Rotonda Golf & Country Club, Long Marsh Golf Course

During my 10 years of living in SW Florida, I was always under the impression that Rotonda Golf & Country Club was a private club. It wasn’t until my sister moved there that I discovered that the public was welcome to play it, too. In the few times I’ve played it since then, I’ve always had a great time. The courses are always in good condition, they are challenging, and priced right, and the staff is friendly and helpful.

The Rotonda West community is located in southwest Charlotte County, Florida, less than a mile from the Gulf of Mexico, and Englewood Beach. It is a deed-restricted community that is home to over 15,000 residents. The community has an interesting shape to it when looked at from an aerial view; it’s perfectly round, with 7 pie-shaped wedges cut into it. Each wedge is a separate community - Oakland Hills, Pebble Beach, Pinehurst, Long Meadow, White Marsh, and Pine Valley. The eighth wedge is wetlands and preserves which is helpful for irrigation of all the courses. Each community has a golf course running through it, so if you live there, you’re never too far from the golf course! All of the homes and home sites front either a golf course, greenbelt, or body of water.

The Rotonda Golf & Country Club features 99 holes of golf across its five courses, designed by 5 renowned architects: Pete Dye, Ted McAnlis, John LaFoy, D.J. DeVictor, and Jim Petrides. Long Marsh has 27 holes and is considered Rotonda’s premier course; it’s also rated its toughest. Long Marsh was designed by Ted McAnlis. Rotonda Golf & Country Club has been awarded a “Beginner Friendly Certification” from the National Golf Course Owners Association and numerous accolades from the Charlotte Sun Herald.

The Long Marsh Golf Course is the centerpiece of all five golf courses at Rotonda Golf & Country Club. It was designed by Ted McAnlis and the original 18 holes – Long Meadow and White Marsh - opened for play in 1999. The 9 holes at Pine Valley were added in 2007. The course winds through 450 acres of natural Florida scrub and each of Long Marsh’s 27 holes has a distinctive character, making it unlike any other course in the area. Gently rolling fairways are framed by native pine, oak, and palm trees with natural waste bunkers, lakes, and marshes that add to the intrigue. What you see is what you get; there are no blind shots or hidden hazards. Four sets of tee boxes provide distances ranging from 5,257 from the forward tee yards to 7,120 yards from the back tees.

Number 6 on the Pine Valley nine is probably the most interesting hole of all 99. From the White Tees it plays 350 yards and doglegs around a small lake; fairway bunkers dot the landscape in the landing area. Longball hitters can take their tee shot over the water straight at the green. Anything left of the green will most likely not be seen again. Bunkers front both sides of the green which slopes gently from back to front. It’s a good risk-reward hole.

Golfers and residents alike flock to the Rotonda Hills Restaurant; the public is invited on Wednesdays and Fridays for dinner and on Sundays for breakfast. Their specialty is made-from-scratch dishes with new food and drink specials each week, You can see their menu online.

Should you find yourself playing at Rotonda more and more because of the great golf and friendly staff, you may want to consider becoming a member. A membership at Rotonda gives you access to all 99 holes of golf, free range balls, advanced tee time booking, and a 10% discount on pro shop merchandise. There are never any assessments or food and beverage minimums, and they even throw in handicap indexing through the USGA at no charge! Memberships are available for singles and families and can be purchased for one or two years. Each membership plan requires a small initiation fee. Best of all, you don’t have to live in the community to become a member!

During the winter months, snowbirds flock to Florida to enjoy all that the Sunshine State has to offer. It’s been going on for more than 100 years and increases the state’s population by about 5% each year.

For many, Florida’s main attraction is the ability to play golf during the winter months. Over the years, Florida’s Gulf Coast has been a desirable location for golfers looking to indulge themselves in some spectacular golf courses. One area of the Gulf Coast that is often overlooked is the area between Venice and Fort Myers.

Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach includes the Charlotte Harbor Gulf Island Coast and includes the towns of Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, and Englewood Beach. Within this geographical area, there are more than 19 golf courses, including 13 semi-private championship courses and 6 executive courses. The Ron Garl-designed Kingsway Country Club just off of I-75 was recently purchased and closed and will become part of the new Sunseeker Resort in Port Charlotte when it opens for business next year. It will be known as Aileron Golf Club. Here are a few of my favorites. Long Marsh Golf Course

The Rotonda West community in Southwest Florida, just outside Punta Gorda is a deed-restricted community that is home to over 15,000. Rotonda has an interesting shape to it; if you look at it from an aerial view, it’s perfectly round, with 8 pizza-wedge-shapes cut into it that are separate communities. Many of these communities have golf courses running through them. Rotonda West is comprised of several distinct neighborhoods including Long Meadow, White Marsh, and Pine Valley.

Rotonda Golf and Country Club offers 99 holes of golf on the Cape Haze Peninsula, designed by 5 renowned architects: Pete Dye, Ted McAnlis, John LaFoy, D.J. DeVictor, and Jim Petrides. The Long Marsh has 27 holes and is considered Rotonda’s premier course. It’s also rated its toughest. Long Marsh was designed by Ted McAnlis.

