University Park Country Club Homes for Sale, University Park FL

About University Park Country Club

University Park Country Club sits just north of University Parkway in the 34201 ZIP, inside Manatee County but with Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch both a few minutes away. The community is gated and was developed starting in the early 1990s, around the time the club was founded in 1991, so streets have mature landscaping and the homes reflect 1990s and 2000s custom and semi-custom building. Buyers mostly find single-family homes, with some attached villa product, set along fairways and lakes. The club is semi-private, which matters for buying decisions: owning a home here does not automatically mean paying a golf membership, and outside golfers can book daily fee rounds. That gives the community a busier course than a fully private club but a lower barrier for owners who play only some of the time. The clubhouse restaurant, the Park Grille and Cafe, is open to the public. Golf Digest has rated the course four stars since 1996, and it is consistently mentioned among the top courses in Southwest Florida.

The golf at University Park Country Club

University Park has 27 holes designed by Ron Garl, played as three nines that combine into 18-hole rounds, so regulars can rotate combinations through the week. The design leans on water and mature trees for definition, and Garl's signature fifth hole is often pointed to as the standout. Golf Digest has given the course a four-star rating since 1996. Practice facilities include a driving range, two putting greens and a short game area, and the club runs a golf academy with private lessons and golf schools. Because the club is semi-private, members play alongside daily fee guests, and the membership side adds leagues, events and tee time privileges. Tennis courts and a fitness center round out the athletic side of the club for people who split time between sports.

Is club membership required in University Park Country Club?

Optional. The club is semi-private, offering memberships alongside daily fee play for non-members.

Want the current HOA, CDD and club numbers for a specific home? Ask me and I will pull them from the listing and the association.

Living in University Park Country Club: location and lifestyle

University Parkway is the main artery here, which puts the Mall at University Town Center, Costco, restaurants and medical offices within about five to ten minutes. I-75 is close, and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport is roughly 10 minutes west, which is one of the shortest airport runs of any club community in the area. Downtown Sarasota, the Ringling Museum and the bayfront are about 20 minutes south, and Longboat Key and Lido Key beaches are about 25 to 30 minutes away. Nathan Benderson Park, with its rowing lake and walking path, is nearby. The location between Sarasota and Bradenton makes it easy to use both cities without crossing a bridge or getting on the interstate for long stretches. For a golf community, that combination of airport, mall and beach access within about half an hour is hard to match anywhere in Manatee County.