The Preserve Golf Club at Tara

When his family purchased the Preserve Golf Club at Tara a few years ago, Krishna Persaud wanted to create a place where community residents could gather and take pride. He also knew that for that to happen, big changes had to be made.

When the Persaud family purchased the course in 2020, they were behind the eight ball right from the start. Before permanently vacating the property, the former owners - who own several courses in SW Florida - came in and cherry-picked the maintenance equipment and distributed it to their other courses. They had also failed to put down any fertilizer or pre-emergent in months.

Because of the former owner's neglect, the course's condition had been deteriorating slowly but steadily for more than a decade. Persaud realized he had to spend money to make money and started with a "mini-revitalization" of the golf course.

Chemicals were applied to every square inch of the golf course to kill weeds that were running rampant. For a while after the treatment, some fairways didn't have any grass. They also did their best to kill weeds on the greens without killing the greens. Then a pre-emergent weed killer was applied to prevent them from coming back. Other improvements included redoing seven tee boxes: stripping them bare, resodding them, and putting fertilizer down.

One thing the Preserve Club at Tara has going for it is a beautiful two-story, Old Florida-style clubhouse. Shortly after purchasing the property, Persaud added a happy hour which continues to gain popularity. He has also sought input from golfers and patrons about what they would like to see on the menu and made the appropriate changes.

The previous owners did not use the clubhouse to promote social events or to bring the community together; it was primarily used by golfers looking for a drink and maybe a quick bite to eat before and after their rounds. Persaud and his staff wanted the clubhouse to be a meeting place for the community. Plans are in the works for karaoke nights, Zumba and yoga classes as well as painting and sewing get-togethers.

The Ryder Cup Grille is open daily and offers a deli-style menu as well as a fully-stocked bar with a variety of beers on tap. After your round, sit back, relax, and watch your favorite team on their big screen TV. They also offer meeting space that can accommodate up to 80 guests.

As far as golf is concerned, the Preserve at Tara has nice practice facilities. There's a natural grass range with aqua target greens ranging from 100 yards to 250 yards, so you can work out the kinks with your irons, fairway woods, and driver. There's a short game area where you can practice your pitching, chipping, and bunker shots, and an 8,000 square-foot putting green that rolls just like the ones you're about to encounter - perfect and true.

The golf course opened in 2000 and was designed by renowned golf course architect Ted McAnlis. Five sets of tees create a suitable yardage for just about any level of golfer. The course can be played anywhere from 7,00 yards from the Eagle Tees for more accomplished golfers to 5,065 yards from the Hummingbird Tees for juniors, seniors, and ladies. Pick the tees that best suit your game and you're sure to enjoy yourself.
Appropriately, each tee box is named after a bird (Eagle, Hawk, Heron, Oriole, and Hummingbird) giving some insight into the wildlife you'll encounter as you make your way around the golf course. Given what I saw when I played the course, the next tees they add should be named Gator!

In designing the golf course, McAnlis did a tremendous job of keeping the natural beauty and surroundings intact. Wetlands blend seamlessly into the design which is important since they are present on every hole. Some holes are tree-lined with plentiful landing zones off the tee, others have ancient oaks and towering pines bordering the tight fairways. The green complexes are mildly mounded green and usually offer plenty of room to recover from poorly hit approach shots. Most greens are open in front, promoting the senior Florida golfer's favorite shot, the bump and run! Although several dogleg holes offer a risk/reward opportunity, in my humble opinion the risk greatly outweighs the reward!

With over 50 ponds dotting the layout, The Preserve Golf Club at Tara is a great test of target golf. With water or wetlands on every hole, players who aren't making good decisions or striking the ball cleanly will go through a lot of golf balls. Conversely, if you can make it around the course with the same ball, you've probably shot a pretty good round.

The challenge begins right from the start on the first hole, a 365-yard dogleg right, par 4. Water comes into play on the right - not a good place for most golfers - as does a sand trap. There's a second trap on the left side as well. A good drive will leave a short iron into a slightly elevated green protected on the right side by sand and the opportunity to get off to a good start.

Number 2 is a challenging par 3 that plays 145 yards. It requires a forced carry of about 130 yards over water onto an elevated green fronted by sand bunkers on either side. Anything long is a tough up and down for par.

The three finishing holes are considered by many golfers to be the best in the area. Number 16 is a 490-yard par 5 with a dogleg to the right. It requires a 150-yard forced carry off the tee that lands short of the fairway bunker on the left. From there you'll notice that the fairway gets very narrow and if you don't make it past the trees on the right, the task just gets tougher. Ponds guard both sides of the landing area on your layup shot and bunkers adorn both sides a little closer to the green.

Seventeen is a 205-yard par three that often plays into the winds that blow off the Gulf of Mexico. There's water on either side so be sure to hit your tee shot crisply!

Your round ends with a 410-yard, par 4, dogleg right that requires a tee shot over water that avoids the bunker on the left and the second pond on the right. A good drive is still going to leave a long to mid-iron into the green which is protected in the front left by a large bunker. It's a fitting way to end a fun round!

The Preserve Golf Club offers a variety of memberships designed to fit your needs. Single, couples, and senior memberships are available and include unlimited golf, advanced tee times booking, USGA handicapping, inclusion in club-sponsored golf events and so much more. Currently, there are no initiation fees, assessments, or monthly minimums. Check the website for more details.

As you will see, the golf course is still a work in progress, but conditions seem to be improving on a daily basis. To get an idea for yourself what the future holds, you can book your next round by calling (941) 756-2944 or booking online at www.golfthepreserve.com. Persaud and his staff are on a mission to make the club a success, after all the residents' home value depends on it. The pressure's on!