Bent Tree Country Club 18-hole course opened for play on October 1975. The course was intially designed by Bill Lewis and Ward Northrup handled the redesign of the greens in 1994. In 2015 the nines were reversed and four holes on what is now the back nine were designed by Keith Pope.
The club has an idyllic setting. Every effort has been made to retain the natural beauty of wooded areas, sparkling lakes and streams found on the property where birds and wildlife abound. This relatively unspoiled terrain serves as the back drop for golf in a northern setting.
Designed to challenge golfers at all levels, the course caters to the most exacting golfer as well as forgives those with higher handicaps.
Bent Tree Country Club has something to offer everyone. Tree lined fairways, expansive greens and miles of lakes and stream combine to create a unique environment with an appealing blend of natural beauty and championship golf opportunities at Bent Tree country club. Bent Tree is a very walkable course and provides five sets of tees ranging from 5,465 to the tips at 6,863 yards.
The par 72 layout has two signature holes: the par three 3rd hole which requires players to hit a tee shot to carry 185 yards over water to a steep front sloped green protected by a mammoth bunker in the front of the putting surface. Then there is the ever dangerous 511 yard par five 9th. This Par 5 is a double dogleg, going right off the tee then left when approaching the green. The player can try to fade a tee shot over the water on the right, then if successful try to reach the green on their second shot by carrying the lake green side. Playing the conventional way down the middle, players will have to carry over a creek at 170 yards from the green. The 3 -tiered green is beautifully surrounded by trees and bunkers.
The closing hole 18th : This finishing Par 5 can be very rewarding if you can keep your tee shot left center and keep your ball in bounds (O.B. on the left). The woods on the right will consume the players who fade or slice their tee shot. With O.B. on the left and water guarding the right side on your approach to this green, it is a risk reward going for the green in 2. After successfully arriving to the short approach shot take caution with the green although with no bunkers it runs front to back with O.B. just over the green.
US Open Qualifiers have been hosted at Bent Tree in the past and the Florida State High School Championship was played at Bent Tree in 1998 and 1999.
