Palms Course at Rotonda Golf & Country Club

Reader Ratings / Reviews

• Palms Course at Rotonda Golf & Country Club

  
  by The Golfin Guy
  on January 24th, 2024 08:33

  During my 10 years of living in SW Florida, I was always under the impression that Rotonda Golf & Country Club was a private club. It wasn’t until my sister moved there that I discovered that the public was welcome to play it, too. In the few times I’ve played it since then, I’ve always had a great time. The courses are always in good condition, they are challenging, and priced right, and the staff is friendly and helpful.
  
  The Rotonda West community is located in southwest Charlotte County, Florida, less than a mile from the Gulf of Mexico, and Englewood Beach. It is a deed-restricted community that is home to over 15,000 residents. The community has an interesting shape to it when looked at from an aerial view; it’s perfectly round, with 7 pie-shaped wedges cut into it. Each wedge is a separate community - Oakland Hills, Pebble Beach, Pinehurst, Long Meadow, White Marsh, and Pine Valley. The eighth wedge is wetlands and preserves which is helpful for irrigation of all the courses. Each community has a golf course running through it, so if you live there, you’re never too far from the golf course! All of the homes and home sites front either a golf course, greenbelt, or body of water.
  
  The Rotonda Golf & Country Club features 99 holes of golf across its five courses, designed by 5 renowned architects: Pete Dye, Ted McAnlis, John LaFoy, D.J. DeVictor, and Jim Petrides. Long Marsh has 27 holes and is considered Rotonda’s premier course; it’s also rated its toughest. Long Marsh was designed by Ted McAnlis. Rotonda Golf & Country Club has been awarded a “Beginner Friendly Certification” from the National Golf Course Owners Association and numerous accolades from the Charlotte Sun Herald.
  
  The Palms was the second golf course built at Rotonda. It was designed by D.J. DeVictor and opened for play in 1980. With five sets of tees, there’s a yardage suitable for every level of golfer. The Palms’ five finishing holes have been astounding golfers ever since. These five holes bring six different water hazards into play and feature several multi-tiered greens. The 15th and 16th holes are considered by many to be two of the most and two of Florida’s most demanding holes in the area. At 404 yards from the Gold Tees, Number 15 is handicapped #2. What makes this hole difficult for most golfers is the water that runs down the right side of the fairway. Try and bail out to the left and you’re bringing the trees into play. Ideally, you want to play your tee shot down the right side close to the water. That will give the least obstructed path into the green. Several trees infringe into the fairway on the left and a large deep bunker guards the right side of the green which slopes back right to front left.
  
  Number 16 is a 492-yard par 5 with more water on the right side off the tee. There’s room to bail out left this time, just before the dogleg. A good drive down the right side may allow you to cut the dogleg and go for the green but beware, there’s more water to the left of the green. A single sand trap sits on the left side between the water and the long, narrow green.
  
  Golfers and residents alike flock to the Rotonda Hills Restaurant; the public is invited on Wednesdays and Fridays for dinner and on Sundays for breakfast. Their specialty is made-from-scratch dishes with new food and drink specials each week, You can see their menu online.
  
  Should you find yourself playing at Rotonda more and more because of the great golf and friendly staff, you may want to consider becoming a member. A membership at Rotonda gives you access to all 99 holes of golf, free range balls, advanced tee time booking, and a 10% discount on pro shop merchandise. There are never any assessments or food and beverage minimums, and they even throw in handicap indexing through the USGA at no charge! Memberships are available for singles and families and can be purchased for one or two years. Each membership plan requires a small initiation fee. Best of all, you don’t have to live in the community to become a member!