Clubs & membership models
Golf & Country Clubs
From Lakewood Ranch's Arnold Palmer courses to Sarasota's Donald Ross classics and Belleair's century-old clubs near St. Pete, the region has well over 50 golf communities. Ask about the membership model first.
The four membership models
Private
Requires a membership, often equity or by invitation.
Community
Comes with a home in that neighborhood, often bundled into HOA fees.
Public
Sells tee times to anyone.
Resort
Run by a resort. Play usually comes with a stay or a resort membership.
| Club | Area | Holes | Design | Access | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belleair Country Club | Belleair | 36 | Donald Ross, Jason Straka and Dana Fry (restoration) | Private | Dates to 1897, with two Donald Ross courses. |
| Bent Tree Golf Club | East Sarasota | 18 | Bill Lewis, Ward Northrup (redesign), Keith Pope (redesign) | Public | Nancy Lopez won her first LPGA title here in 1978. |
| Bobby Jones Golf Club | Central Sarasota | 27 | Donald Ross, Richard Mandell (renovation) | Public | The Ross course reopened on December 16, 2023 after a full renovation. |
| Calusa Lakes Golf Club | Nokomis | 18 | Ted McAnlis | Public | One Golf in Venice membership covers Waterford, Calusa Lakes and Capri Isles. |
| Capri Isles Golf Club | Venice | 18 | R. A. Anderson | Public | One Golf in Venice membership covers Waterford, Calusa Lakes and Capri Isles. |
| Dunedin Golf Club | Dunedin | 18 | Donald Ross, Kris Spence (restoration) | Public | A city-owned Donald Ross course, restored and reopened in December 2024. |
| Feather Sound Country Club | Mid-Pinellas | 18 | Joe Lee, Bob Cupp (renovation), Kipp Schulties (redesign) | Private | A Joe Lee course, since redesigned by Kipp Schulties. |
| Innisbrook Golf Resort | Palm Harbor | 63 | Larry Packard | Resort | Copperhead hosts the PGA Tour's Valspar Championship. |
| Isla Del Sol Yacht & Country Club | St. Pete (Isla Del Sol) | 18 | Mark Mahannah, Ron Garl (renovation) | Private | Golf plus a 76-slip yacht harbor on Boca Ciega Bay. |
| Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club | Lakewood Ranch | 72 | Arnold Palmer, Vicki Martz, Rick Robbins | Private | Four courses since The Legacy joined in 2024. |
| Laurel Oak Country Club | East Sarasota | 36 | Gary Player, Rees Jones (redesign) | Private | Member-owned, with a tennis center of 12 lighted Har-Tru courts. |
| Mangrove Bay Golf Course | Northeast St. Pete | 18 | Bill Amick | Public | A city-owned course in northeast St. Pete. |
| Meadows Golf Club | Central Sarasota | 36 | Francis Dwayne, Ron Garl (redesign), Arthur Hills | Public | Reopened to the public in 2026 after The Meadows Country Club closed in 2025. |
| Misty Creek Country Club | East Sarasota | 18 | Ted McAnlis | Public | Par 72 and 6,895 yards from the back tees. |
| Pasadena Yacht & Country Club | Gulfport | 18 | Wayne Stiles, John Van Kleek, Arnold Palmer (renovation) | Private | Established in 1924. Members only. |
| Pelican Golf Club | Belleair | 18 | Donald Ross, Beau Welling (redesign) | Private | An LPGA Tour stop since 2020. |
| Sara Bay Country Club | North Sarasota | 18 | Donald Ross, Kris Spence (restoration) | Private | Kris Spence restored its greens and bunkers to Ross's plans in 2018. |
| Serenoa Golf Club | Sarasota | 18 | David Martin Alden | Public | Water comes into play on every hole. |
| St. Petersburg Country Club | St. Pete | 18 | Herbert Strong, Gary Koch (renovation) | Private | Opened in 1924. Members and their guests only. |
| Tatum Ridge Golf Links | East Sarasota | 18 | Ted McAnlis | Public | Links-style course off Fruitville Road. |
| The Concession Golf Club | East Manatee, near Lakewood Ranch | 18 | Jack Nicklaus, Tony Jacklin | Private | It hosted the 2021 WGC-Workday Championship and the 2026 Senior PGA Championship. |
| The Founders Golf Club | East Sarasota | 18 | Robert Trent Jones Jr. | Private | Golf memberships are capped at 275, with caddies on staff. |
| The Resort at Longboat Key Club | Longboat Key | 45 | Bill Mitchell, Ron Garl (redesign), Willard Byrd | Resort | Links on Longboat runs along the Gulf of Mexico, and Harbourside sits on Sarasota Bay. |
| The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Sarasota | Lakewood Ranch | 18 | Tom Fazio | Resort | Par 72 and 7,417 yards. It hosted U.S. Open sectional qualifying on June 3, 2013. |
| TPC Prestancia | Palmer Ranch | 36 | Ron Garl, Robert Von Hagge | Private | The PGA Tour created the club in 1985. |
| University Park Country Club | University Park | 27 | Ron Garl | Public | Semi-private. Daily-fee players book up to four days ahead. |
| Vinoy Golf Club | Snell Isle, St. Pete | 18 | Wayne Stiles and John van Kleek (expansion), Ron Garl (redesign) | Resort | Members and Vinoy hotel guests only, with a shuttle from the hotel. |
| Waterford Golf Club | Venice | 27 | Ted McAnlis | Public | One Golf in Venice membership covers Waterford, Calusa Lakes and Capri Isles. |
Membership terms, initiation fees and public-play policies change. Confirm directly with each club.