Esplanade Golf & Country Club at Lakewood Ranch

As a winter resident in Florida I play numerous area courses and even though this is almost an hour's drive have played here 3/4 times every year since it opened.Always find the course in excellent condition and latest trip was no different. Lots of construction noise and dust (especially this trip with 25/30 MPH winds) but it's bearable. Course is very playable but challenging, especially the greens which can be tough to read and remember from one round to the next. It's right up there for me for favorite places to play.

I find Esplanade to be a pleasant course for this average golfer to play. Generous landing areas and approaches to the greens, minimal forced carries. Good conditions, played in 4 hours on a Saturday in April, not bad! Some picturesque holes, particularly around the perimeter of the course, both from and backside.

Lovely course, played it once before and enjoyed it, will play again.

The course was in excellent shape and the greens were fast but fair. A high quality course that I would gladly play again.

Excellent experience.

Interesting driving range with target greens in lake!

Challenging but fair course. Greens tough due to speed and firmness. Fairways generally wide to allow for inaccurate drives.

Overall a good day.

course in great conditions, and the greens will test your putting ability! I have played here a few times before and my only complaint is usually the way the starters interact with the players. For this round I was a single and showed up 25 min before my tee time to hit the range. After I paid the starter informed me that I was to go to the tee box because they were "squeezing me in" because someone else just showed up and they needed to make room. I told them I was hoping to hit the range the attitude I got was indifference and he let me know he didn't make he rules. What is the point of making a tee time if you are just going to move it to make it easier for you. So the round started off on the wrong foot since I went to the tee box and promptly waited another 15 minutes for him to find the next group. Round was saved by the two gentleman I was able to share the round with. Fantastic partners and we had a great round!

My only other complaint is price of refreshments. We all know we will pay "extra" to have beer on the course but do you really think "22 dollars for 6 beers" is reasonable?

Great course! And for the most part staff is great, your not a TPC course so don't think your staff should be acting like they do.

The Good: Esplanade is one of the newest courses in the Lakewood Ranch area and will undoubtedly go private after a few years of public play. Pedestrian layout is very well-maintained with ample fairways but with enough trouble off the tee and particularly around the greens to keep it interesting. Greens putt very true and the chipping complexes are expansive. Decent variety in Par 4's, but the very strong Par 5's steal the show. Clubhouse is small and quaint with its own bar area. Additional "tiki bar" and restaurant area near the clubhouse is excellent for a pre/post grub and suds. Practice facility is nice enough and includes short game area. Very good value at under $100 during peak season and conservative afternoon rates.

The Bad: Layout for the low-handicapper could seem a little boring with limited doglegs or challenge off the tee. Driving range hits into water rather than grass, which is awkward and hokey. Staff is very friendly but cart girl rarely comes around and not much water on course. Par 3's are a little lackluster compared to rest of the course. The constant sound of construction (hundreds of houses going up in complex) can be a little annoying.

The Verdict: Esplanade is a fun, leisurely round of course and one of the best conditioned options in the greater Sarasota area. Great for mid-high handicappers. Play now before it goes private in a year or two.

Best Hole: #17 is a very good, tough Par 5 with a treacherous approach shot to a double-tiered green guarded by water.

Really nice course in excellent condition. First round in five months, would have liked to play a little better but the greens were true and fast and the fairways were in great shape. Very courteous staff and played 18 in about 4:10.

Best public golf course in the Bradenton/Sarasota area! Great condition!

Solid course with generous fairways. A bit overpriced but it is in-season. You will not be disappointed.

My wife and I played this course several years ago. It was a bit rough then because it was new, but we liked the layout and felt that maturity would make it an even better track. We were right. This is a course in excellent condition, and is appropriately competitive from any tee. Kudos to the friendly and efficient staff. Attention has been paid to fairway conditions and green surfaces to make them fair and fast. It was a bit of a drive from where were staying but very much worth it. The only negative - and it's not a big one- is that this is a development still under construction and there are some rather long drives between tees and some ongoing construction, but the positives far outweigh the negatives. The pace of play was excellent - we completed our round in 4 hrs. And it should be noted that a few of those longer drives between holes were through very scenic and well preserved native vegetation. If you are visiting this area, this course should be on your list to play. We are looking forward to playing it again upon our next visit.

Everything about this course is exceptional. if you want to play a course in the Bradenton / Lakewood Ranch area of Florida that is top notch, Esplanade is it!!

Excellent course and excellent conditions. Maybe a bit overpriced but for someone escaping the northeast, I'll let go.

This course is fun and challenging to play. It is in great shape, the greens are consistent to play, and the fairways are beautiful. You will enjoy your round at this golf course.

Have been playing here in February for the past three years. I am delighted to report that it has matured into a truly wonderful course. Looking forward to next year!

great course perfectly maintained with excellent fairways, collars and greens