The 7,400-yard, par-72 course is being designed by former professional golf great Nick Price. In addition, a 30-acre practice and performance facility will be designed by renowned golf instructor David Leadbetter. There were be 93 custom-built homes on the property, too.

Lakewood Ranch’s Charles Duff knew he and partners David Turner and John Galt were giving former golf great Nick Price an imposing challenge when they asked him to design a world class course in Myakka City, Fla., yourobserver.com reported.

Besides all of the typical challenges of developing a 7,400-yard, par-72 course, Price was told he could not touch any of the wetlands that run through the 537 acres of the new Soleta community, yourobserver.com reported. In addition, the 93 custom-built homes on the property were not to be connected to the golf course.

How did Price, who is in the World Golf Hall of Fame, perform on his assignment?

“He did 56 iterations of design,” Duff said.

“Nick impressed us from Day 1,” Turner added. “It was intimidating, but he wanted to be involved with it.”

Duff said that kind of commitment is going to make the Soleta golf community not only one of the best in Florida, but one of the best in the country and beyond, yourobserver.com reported.

Besides forging a deal with Price, who won three major professional golf tournaments and attained the No. 1 ranking in the world during his golfing career, the partners signed famous golf instructor David Leadbetter to design a 30-acre practice and performance facility on the grounds, yourobserver.com reported.

Leadbetter might be known best for rebuilding the swing of Nick Faldo, who ended up winning six major tournaments, yourobserver.com reported. Ledbetter-coached players have won 26 majors.

In a release, Leadbetter said the new practice facility will be a “field of dreams.”

Away from the golf course, luxury home builders John Cannon Homes and Anchor Builders have been signed to design the custom homes, yourobserver.com reported.

“When we saw the availability of this property, we went back and forth on whether this was the right fit,” Duff said. “We had mixed feelings (among the partners).”

While the wild setting offered significant challenges to build, it always guaranteed a one-of-a-kind setting, yourobserver.com reported.

“I was a little unsure,” Turner said. “But when we dug in, it felt like the right location, and the right product.”

While the new development met some resistance from members of the community, it was passed by the Manatee County Commission in June 5-1, yourobserver.com reported.

Duff said his connections to the area did allow him to talk with “certain residents” about the project as it did encounter some push-back.

“Ninety-three homes [on 537 acres] is not overdeveloping the area based on our conversations with our new neighbors,” Duff said. “There is a lack of space in other places [for a golf course in Manatee County].”

Although Myakka City is 25 miles from Sarasota and 30 miles from Bradenton, Duff said he didn’t believe the new residents of Soleta will mind driving to metropolitan areas, yourobserver.com reported.

“This is going to be a world class golf course,” Duff said. “We think it is something where people will be willing to drive.”

Turner, who lives in Richmond Hill, Ga., said construction on model homes should begin early in 2024, yourobserver.com reported. Golf course construction is expected to begin this fall. The hope is that the course will be open for play late in 2024.

“The final site plan will be approved later this year, we hope,” Turner said. “People have wanted to move to the area, but the golf courses have multi-year waiting lists. Then they heard this is coming.”

Turner said the course’s natural setting will make golfers feel like they “are playing in the middle of nowhere,” yourobserver.com reported. The course will wind through pastures, oak-filled prairies, and fields with saw palmettos.

The owners do not expect to chase big professional events to be hosted at the course, yourobserver.com reported.

“I don’t know that would be a good fit,” Duff said. “We are going to be more focused on providing for our members.”

The golf club and practice and performance facility will only be open to club members.

The course will be built by Heritage Links, a golf course and irrigation builder which has built heralded projects such as Trump National Doral Blue Monster, The Golf Club at Dove Mountain in Arizona, Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington.

Price’s indoor/outdoor facility will include a state-of-the-art biomechanics studio, a putting studio, GolfZon simulators and other advanced training technologies, yourobserver.com reported.The driving range will have covered hitting bays.