The Country Club
On the map
Lakewood Ranch Country Club, Lakewood Ranch, FL Map
Legacy Boulevard serves as the southern gateway of the neighborhood. Meanwhile, on the western section, Balmoral Woods Boulevard is the primary access point from the community’s western end.
Overview
The Country Club at Lakewood Ranch: Golf Legacy Meets Multigenerational Living
Built around the private Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club, The Country Club occupies property once owned by a famous Milwaukee brewing family. It’s now one of Florida's most prestigious golf addresses, without the pretense of stuffy country-club formality.
The Country Club showcases remarkable diversity in housing options, each sub-neighborhood offering its own character and price point. Intimate communities like Wexford, Sand Hills, Silverwood, and Edenmore feature maintenance-free living in thoughtfully designed homes.
Mid-range neighborhoods, including Canterbury, Thornhill, Riviera, and Miramar, offer single-family estates with varying maintenance structures. For those seeking ultimate luxury, the exclusive enclaves of Greystone, La Cantera, and Highfield offer architectural showpieces on premium golf-course and lakefront lots.
The community’s centerpiece is the Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club membership (which is optional, not required). The spectacular 44,000-square-foot Italian-inspired clubhouse includes a formal dining room and wine cellar, casual grille and lounge areas, banquet facilities for special events, and a professional golf shop.
The separate 13,000-square-foot Athletic Center elevates recreation beyond golf with 18 Har-Tru lighted tennis courts, heated Junior Olympic and resort pools, a state-of-the-art fitness center, steam rooms, saunas, whirlpool, and therapy rooms. Residents can attend classes from Tai Chi and yoga to Zumba and TRX workshops.
Mike Novak has guided buyers through The Country Club's diverse neighborhoods for years, understanding which sub-communities offer the best value for specific priorities, how golf membership options and costs fit into overall budgets, and when resale opportunities in this established community present exceptional value compared to new construction elsewhere in Lakewood Ranch.
Around The Area
The Country Club Lakewood Ranch FAQs
No, golf club membership is completely optional for Country Club residents, which is a significant advantage over bundled-golf communities where membership is mandatory and included in your deed. Many residents never join, while others wait months or years before deciding membership makes sense. You can also resign from membership if your circumstances change.
Premier Golf Membership:
- Unlimited play on all courses
- Full practice facility access (driving range, putting greens, chipping area)
- Dining privileges throughout the clubhouse
- Guest playing privileges
- Golf cart storage and locker room access
Premier Sports & Fitness Membership:
- Full athletic center access with state-of-the-art equipment
- 18 Har-Tru tennis courts with court fees included
- Heated pools (Junior Olympic and resort)
- All fitness classes (yoga, Pilates, TRX, Zumba, boot camp, etc.)
- Steam rooms, saunas, whirlpools, therapy rooms
- Clubhouse dining privileges
- Does NOT include golf course access
Social Membership:
- Clubhouse dining and entertainment access
- Special events and social programming
- Card rooms and lounge areas
- Does NOT include golf, tennis, or fitness facilities
Unlike many area clubs, Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club has no minimum spend requirements that force members to reach monthly food/beverage minimums. The club is open to the public, which means you don't need to live in The Country Club or Country Club East to join.
The Country Club's nine sub-neighborhoods offer different maintenance structures, giving buyers choices based on their lifestyle preferences and willingness to handle property upkeep.
Maintenance-free neighborhoods:
- Wexford: HOA handles all lawn care, landscaping, irrigation, and exterior maintenance
- Edenmore: Complete exterior maintenance, including lawn, landscaping, and common areas
- Silverwood: HOA maintains yards, irrigation, and landscaping beds
- Miramar Villas: Full-service maintenance covering all exterior upkeep
Homeowner-maintained neighborhoods:
- Canterbury: Residents handle their own lawn care and landscape maintenance
- La Cantera: Owner-maintained properties typical of custom estate lots
- Highfield: Individual homeowner maintenance
Hybrid/varies by section:
- Greystone: Some sections are maintenance-free.
- Sand Hills: Some sections are maintenance-free, others are homeowner-maintained
- Riviera: Maintenance structure varies by specific location within the neighborhood
- Thornhill: Mixed maintenance depending on home type and location
What HOAs maintain beyond lawn care (in all neighborhoods):
- Common area landscaping and irrigation
- Gated entry, staffing, and security
- Community roads and sidewalks
- Street lighting and signage
- Recreational facilities (neighborhood pools, where applicable)
- Trash removal and cable services
Maintenance-free communities typically have higher HOA fees but eliminate lawn service costs and offer true lock-and-leave convenience, making them perfect for snowbirds, frequent travelers, and busy professionals. Homeowner-maintained neighborhoods have lower HOA fees but require homeowners to arrange and pay for lawn service or do it themselves.
The Country Club is located in Manatee County, with highly rated public schools.
Public school assignments (verify with Manatee County School District):
- Gilbert W. McNeal Elementary School (also known as Willis Elementary in some references). Serves PK-5, consistently rated among Manatee County's top elementary schools.
- R. Dan Nolan Middle School. Serves grades 6-8, modern facility purpose-built for Lakewood Ranch's eastern communities.
- Lakewood Ranch High School. Serves grades 9-12, perennially ranked among Florida's best public high schools with exceptional college preparation and AP offerings.
The Country Club and Country Club East sit across Lorraine Road from each other, share golf club membership access, but offer distinct characteristics appealing to different buyers.
The Country Club advantages:
- Built starting in 1998, featuring fully grown landscaping, mature oak canopies, and complete park-like settings.
- Decades of development created varied home styles from different eras and premier builders.
- Nine sub-neighborhoods provide different entry points for various budgets.
- 3,252 homes provide more resale opportunities and choices
- Long resale history demonstrating appreciation and buyer demand
- Dramatically different feels between intimate Wexford villas and estate-sized Greystone mansions
Country Club East advantages:
- Built 2008-2020, offering more modern floor plans and contemporary home systems All homes meet Florida Green Building Coalition standards for energy efficiency, sustainability, and indoor air quality
- The entire community is maintenance-free, with the HOA handling all exterior upkeep
- Dedicated 18-hole Rick Robbins course within the neighborhood
- More cohesive Mediterranean architectural theme throughout
- Built with contemporary expectations for smart home pre-wiring, energy efficiency, and open floor plans
Shared benefits (both communities):
- Optional golf club membership (same options and costs)
- Same Athletic Center and clubhouse facilities
- Gated community security
- Lakewood Ranch location and school access
- CDD fees and tax structure
Many buyers tour homes in both communities before deciding. Mike Novak can provide side-by-side comparisons of specific properties, helping you understand which neighborhood aligns best with your priorities and budget.