Bent Tree Country Club

We got paired up with 2 players that knew the course & were helpful in where to hit the ball, when to use more club, & how the putts broke. The sand traps are better than when I played here 2 years ago but still way too hard. It's an enjoyable course.

Bent Tree was probably great in its hayday, but time and real estate have not been kind. Real estate driven changes in the layout and overall property lines left a couple of things that can’t be changed. Lack of any kind of warm up range and a tricky 110 yard uphill par 3 with a shallow green are the costs paid. Overall OK layout with typical elevated green complexes, water mostly on the sides of fairways with only 2 forced carry holes. Problems with about 6 tees with little to no grass left footing and contact an iffy situation. Greens in good shape. Fairways had some rough spots but generally playable.

This was my 4th time playing at Bent Tree. The tee boxes varied in quality as did the fairway conditions on the front nine. The prolonged drought in Florida has not been kind to lawns, farms, and golf courses. Some have more access to water and it shows . I can’t say it was awful, just occasionally bothersome as you might land in a weedy patch of hard pan and then have to find some sort of vegetation to put your ball on. The back nine was totally different, with lush fairways and it made it more enjoyable. All the greens were fine and ran quickly. Would I recommend this course? Yes, it is still a good value for what you pay.

The worst course we have played in the Sarasota/Bradenton area. Tee boxes were nonexistent except the first hole. The greens had different types of grass growing on them. Cart paths were like driving off road. The staff was friendly, AVOID!!

Course was in good shape. Staff was friendly and help with directions

All was good except the sand traps need to be maintained, many had grass in the traps and not much sand.

Fun course…great wildlife! Bald Eagle, Deer etc. Fairways and greens were pretty darn good. Tee boxes need work, but since we use tees - not too bad. They need to work on bunkers - too much hard pan or just mud. But was a great day and only went into a bunker once…

Despite being a 20 year snowbird and golfer never played BRENT TREE. What a pleasant surprise. The course was excellent and the price even better ..It will be one of my main courses from now on.

Greens were in great shape! Tee boxes need some attention. This course is a good value.

Staff extremely wonderful. Cart girl showed up often.

Course fairways and greens very good. Men’s tees awful! Aesthetics poor I imagine due to hurricanes. Overall I would play here often.

Pretty good layout and the fairways have plenty of grass. Greens are extremely fast and I liked that.

Bent Tree is a former LPGA Tour venue, which is honestly incredible—because playing it today feels like discovering a retired championship course that’s been slowly reclaimed by nature and a lawn mower on life support.

Let’s start with the basics:

• Tee boxes are mostly sand with commitment issues. Hole 8 features a decorative welcome mat placed on what used to be grass.

• Fairways are a fun mix of bare dirt, thin patches, and occasional grass sightings—kind of like a golf-themed scavenger hunt.

• Cart paths? More like “choose your own adventure.” The route from 8 green to 9 tee looks like it lost a fight with a weed eater and a dump truck full of tree debris.

• And for added excitement, a tee sign labeled Hole 16 is actually Hole 7, just to keep you questioning reality.

The pace of play was elite—we played 6 holes in 2 hours, which really gave us time to soak in the scenery and reconsider our tee time decisions.

Now, in fairness—the greens were actually excellent. Smooth, fast, and clearly the only part of the course that hasn’t given up.

That’s what makes this place so frustrating. You can tell it used to be something special. Now it feels like a course caught halfway between “open for business” and “forgotten by ownership.”

If Bent Tree ever gets the maintenance it deserves, it could be a gem again. Right now, it’s more of a historical site with tee times.