Sarasota National

Saraspta National is in the Venice area, routed through a residential community. It was designed by Gordy Lewis, and from the gold tees plays to 6,559 yards, 71.1 course rating and 122 slope with one longer, and two shorter tee boxes. It seems expensive in the season here, but they do come down late spring until December, and have off-peak rates which are a little more reasonable. The development is full of see-through homes at the moment, and only partially developed, but they seem to be taking decent care of the course. They gave them enough land to build the course on, you don't feel like what homes there are pinch the fairways. It's an open layout, decent sized landing areas off the tee, plenty of sand and water as you usually find here. It's on the south side of Venice off the Tamiami Trail at Rockley, exit 191/River Road off I-75. Because there's nothing to break the wind, it always seems to be blowing here, but there's generally plenty of room off the tee. The course has been well maintained, especially the greens, but just off the course is a wasteland. Would highly recommend, a little expensive, play soon though, it may not last without the development.