Vélez Smith Collection
The Concession
Neighborhood
The Concession
A Jack Nicklaus championship course, a storied name and estate homes tucked into 1,200 preserved acres.
The Concession pairs one of Florida's most decorated private golf courses with a small collection of custom estate homes east of Lakewood Ranch. Named for one of golf's great acts of sportsmanship, the community stepped onto a bigger stage in April 2026 as host of the Senior PGA Championship — the first of three straight years in the spotlight.
- Club founded
- 2006
- Course
- Jack Nicklaus Signature design, in association with Tony Jacklin
- Community
- Approx. 1,200 acres; fewer than 270 estate homesites planned
- Homesites
- Half acre to over an acre
- Enclaves
- Birkdale, Nicklaus Manor, Lindrick, Parkstone Estates
- Access
- Gated, 24-hour staffed security; entries off SR 70 and University Parkway
- Championship host
- Senior PGA Championship, 2026–2028
Timeline
1969
Jack Nicklaus concedes Tony Jacklin's putt at the Ryder Cup — the moment the club is named for
2006
Course opens; named Golf Digest's Best New Private Course in America
2009
Bruce Cassidy acquires ownership and begins rebuilding the club
2015
Hosts NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Golf Championships
2021
Hosts PGA Tour's WGC-Workday Championship, won by Collin Morikawa
April 2026
Hosts Senior PGA Championship (April 16–19, won by Stewart Cink), first of three consecutive years through 2028; 14-acre entrance completed
Overview
The Concession takes its name from a single gesture: at the 1969 Ryder Cup, Jack Nicklaus conceded Tony Jacklin's short putt on the final green, ending the matches in the first tie in Ryder Cup history. Nearly four decades later, Nicklaus designed this course in association with Jacklin, and it opened in 2006 to immediate acclaim — Golf Digest named it America's Best New Private Course that year. The club sits on Lindrick Lane off State Road 70 in Bradenton, along the Manatee-Sarasota county line just east of Lakewood Ranch's villages, with the surrounding community spanning roughly 1,200 acres of oak hammocks, pines, lakes and protected wetlands. Fewer than 270 estate homesites are planned in total, and — unusually for a Florida golf community — the course itself was deliberately routed with no homes lining the fairways. The club's profile has climbed steadily under owner Bruce Cassidy, who acquired it in 2009: it hosted the NCAA Division I Championships in 2015, the PGA Tour's WGC-Workday Championship in 2021, and in April 2026 welcomed the Senior PGA Championship, which returns in 2027 and 2028. Ahead of the tournament, the club completed a 14-acre entrance and arrival area and cleared palmettos to open up sightlines across the grounds.
Residences
Homes here are custom, built one at a time on homesites that run from a half acre to well over an acre — a scale that has become rare in the area. The community is organized into four enclaves: Birkdale, home to Jack Nicklaus Cove and select golf-course-view homesites; Nicklaus Manor, set among native oak hammocks and lakes; Lindrick, known for deep setbacks and minimal traffic; and Parkstone Estates, a quiet corner framed by preserves and lake views. A short list of area builders — including John Cannon Homes, Anchor Builders, Lee Wetherington Homes and Kemick Builders — has done much of the work, and broker profiles describe residences ranging from roughly 3,000 to 15,000 square feet. Architecture leans toward classically detailed estates with generous outdoor living: courtyards, loggias, pools and summer kitchens oriented to water, preserve or fairway views rather than to neighboring rooftops.
Amenities
The centerpiece is the Jack Nicklaus Signature course, consistently ranked among Golf Digest's top ten courses in Florida, supported by a 23-acre practice facility. The clubhouse offers formal and casual dining, including The Concession Bistro, along with a pro shop, locker rooms and card rooms; on-site guest lodging includes cottages, casitas and a lodge for members and their guests. Broker profiles also note tennis and fitness facilities within the community. Club membership is separate from home ownership — several local sources describe it as optional for residents, and the club also offers culinary memberships for dining access — though terms evolve, so buyers should confirm current membership policies directly with the club. The community itself is gated with 24-hour staffed security, with access points off State Road 70 and University Parkway, and the tournament-driven improvements — the new 14-acre entrance and cleared sightlines — have sharpened the arrival experience for residents and guests alike.
Location
The Concession carries a Bradenton address (34202) but lives within the greater Lakewood Ranch orbit, minutes from the shops and restaurants of Lakewood Ranch Main Street and Waterside Place. The University Town Center district — with its department stores, dining and Nathan Benderson Park's rowing venue — is a straightforward drive west along University Parkway, which continues on to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Downtown Sarasota's theaters, galleries and bayfront are roughly 30 to 40 minutes away, and the Gulf beaches of Lido and Longboat Key sit beyond that. Premier Sports Campus, the tournament's spectator parking hub about five miles away, anchors the fast-growing east side of Lakewood Ranch.
Lifestyle
Days here move at the pace of a quiet country road: morning rounds on a course with no houses in view, practice sessions at the 23-acre range, lunch at the Bistro, evenings on a lanai overlooking a preserve. April now brings tournament energy, as the Senior PGA Championship sets up its grandstands and villages on the grounds through 2028 — a rare chance to watch a major championship unfold at the end of one's own street. Beyond the gates, the rhythm extends to Sunday polo season at the Sarasota Polo Club, the farmers market at Waterside Place, rowing regattas at Nathan Benderson Park and the slow spectacle of sandhill cranes crossing Lindrick Lane.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called The Concession?
The name honors Jack Nicklaus's concession of Tony Jacklin's short putt on the final green of the 1969 Ryder Cup, which produced the first tie in the event's history and is remembered as one of golf's great acts of sportsmanship. Nicklaus later designed the course here in association with Jacklin, and it opened in 2006.
Did The Concession really host the Senior PGA Championship?
Yes. The Concession hosted the Senior PGA Championship April 16–19, 2026 — won by Stewart Cink — and is scheduled to host again in 2027 and 2028. It was the first senior major played in Florida in decades, drawing up to 7,000 spectators daily, with parking staged at Premier Sports Campus and shuttles to the club.
Do homeowners have to join the golf club?
Club membership is separate from home ownership and is not automatically included with a home purchase. Several local sources describe membership as optional for residents, and the club offers non-golf culinary memberships, but membership terms and availability change over time — confirm current policies directly with The Concession Golf Club before purchasing.
Is The Concession part of Lakewood Ranch?
Not formally. It is an independently developed community with a Bradenton address (34202) along the Manatee-Sarasota county line, just east of Lakewood Ranch's villages off State Road 70. In practice it shares Lakewood Ranch's shopping, dining and airport access, and is commonly grouped with the area's golf communities.
Are there homes along the golf course?
By design, the course was built as a championship venue with no homes lining the fairways — a deliberate choice by the club's founders to preserve tournament-caliber conditions and natural views. Select homesites in the Birkdale enclave offer golf course views from a distance, but play is framed by pines, oaks and wetlands rather than rooflines.
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