksgcc.com

Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club
7650 Legacy Blvd.
Bradenton FL
Phone: 941-907-4700
www.lakewoodranchgolf.com

Cypress Links Course (private non-equity)
18 holes over 7,141 yards par 72
King Dunes Course (private non-equity)
18 holes

Laurel Oak Country Club
2700 Gary Player Blvd.
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-378-3600
www.laureloak.com

East Course (private equity)
18 holes over 6,875 yards par 72
West Course (private equity)
18 holes over 6,934 yards par 72

Legacy Golf Club (public)
8255 Legacy Blvd.
Bradenton FL
Phone: 941-907-7920
www.legacygolfclub.com

18 holes over 7,067 yards par 72

Longboat Key Club
361 Gulf of Mexico Dr
Longboat Key FL
Phone: 941-387-1632
www.longboatkeyclub.com/GolfTennis/Golf

Harborside (Red) Course (private non-equity)
9 holes over 3,323 yards par 36
Harborside (White) Course (private non-equity)
9 holes over 3,426 yards par 36
Harborside (Blue) Course (private non-equity)
9 holes over 3,386 yards par 36
Islandside Course (private non-equity)
18 holes over 6,792 yards par 72

Meadows Country Club
3101 Longmeadow
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-378-5153
www.meadowscc.org

Meadows Course (private)
18 holes over 6,707 yards par 72
Highlands Course (private)
18 holes over 6,656 yards par 72
Groves Course (private)
18 holes over 4,211 yards par 65

Mission Valley Country Club (private equity)
1851 Mission Valley Blvd
Nokomis FL
Phone: 941-488-9683
www.missionvalleycc.com

18 holes over 6,438 yards par 72

Misty Creek Country Club (private equity)
8954 Misty Creek Dr.
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-922-2188
www.mistycreek.net

18 holes over 6,845 yards par 72

Oak Ford Golf Club
1552 Palm View Rd.
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-371-3680
www.oakfordgolfclub.com

Live Oaks Course (semi-private)
9 holes over 3,330 yards par 36
Myrtle Course (semi-private)
9 holes over 3,404 yards par 35
Palms Course (semi-private)
9 holes over 3,349 yards par 36

Oaks Club
301 MacEwen Dr
Osprey FL
Phone: 941-966-2161
www.theoaksclub.com

Heron Course (private equity)
18 holes over 6,000 yards par 72
Eagle Course (private equity)
18 holes over 6,800 yards par 72

Palm-Aire Country Club
5601 Country Club Way
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-355-9733
www.palmaire.net

Champions Course (private equity)
18 holes
Lakes Course (private equity)
18 holes

Pelican Pointe Golf & Country Club
499 Derbyshire Dr.
Venice FL
Phone: 941-496-4653
www.pelicanpointeclub.com

Meadows Course (semi-private)
9 holes over 3,616 yards par 36
Preserve Course (semi-private)
9 holes over 3,576 yards par 36
Hatchet Creek Course (semi-private)
9 holes over 3,433 yards par 36

Pop's Golf & Batting Center
6800 Fruitville Rd
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-377-4807

Rips Golf Center (public)
7741 E. 15th St.
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-351-2666

9 holes

Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club
7295 Lorraine Rd.
Bradenton FL
Phone: 941-309-2000
www.rcmcsarasota.com/golf/GolfClub.do

18 holes over 7,417 yards par 72

Rolling Green Golf Course (public)
4501 N. Tuttle Ave.
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-355-7621
www.rollinggreengc.com

18 holes over 6,343 yards par 72

Sara-Bay Country Club (private equity)
7011 Willow St.
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-355-7658
www.sarabaycc.org

18 holes over 6,686 yards par 72

Serenoa Golf Club (semi-private)
6773 Serenoa Dr.
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-925-2755
www.serenoagc.com

18 holes over 6,270 yards par 72

Sorrento Par 3 (public)
1910 Bayshore Rd
Nokomis FL
Phone: 941-966-4884

9 holes over 627 yards par 27

Stoneybrook Golf & Country Club (private non-equity)
8801 Stoneybrook Blvd.
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-966-2711
www.stoneybrook.net

18 holes over 6,820 yards par 72

Suncoast Golf Center
7741 E. 15th Street
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-351-2666
www.suncoastgolfcenter.com

Tatum Ridge Golf Links (public)
421 N. Tatum Rd.
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-378-4211
www.tatumridgegolflinks.com

18 holes over 6,757 yards par 72

TPC at Prestancia
4409 Tournament Players Club Dr.
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-922-2800
www.tpcprestancia.com

Stadium Course (private non-equity)
18 holes over 6,927 yards par 72
Club Course (private non-equity)
18 holes over 6,571 yards par 72

University Park Country Club
7671 Park Blvd.
Bradenton FL
Phone: 941-359-9999
www.universitypark-fl.com

Course 1 (semi-private)
9 holes over 3,548 yards par 36
Course 2 (semi-private)
9 holes over 3,453 yards par 36
Course 3 (semi-private)
9 holes over 3,699 yards par 36

Venetian Golf & River Club
103 Pesaro Dr., N
Venice FL
Phone: 941-483-4811
www.venetiangolfandriverclub.com

Venetian Golf Course (semi-private)
18 holes over 6,931 yards par 72

Venice Golf & Country Club (private equity)
250 Venice Golf Club Dr., N
Venice FL
Phone: 941-492-9600
www.venicegolfandcc.com

18 holes over 6,790 yards par 72

Village Green Golf Club (public)
3500 Pembrook Dr.
Sarasota FL
Phone: 941-922-9500
www.villagegreengolfclub.com

18 holes over 2,810 yards par 58

Waterford Golf Club
1454 Gleneagles Dr.
Venice FL
Phone: 941-484-6621
www.golfinvenice.com/waterford.htm

Gleneagles Course (semi-private)
9 holes over 3,166 yards par 36
Turnberry Course (semi-private)
9 holes over 3,338 yards par 36
Sawgrass Course (semi-private)
9 holes over 3,332 yards par 36

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