Venice, FL Trip in Jan. need some golf course suggestions

[mookie]

My wife, another couple and myself are headed down to Venice, FL the second week of January. None of us have ever been in this area before and the trip is purely to play golf in warm weather and relax. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. We would probably like to keep the drive time to a half hour or less.

On another thread, someone had mentioned The Legacy at Lakewood Ranch so we will probably try that. We are going to be able to get 3 or 4 rounds in.

any advice(golf or otherwise) will be greatly appreciated.

BTW, we are staying in a house we have rented on a course called The Waterford.

thanks,

[TCCcaddie]

I went to Venice two years ago and i stayed i Nokomis a couple of miles from where you are staying. I played 5 courses when i was down there. I flew in from Ft. Myers and i played two courses there becuase i wanted to get in as much golf as possible. I played 5courses:

Lake Venice GC - STAY AWAY!!!!! - a really bad muni with long waits and a bunch of old people so the pace was unbearably slow.
Calusa Lakes CC -Nokomis- A private place that i got on because the people i was staying with were members there. A pretty good course.
THe Legacy at Lakewood Ranch - Bradenton - about 45 mins north but well worth the drive. This has the hardest 5 holes that i have ever played in a row. Arnold Palmer design and one of the two best courses that i played while there.
Eagle Ridge - Ft. Myres- played this course before the flight out. Good course and worth the money.
Miromar Lakes - Ft. Myers - Either this or the other is ourse that i played on my trip. Its a private place that i got on through a site Teebone.com that you should use to help find more courses. Unfortunately I don't think that it is on the site anymore. But if you can find away on definately go.

Well thats what i did there and i strongly reccomend Teebone becasue it can search not just by course but by when you wnat to play and can show when tee times are available for a multitude of courses. You can also book the teetimes now!

[naples golf18]

jacaranda golf course is a good course.