Esplanade Golf and Country Club

Esplanade Golf and Country Club occupies a setting in Lakewood Ranch, a master-planned community in Manatee County on Florida's Gulf Coast. Chris Wilczynski designed the course, which opened in the mid-2010s as part of the broader Esplanade residential development. The layout reflects contemporary Florida golf design, working with the region's characteristic flat terrain and incorporating water features, native vegetation zones, and strategic bunkering to define playing corridors and create visual interest across the property. The routing takes advantage of lakes and wetland preserves that are integral to both the golf experience and the community's stormwater management. Wilczynski's design emphasizes playability for a range of skill levels while maintaining enough challenge through green complexes and hazard placement to engage accomplished players. The course serves primarily as an amenity for residents of the Esplanade community, which includes multiple neighborhoods and a clubhouse facility that anchors social and dining activities. Lakewood Ranch itself has grown into one of the larger planned communities in Florida, and Esplanade represents one of several golf-centered neighborhoods within the broader development. The course fits the pattern of modern Florida residential golf, where environmental integration, walkability considerations, and member accessibility shape design priorities. The club operates as a private facility focused on the lifestyle and recreational needs of its membership base.