Southwest Florida is home to dozens of top golf courses, but the newly designed course at The Palms Golf Club at Forest Lakes prides itself on being quite unlike any other.
Photo courtesy The Palms Golf Club at Forest Lakes
This redeveloped golf course was designed by Gordy Lewis, a well-known golf course architect. He has carefully devised a Par-64 course that will challenge every aspect of your game, whether you’re a newbie golfer or a seasoned pro. Who could possibly resist the challenge of visiting this unique course and trying it out for themselves?
Golf Course Layout And Amenities
The Palms Golf Club at Forest Lakes opened in early 2016 and is proving to be a talked-about success in Sarasota golfing circles. The renovated golf course is on the site of the former Forest Lakes Golf Club. The new Gordy Lewis design has three holes on the east side of Beneva Road, along with the aqua driving range and a new putting and practice area. The remainder of the course lies on the west side of Beneva.
Photo courtesy The Palms Golf Club at Forest Lakes
Long hitters will find long fairways with plenty of water hazards to test their skill to the max. The Palms Golf Club has two unique 9-hole courses that together provide a broad range of challenges that will require you to use each and every club in your bag. While the front nine is par 35, the back is a par-29, with seven par-3s and two par-4 holes. It is suitable for all players from juniors up with four sets of tee boxes creating a game that is between 2,731 and 4,545 yards in length.
Photo courtesy The Palms Golf Club at Forest Lakes
Well positioned sand traps may snare the unwary or overconfident player while elevated two-tier greens demand further accuracy and skill. The longest hole (number 3) is a par-5 at 490 yards, and it requires a long hit to overcome the water which crosses the fairway some 220 yards short of the green. This follows one of the few holes that does not have a bunker (#2).
Photo courtesy The Palms Golf Club at Forest Lakes
The narrow approach to the 6th hole rewards accuracy and the correct choice of club to avoid the lake and bunker en route. The 9th hole celebrates the finish with a challenging dogleg approach and is bordered by one of the larger lakes on the course.
Photo courtesy The Palms Golf Club at Forest Lakes
This championship golf course on Beneva Road in Sarasota, Florida features hardwearing TifEagles Bermuda grass on the greens, a genetically devised grass that has become the recognized standard for top golfing greens. Cold-hardy, drought-tolerant, green, and disease-resistant, this grass delivers the consistent putting speed that keen golfers rightly demand.
Surrounded by mature trees and signature live oaks, these pristine fairways are a pleasure to play on, even if they do rob you of a low score! However, the clubhouse is the place to celebrate or commiserate with a meal and drinks overlooking the 18th hole.
The Palms Golf Club at Forest Lakes Membership And Lessons
This relatively new golf club enjoys a semi-private status, is open to the public and welcoming snowbirds and visitors. Annual membership is capped at just 200 players and prepaid fees start at around $2,500. It includes seven-day advance tee times, unlimited range balls, social events and attracts no fees for walks. Social, Summer, and Trial Club memberships are also offered. This beautiful and well maintained golf course is managed by PGA professional Jay Nash, who is also the head pro. Beginners, and intermediate to advanced golfers can enhance their game by attending golf clinics or with individual lessons.
