Superlatives will be unavoidable in a review of the possible real estate investments in the Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Florida. Quite ably so, this community has set itself apart from others that similarly lay claim to that storied Florida plantation image. The Plantation in Venice, among other things, is distinguished for the trilogy of accolades it cornered in the Readers’ Choice Awards of the prestigious Herald-Tribune: Best Private Country Club, Best Banquet Facilities and Best Tennis Facilities.
These acclaims are rightfully deserved. For more than a quarter of a century now, the Plantation has successfully developed its 1,300-acre property into an enclave with superb amenities and services to its members. This thrust clearly manifests the mission statement of the country club that seeks to enhance the membership value of its programs and facilities.
Highly impressive reviews were gained from the Plantation clubhouse that is at once striking for its warm tropical tones and rich cherry wood accents. Prime to this place is its dining facilities like the Bermuda Grill and the Grill Porch. Dining here are occasions to be remembered, whether it is a simple lunch or a full-course, formal dinner. Members are treated to such delightful cuisine as seafood and pasta buffets, lobster night specials, and delicious weekly culinary specialties.
Special events like interactive dinners, trivia nights, and lecture series are also scheduled to foster social occasions for the club’s membership. In a private dining room, socials and parties are likewise calendared throughout the year. This venue is also available to members for their own gatherings that can be organized and coordinated by the club’s efficient staff.
The Racquet Club is the epicenter for the tennis aficionado at the Plantation. It has 13 Har-Tru courts where weekly and night matches are held. Trainers with USTPA accreditation hold game improvement drills for all levels of players including juniors and novices. For the advanced players, inter-club tournaments and exhibition games are held. Supplementing these is a pro shop providing up-to-date sports fashion and equipment in addition to stringing services.
More member activity is provided at the Fitness Center complete with highly modern facilities and equipment. A lady fitness director ensures that workout regimens are meticulously followed under a certified personal trainer. Complementary to all these amenities are a heated junior Olympic-size pool and a spa.
Some feline grace is lent to the Plantation’s two 18-hole golf courses, the Panther and the Bobcat. These layouts were designed by a master course architect, Ron Garl, who did a splendid job in creating links suited for players of all skill levels. Splendor is written all over the courses’ greens and fairways that blend seamlessly into a lush nature preserve teeming with fountain-sprayed lakes.
These courses which opened in 1980 underwent a renovation recently, boosted further by the genius of another revered course designer, Stephen Kay. His work covered the adoption of the latest course irrigation system and a redesign of the bunkers.
Play at the Bobcat involves a tour of 6,840 yards from its longest tees and tackling a course rating of 73 and a slope rating of 130 on Bermuda grass. The Panther, on the other hand, is a bit tamer at 6,311 yards from its farthest tee placements, a course rating of 70.7 and a slope rating of 70.7.
The types of memberships at the Plantation vary according to specific privileges which are categorized into Full Golf, Golf, Tennis, and Social. For a relatively low $2,000 initiation fee, associate memberships for Family Full and Family Golf are likewise on offer.
There are several subdivisions within the Plantation’s gated complex any of which can produce an enticing property option based on a buyer or an investor’s specific want or need. An extensive sales listing provides a wide variety of choices from among single-family houses, condominiums, estate homes, villas, and patio homes.
The golf community’s Westchester Gardens, for one, has highly affordable condo units that have floor plans of about 975 square feet and prices starting at around the $160,000 mark. Going for the big-time, on the other hand, could mean casting an eye on a breathtaking six-acre secluded retreat of single-family home with a 6,317-square-foot of floor area. Such a residential luxury is matched with an asking price at around the $1.5 million range.
Any which way, the community offers superior residences brimming with luxurious facilities and amenities not only from within the complex but also from its immediate vicinity. Other attractions can be within the arms’ length of residents after just a short ride to Venice and its neighboring Sarasota City. Both have many establishments whose track records are as superlative as that of the Plantation’s.
Below are the current real estate listings available at the Plantation Golf and Country Club.
Please contact me if you would like to schedule a tour of any of the listed properties.