Estero Country Club Recertified as Audubon Sanctuary

Estero Country Club, the premier member-owned private country club located south of Fort Myers, is proud to announce that it has retained its designation as a “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for golf courses, an international program.

With more than 100 acres of lush tropical acres, surrounded by sparkling lakes and protected nature preserves, Estero Country Club is one of 900 courses in the world and 147 in Florida to achieve this prestigious designation.  Mark Thomas, the club’s Golf Course Superintendent, lead the effort to maintain sanctuary status on the course, which initially earned the designation in 2010.

Endorsed by the US Golf Association, the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses (ACSP) is an award-winning education and certification program that helps golf courses protect the environment and preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf, while enhancing wildlife habitat and protecting natural resources.

According to Christine Kane, CEO at Audubon International, “Estero Country Club has shown a strong commitment to its environmental program. They are to be commended for preserving the area’s natural heritage by protecting the local watershed and providing a sanctuary for wildlife on the golf course property.”       

Originally developed in 1986, Estero Country Club features 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. In 2018, the famed golf course designer completed a multi-million-dollar course restoration of the course and considers it one of his best designs.

Related: Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses: More Relevant than Ever

In January 2023, Estero Country Club was 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.

About Estero Country Club

Estero Country Club (www.EsteroCC.com) is a private member-owned golf club located within The Vines community in Estero, Florida, south of Fort Myers. The community is home to a 7,072-yard, 18-hole Gordon Lewis-designed championship course. 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 Twitter, Facebook & Instagram.