RANKED CONSISTENTLY AS A BEST place to play by Golf Digest, The Resort at Longboat Key Club features 45 holes of golf, including the Links on Longboat and the Harbourside Course, which snakes along Sarasota Bay with abundant trees and coastal views. It’s an excellent destination for a golf getaway, with the option to play multiple distinct nines during your stay.
Harbourside is composed of three nine-hole layouts: White Egret, Red Hawk and Blue Heron. The Blue Heron was closed the day we played, which disappointed the staff who pride themselves on the “famous Blue Heron.” Still, White Egret (3,342 yards) and Red Hawk (3,314 yards) offered a memorable test. Between the water, the trees and gusts that reached 30 mph at times, accuracy was essential and mistakes were quickly punished.
Designed by Willard Byrd in 1982, the course reflects the work of an architect who created and remodeled many notable U.S. golf courses. Byrd, who served on a U.S. Navy minesweeper in World War II, later established a successful golf architecture practice. In 2005 Ron Garl redesigned the Red Hawk nine, which has since been resodded with Platinum Paspalum grass, while White Egret retains Bermuda fairways.
I teed off with Paul Gosselin for a competitive afternoon round followed by dinner at Portofino Restaurant. Harbourside allows guest play, making it a great reason to stay at the resort and enjoy amenities such as six restaurants, a spa, tennis courts and expansive beaches.
RED HAWK
HOLE 1 | 372 yards, par 4
A solid opening hole. Both Paul and I hit good drives, his longer than mine by about 30 yards. Off the tee there’s a small pond and trees to the right and a bunker on the left that can catch an errant shot. I landed in the center but misjudged my approach and went past the green, leaving a tricky chip. A well-executed wedge saved par. Paul found the bunker but recovered to the green; sadly a three-putt turned his round into a bogey.
Red Hawk Hole 1 © FRANCIS X. GALLAGHER
HOLE 4 | 516 yards, par 5
This memorable hole earned Paul an enduring nickname after his tee shot veered into a line of palm trees and came to rest near a trunk. He wisely took an unplayable penalty and got back into play with a challenging shot. My drive stayed center and allowed a conservative approach with a 3-wood, and both of us reached the green in regulation. Two-putts produced a par for me and a bogey for Paul — a good recovery considering his difficult lie.
HOLE 7 | 392 yards, par 4
As the course circled back toward the clubhouse, a sudden increase in wind changed shot selection. While pausing for a quick photo, a gust stole my hat and sent my cigar airborne — an amusing reminder that coastal wind is a constant factor. My drive rolled aggressively right and threatened the water lining the fairway; my second shot found the drink. Paul’s tee shot went left and stayed in play, leaving him a solid approach and a par. Wind made this stretch especially challenging.
WHITE EGRET
HOLE 4 | 386 yards, par 4
On the fourth, a narrow fairway framed by a small grove and a waste area requires precision. I landed in the waste area while Paul’s monster drive finished near the group ahead. Initially we thought the players were upset, but they were waving to tell an entertaining story: a crow had grabbed one of their balls and flown off. After hearing their tale and enjoying a laugh, the foursome kindly allowed us to play through. Both Paul and I carded bogeys on this hole.
HOLE 7 | 178 yards, par 3
This longer par 3 demands a confident, accurate shot through a narrow opening flanked by trees. I clipped a branch and ended up in a forward bunker; Paul pushed his tee shot beyond the green to the right. Both of us managed to get up and down to save par opportunities, but misreads and small mistakes turned our scores into bogeys.
HOLE 9 | 350 yards, par 4
The finishing hole is open and invites an aggressive tee shot, but uneven lies and wind continued to complicate play. My drive found a slope near another hole’s fairway, and an awkward lie under trees made my approach and chip difficult. Paul also struggled with his recovery, and we finished with a bogey and a double bogey. Despite the scores, the round was fun, rich with coastal character — wind, errant drives, and memorable moments involving crows and coconuts.
The Resort at Longboat Key Club
Harbourside Golf Course
220 Sands Point Road
Longboat Key, FL 34228
tel 941-387-1632
longboatkeyclub.com