 ESPLANADE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB LAKEWOOD RANCH (941-306-3500)
Florida Golf Course Review
Esplanade Golf & Country Club at Lakewood Ranch, is a beautiful championship design built along a fairly level terrain, with spectacular landscaping and wonderful conditioning
from tee to green. Golfers will appreciate the attention to detail, as the superintendent and course employees do all they can to make this an enjoyable and memorable
experience. A sprouting residential community was beginning to form on my spring 2014 visit.
Numerous water hazards (mostly on the perimeters) create aesthetic beauty (water is present in the form of lakes and ponds on all but 1 hole) and also provide habitat for
abundant native wildlife including gators and cranes. For experienced golfers playing from the back tees, there are several challenging carries - but for ladies, seniors and
beginners, the front tee areas are very player friendly. There are close to 60 soft white sand bunkers situated along the course.
Five sets of tees play from distances and slopes measuring 6756 yards/132 slope, 6157 yards/ 121 slope, 5967 yards/119 slope for men and 127 for women, 5295 yards/109
slope for men and 119 for women, and 4597 yards with a slope of 103 for men and 113 for ladies hitting from the forward sets. The clubhouse features a pro shop and nice
dining area. Practice facilities include an aqua range, short game area with sand bunker, plus large putting green.
The yardage marking system consists of 100, 150 and 200 yard stakes on the fairways of all par fours and fives, with pin placement charts mounted on the carts indicating the
day's front, middle or back hole locations. The tee boxes have measurements to the center of the green. Golfers will generally find ample room off the tee, and considerable room
greenside to recover from slightly off-line approach shots. The gently raised green complexes reward good shots - with gorgeous tiff eagle putting surfaces that roll fast and true.
The course is mildly priced . Friendly service and an enjoyable environment highlighted by plentiful palms, significant flower beds and tropical foliage, along with well conditioned
playing surfaces make this a good value for the area. Most of the terrain is open, with a few holes on the back side playing into a wooded area. A Wellness Center and Tiki Bar are
set to open in 2016. For more info, visit our page for the course, with direct link to their website by clicking here.
Esplanade Golf & Country Club at Lakewood Ranch is part of Pope Golf, with over 100 years of combined experience - and featuring 9 courses in Southwest Florida: Bent Tree
Country Club, Buffalo Creek Golf Course, Esplanade Golf & Country Club at Lakewood Ranch (near Bradenton), Esplanade Golf & Country Club of Naples, Kings Gate Golf Club
(Executive), Manatee Golf Course, Misty Creek Country Club, Mission Valley Golf & Country Club, and Twin Isles Country Club. For company information, a facility directory, tee time
link and much more - click on the following web link http://www.popegolf.net.
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