Estero Country Club, the premier member-owned private country club in Estero, Florida, was recently named Number 5 in the prestigious listing of 2022 Top Ranked Clubhouses, presented annually by Club + Resort Business, which ranks the top clubhouses in the U.S. The publication provides insights and operating ideas for the management staffs of private and semi-private clubs, resorts, and other golf facilities, city/dining clubs, yacht clubs, and management companies.
“We are honored and proud of this national recognition for our newly-renovated clubhouse as we celebrate the 35th anniversary of our club’s founding,” said Bryan Roe, CCM, CCE. Roe is General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the private member-owned golf club located within The Vines community in Estero, Florida, south of Fort Myers.
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The top five that lead the way in Club + Resort Business Top Ranked Clubhouses for 2022 include: The Club at Mediterra in Naples, Fla.; BallenIsles Country Club in Jupiter, FL.; Newport Beach (Calif.) Country Club; and Shadow Wood Country Club in Estero, FL and Estero Country Club in Estero, FL.
Claire Comstock, President of the Estero Country Club Board of Governors, added, “We are extremely pleased to be counted among these other prestigious U.S. clubhouses.”
Originally developed in 1986, Estero Country Club is an Audubon Certified Sanctuary with a 7,072-yard, 18-Hole Gordon Lewis-designed championship course on 105 lush tropical acres surrounded by sparkling lakes. The course features six sets of tees and a comprehensive teaching program that includes TPI instruction. In 2018, the famed golf course designer completed a multi-million-dollar course restoration and considers ECC one of his best designs.
“With the long-range goal of maintaining a high level of exclusivity and member satisfaction, the leadership of Estero Country Club approached AM Design Group to provide strategic enhancements and amenities that would elevate the member experience and position the golf and country club for the future,” stated Club + Resort Business.
The vision of the new club design was to create a space that leads the guest from the inside out. Architecturally, this was accomplished in three ways: removing the wall in between the lobby and dance floor to allow a direct view from the front door of the clubhouse to the back patio that overlooks the course vista; expanding Mulligans (casual dining/bar area) to allow for complete overlook over the course from the north and west walls, and adding a new covered and open-air outdoor dining room/lounge that extends into the beautiful back landscape.
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“The renovation provides much needed social gathering areas to take the club from a design that served members the way they lived 30 years ago to how these members and their families live today,” said Meg Stepanian, CMP, Director of Membership for Estero Country Club. Using neutral décor with pops of slate blue, the interior design enabled the focus to remain on the views. Interior colors were chosen to coordinate with the natural surroundings as opposed to overwhelming it. Neutral wood-look tile floors connected the interior to nature and provided warmth to offset cooler wall and fabric color tones. Custom half-round booth niches that face the exterior view instead of a straight bank of booths facing each other were also added.
The custom members’ gallery art features an historical window of the club grounds, the golf course and animal inhabitants, with the focus always on the exterior, even in a windowless hallway. Special attention was addressed to creating seating options for family and friends to gather, maximizing the view of the golf course and outdoor social areas.
Additional improvements included new meeting spaces, two pickleball courts, two bocce courts, casual outdoor patio seating with fire tables, and an expanded fitness center. With several coastal contemporary influences in design, members and guests have applauded the warm and welcoming feel of the design.
Added Bryan Roe, “The renovation not only provided meaningful advancements in facilities and amenities for the members’ enjoyment but also provided a sound foundation for the growth and stability at Estero Country Club for years to come.”
About Estero Country Club
ECC (www.EsteroCC.com) is a private member-owned golf club located within The Vines community in Estero, Florida, south of Fort Myers. The Audubon Certified Sanctuary is home to a 7,072-yard, 18-hole Gordon Lewis-designed championship course with six sets of tees and a comprehensive teaching program that includes TPI instruction. The course received a multi-million-dollar restoration in 2018. Resort-style amenities include a newly renovated clubhouse with formal dining, an expanded indoor/outdoor casual dining venue with seating overlooking the golf course and outdoor terrace social areas with fire tables. Fitness aficionados enjoy the new fitness center, five Har-Tru clay tennis courts, two pickle ball courts, and two bocce courts with full programming support. Connect via social media at Facebook & Instagram.
