Construction underway at Manatee golf course designed by industry icons

What once was a cow pasture in quiet Myakka City in rural east Manatee County is on its way to becoming a golf destination, says David Leadbetter, one of the sports leading instructors.

The course leading that charge, says Leadbetter, is Soleta Golf Club. A groundbreaking for the course, at its construction site off Singletary Road, was held Dec. 5.

“When you think of Sarasota, you don’t really think of golf,” says Leadbetter, who most likely doesn't know that Soleta isn't even in the same county as Sarasota. “This project here alone — I know there’s other ones going to be built as well — is going to put Sarasota on the golfing map.”

Leadbetter, who has coached players to 26 Major Championships and over 100 individual worldwide tournament wins, is designing Soleta Golf Club's practice and performance facility, which will be built on 30 acres.

Nick Price, who has 18 PGA Tour wins and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2003, is designing the golf course.

“This is going to be a golf course for golfers who love golf,” Price says. “It’s going to be a wonderful experience when you’re out there in the early morning or the afternoon when you’re surrounded by beautiful Florida nature.”

The 530-acre property runs along the Myakka River for two miles. David Turner, one of the three developers of the project, says there are about 150 acres of wetlands that will remain untouched. The plans were made to work with and around the natural environment.

The other two developers of the course are John Galt, and Charles Duff, who lives in Lakewood Ranch.

Photo by Lesley Dwyer

The 91 luxury homes planned won’t line the golf course. Turner says golfers playing the 7,400-yard, par-72 course will feel like they're in the middle of nowhere. Construction of the course is expected to take a year. Construction on the homes is expected to begin sometime over the summer of 2024.

Luxury homebuilders John Cannon Homes and Anchor Builders have been signed to design the custom homes.

The course will be built by Heritage Links, a golf course and irrigation builder which has built heralded projects such as Trump National Doral Blue Monster, The Golf Club at Dove Mountain in Arizona, Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington.

Price's indoor/outdoor facility will include a state-of-the-art biomechanics studio, a putting studio, GolfZon simulators and other advanced training technologies. The driving range will have covered hitting bays.

The development was approved by Manatee County commissioners in June.

This article originally appeared on sister site YourObserver.com.