Lakewood National Golf Club
Lakewood National is the Arnold Palmer Design Company's 36-hole statement in Lakewood Ranch, a short drive inland from Sarasota. The championship Commander Course opened in 2017, a par 72 of about 7,184 yards with broad water, bold bunkering and Korn Ferry Tour pedigree, with the companion Piper alongside it.
Photo: Lakewood National Golf Club via Google, by Laurence Lambrecht.
The verdict
Lakewood National is one of the most polished modern golf experiences on Florida's Gulf coast, the work of the Arnold Palmer Design Company under lead architect Brandon Johnson. The headline Commander Course opened in 2017 and quickly earned its stripes, hosting the Korn Ferry Tour's LECOM Suncoast Classic and giving a visiting golfer a layout that has already been tested by tour professionals. It anchors a 36-hole complex, with the companion Piper Course routed across the same rolling, water-laced tract.
The Commander plays as a par 72 of about 7,184 yards, with a course rating near 74.5 and a slope of 138, so it has real teeth from the tips while staying playable from the forward sets. The design leans on broad ponds, wetland preserves and generous, well shaped bunkers rather than tricks, the kind of natural rolling terrain and Golden Age strategy the Palmer team set out to evoke. For a Sarasota or Bradenton trip, it is a natural marquee round.
Lakewood National at a glance
- Opened
- 2017
- Designer
- Arnold Palmer Design
- Type
- Championship resort
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,184 yds
- Green fee
- From about $80
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Lakewood National and leading course databases. The Commander Course was designed by the Arnold Palmer Design Company and opened in 2017, a par 72 of about 7,184 yards with a rating near 74.5 and slope of 138, and it has hosted the Korn Ferry Tour's LECOM Suncoast Classic. Lakewood National is a bundled golf community, so outside access is managed and seasonal. Indicative 2026 green fees run roughly $80 to $180 with cart depending on day and season, with the best value in the summer off season. Fees and access move with season and demand, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Commander shows its hand early. Water is rarely far away, and the Palmer team used broad ponds and wetland edges to frame tee shots and put a premium on the correct line off the tee. Bunkering is bold and shapely rather than penal for its own sake, and the fairways roll just enough to leave the occasional awkward stance on what looks, from the tee, like benign Florida flatland.
The closing stretch is where the tournament pedigree shows. Several of the par 4s on the back nine ask for a committed approach over water, and the par 5s tempt the longer hitter to take on a carry for a look at eagle, the kind of risk and reward that made the Suncoast Classic a fun watch. The greens are large, subtly contoured and quick when the course is dialed in for an event, rewarding a player who controls spin and trajectory.
At about 7,184 yards the Commander is a genuine championship test from the back tees, but the six tee sets mean it flexes down to a comfortable resort round from the proper markers. Pair it with a loop on the Piper and you have a full, varied 36-hole day on one of the best modern sites in the Sarasota and Bradenton area.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Bundled golf community with managed access; outside tee times and stay-and-play available at times through the resort operator; confirm before traveling |
| Green fee | Indicative 2026 range with cart about $80 to $180 depending on day and season; summer is the best value; confirm at booking |
| Booking | Reserve online or by phone in advance; winter season fills early as seasonal residents arrive |
| On the day | Cart golf on rolling, water-laced terrain; the Commander is the championship layout, the Piper the companion course |
| Getting there | Lakewood Ranch, inland from Sarasota and Bradenton, about 25 minutes from Sarasota Bradenton International Airport |
| Best months | October to April for the prime Gulf coast season; summer for the lowest rates and quietest tee sheets |
Access and fee details verified June 2026. Pricing moves with season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking. See our United States green fees guide for the wider picture.
Where to stay nearby
Lakewood Ranch is a fast growing master planned community with hotels, rentals and dining a short drive from the first tee, which makes it an easy base for a few days of golf. Sarasota, with its beaches, arts scene and St. Armands Circle, sits about half an hour west and gives a couples or buddies trip plenty to do off the course.
From here a wider Gulf coast golf trip falls into place, pairing Lakewood National with the heathland drama of Streamsong an hour inland and the resort polish of Naples and Tampa courses within easy reach. It suits a group that wants modern, well conditioned golf with comfortable lodging and a beach within reach.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Lakewood Ranch.
Build a Florida golf trip
We arrange the Lakewood National tee times, pair them with the best of the Sarasota, Bradenton and wider Gulf coast golf and sort the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Lakewood National questions
Who designed Lakewood National Golf Club and when did it open?
Lakewood National was designed by the Arnold Palmer Design Company, with Brandon Johnson as lead architect. The championship Commander Course opened in 2017, alongside the companion Piper Course.
What is the par and length of the Commander Course at Lakewood National?
The Commander Course plays as a par 72 of about 7,184 yards from the back tees, with a course rating near 74.5 and a slope of 138.
Has Lakewood National hosted a professional tournament?
Yes. The Commander Course hosted the Korn Ferry Tour's LECOM Suncoast Classic, giving the layout genuine tournament pedigree.
Can visitors play Lakewood National Golf Club?
Lakewood National is a bundled golf community with managed access; outside tee times and stay-and-play are available at times through the resort operator. Indicative 2026 green fees run roughly $80 to $180 with cart depending on season; always confirm directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.