Lakes/Palms at Sandpiper Golf Club

Sandpiper Golf Club operates two eighteen-hole courses in Sun City Center, a large retirement community in west-central Florida south of Tampa. The Lakes and Palms courses were designed by Ron Garl and Mark Mahannah, both architects with extensive experience in Florida golf course design during the latter decades of the twentieth century. Garl in particular built a substantial portfolio across the state, known for working effectively with Florida's flat terrain and incorporating water features into strategic layouts.

The courses reflect the characteristic challenges of Sun City Center golf: relatively flat topography punctuated by numerous lakes and ponds, mature landscaping including the namesake palm trees, and layouts designed to accommodate the community's active senior membership. Water comes into play on many holes across both courses, requiring accuracy over distance. The subtropical climate supports year-round bermudagrass playing surfaces and allows for continuous play, making Sandpiper a fixture in the daily routines of Sun City Center residents.

Sun City Center itself was developed beginning in the 1960s as one of Florida's pioneering active adult communities, and its golf facilities have long served as social and recreational anchors for the population. Sandpiper functions primarily as a semi-private club serving this demographic, with a clubhouse and dining operations tailored to regular member use. The courses provide accessible, well-maintained golf in a setting defined more by community tradition than tournament pedigree.