The Long Marsh Golf Course winds its way through 450 acres of natural Florida scrub. Each of the 27 holes has a distinctive character, making it unlike any other course in the area. Many of the gently rolling fairways are framed by native pine, oak, and palm trees with natural waste bunkers, lakes, and marshes that add to the intrigue. What you see is what you get; there are no blind shots or hidden hazards. Four sets of tee boxes provide distances ranging from 5,257 from the forward tee yards to 7,120 yards from the back tees. For those visiting that don’t play golf, there is plenty to do here, most of it on the water. You can go fishing, boating, swimming, and scuba diving. There are 35 parks in the area, perfect for bike riding, birdwatching or just strolling about. Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach has some good nightlife too; restaurants that feature everything from beachfront and tiki bar dining to gourmet meals. There are bars, microbreweries, wineries, and distilleries where you can let your inhibitions run wild.

Just down the street from Riverwood Golf Club, you’ll find the Twisted Fork, a fun eatery located next door to Black Widow Harley Davidson! They offer chef-inspired, down-home Florida cuisine with a twist. It’s one of Southwest Florida’s most unique venues with lots to do for all ages. They put on a lot of fun events on the Back Porch, a 24,000 square foot covered entertainment pavilion that is connected directly to the restaurant; everything from car shows and bike nights to bands and drive-in movie nights.

As their name implies, they have put their twist on several signature sandwiches. For example, the Twisted Meat Loaf Sandwich features the Fork’s homemade meatloaf on a brioche bun grilled and topped with apple cider bacon slices, aged cheddar, and fried onions. The Monte Cristo sandwich is the traditional ham, turkey, cheddar, and Swiss, batter dipped and deep fried, but then it’s dusted with powdered sugar and served with raspberry preserves. Whatever you order, you won’t be disappointed!

Farlow’s on the Water is one of my favorite restaurants in the area. It’s where Southern cooking meets the Caribbean. Owners Laurie and Keith Farlow are from Kentucky and St. Croix, USVI, respectively. It reflects the best of two worlds: the seafood and spices of the Caribbean and southern specialties like fried green tomatoes, corn pudding, and Kentucky Hot Browns. All food is prepared daily, and the majority of herbs used in their delectable dishes are grown in the garden at the restaurant. You are welcome to tour the garden on your visit and smell the fresh basil, rosemary, and parsley. The fresh catch menu includes Black Grouper, Chilean Sea Bass, Hogfish, and Mangrove Snapper to name just a few. The menu also includes a vast array of Caribbean seafood specialties, hand-cut steaks, and pork, chicken, and turkey specialties. The have an exceptionally good wine list and a full liquor bar.

There are a large number of hotels in the area, and the boutique, Wyvern Hotel is a great choice. It’s independently owned and a member of the Choice Ascend Hotel Collection. The hotel is located in downtown Punta Gorda and its walls are filled with artwork from local artists that hotel guests are welcome to purchase. The Wyvern’s 63 rooms feature an upscale décor with designer touches like marble bathroom floors and imported Italian linens. The most unique feature of the Wyvern Is the rooftop which seems to be the hub. Up here you can take a dip in the heated pool that overlooks the Harbor and enjoy poolside service from Perch 360, the rooftop restaurant. Perch 360 offers dishes crafted from the freshest, high-quality ingredients sourced from local suppliers including their rooftop garden. In addition to a Tapas menu with unique dishes like shrimp and sweet potato tacos, Perch 360 has a drink menu that includes signature cocktails, local craft beers, and boutique wines. Perch 360 is a great place to cap off the night and enjoy the views.

Located off the lobby is Wyvern’s other restaurant, 88 Keys Florida. Fittingly enough, 88 Keys is a piano bar and features contemporary Global cuisine created with locally farm-sourced ingredients to create healthy options for even the most discerning palette. They have a full liquor bar and offer several craft beers on tap as well as a wine list that features a diverse collection of award-winning wines from global winemakers. Choose from several boutique wines or select a bottle from the proprietor’s list of signature high-end wines.

This is a small sample of what Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach has to offer golfers. For more information and to see a list of courses in the area, visit them online.

Long Marsh's scenery was amazing. The course was fair to play, although the greens, like many I played in Florida, were slow and had a some rough patches. The clubhouse/lounge atmosphere was quite friendly and very welcoming. I had my non golf playing wife ride with me one of the rounds just to enjoy the surroundings, which she did.

Long Marsh is 27 Holes. The latest addition is Pine Valley which is a 9 hole layout. The three 9 hole layouts are Long Marsh / White Marsh /Pine Valley. The Rotonda layout is the best overall value for the entire state of Florida. Members of Rotonda Golf and country club have 99 holes they can play. Hills / Palms / Long Marsh / Windward / Pinemore [A recent addition]