2 Lakewood Ranch golf courses renovated in multimillion-dollar project

The first phase of renovations are complete at Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club, according to Heritage Golf Group, which acquired the club in March. 

In the eight months since the acquisition, the company has updated two Arnold Palmer-designed golf courses plus wellness amenities as part of a multimillion-dollar project. It has future plans to renovate a clubhouse as well as its other two golf courses. 

Celebration bermudagrass fairways, newly constructed TifEagle greens, refurbished cart paths and renovated bunkers were among the renovations at Cypress Links and The Legacy golf courses, according to a statement from Heritage Golf Group. The Legacy course also has multiple new sets of tees, making it accessible to golfers of all skill levels, the release adds. 

“Both courses, each unique in design, now feature upgraded irrigation systems, enhanced playability and improved aesthetics,” Luke Beardmore, Heritage Golf Group’s senior vice president of agronomy, says in the statement. Beardmore spearheaded the course renovations. 

Cypress Links was more than 20 years old; Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club initially opened in 2001 and that year so did Cypress Links, according to the statement.

The Legacy Golf Course was previously a daily-fee course adjacent to the club in Lakewood Ranch. Heritage Golf Group acquired it in March and merged it into the Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club, which the company had also just purchased.

When The Legacy opens for member play on Nov. 16, Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club will be the only club in the Sarasota area offering access to four private golf courses, Heritage officials say. In addition, the company reports adding the course enabled the club to welcome new members from a previously existing waitlist.

“We’re thrilled to mark a new era at Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club with the opening of all four golf courses,” Heritage Golf Group COO Jim Oliver says in the statement. 

Also part of the club’s phase one renovation are enhancements to its tennis courts and fitness center. New LED systems and resurfacing have improved playability and drainage on the tennis courts, which will total 23 with the addition of three new ones. New cardio and strength machines as well as group fitness equipment are coming to the 24-hour fitness center as well, according to a statement.

Plans are underway for phase two of the club’s renovation, including the multimillion-dollar transformation of The Legacy Clubhouse. Once completed, this will become the club’s third full-service clubhouse, featuring a member restaurant, patio, pro shop and other amenities. 

Renovations will continue into 2025 and 2026 with scheduled upgrades to the remaining two golf courses, Royal Lakes, and King’s Dunes, each receiving full renovations on a rotating basis.

Based in Herndon, Virginia, Heritage Golf Group includes 37 golf clubs nationwide. Among its properties are Venetian Golf Club in Venice, The Club at Pelican Preserve in Fort Myers, The Club at Grandézza in Estero, TPC Prestancia in Sarasota and TPC Tampa Bay in Lutz.