On the final hole of the 1969 Ryder Cup match at Royal Birkdale in England, Jack Nicklaus shocked the golf world by conceding a two-foot putt to Tony Jacklin to halve their match for the first of only two ties in Ryder Cup history. Nicklaus’ gesture became known as “the concession” and marked the beginning of a lasting friendship between the two legends that has spanned more than 40 years and inspired one of America’s great golf clubs—The Concession, near Sarasota, Fla. The Nicklaus Signature Golf Course was designed in association with Jacklin and was hailed as the “Best New Private Course” of 2006 by Golf Digest.

In January, The Concession debuted its spacious new Palladian-style clubhouse filled with Ryder Cup memorabilia. With wide verandas overlooking the golf course and lake, the clubhouse features a men’s locker room with leather furniture, flat screen TVs, and a bar, an elegant women’s locker room, and an extensive golf shop. It boasts a culinary masterpiece in its restaurant, Bistro at The Concession, managed by world-renowned Sean Murphy of the Zagat-acclaimed Beach Bistro on Anna Maria Island.

This spring, Nicklaus and Jacklin returned to play the course with owner Bruce Cassidy to observe its maturation and see where they could fine-tune the course’s layout and make a great course even better. “The idea is to make the course more playable without conceding any of the challenge,” said Nicklaus.

By summer’s end most of the improvements had been completed. The changes included constructing several new tee boxes, adding a gold set of tees between the blacks and the blues, and making the course’s edges more forgiving while opening up some landing areas. The result means more fun for the average golfer without affecting the low handicapper.

“Many people who visit the course tell me it’s the best course they’ve ever played, and these people have played a lot of courses around the world. I feel confident we can grow the membership significantly over the next couple years,” said Cassidy.

Cassidy’s confidence has translated into a jump in membership by more than 10 percent in just a few short months, despite the brutal economy.

The Concession, which holds one of the highest Course and Slope Ratings by the USGA in the United States, offers every amenity associated with the world’s most privileged golf clubs. Spanning over 520 nature rich acres, The Concession is a course full of thought-provoking strategic challenges winding around wetlands, 150-foot pines, and 200-year-old oaks with barely a home in site. Membership is capped at 300, so there’s never a crowd. And with the course’s design, golfers often feel as if they have the place to themselves. The maintenance is as good as you’ll find anywhere, with tournament quality conditions year round.

When not enjoying the course and clubhouse, members have all the pleasures of the Sarasota area to savor, including the arts, shopping, dining, and one of the world’s Top 10 Beaches—Siesta Key.

FACTS:
Where:
Just outside Sarasota near the Gulf Coast, six miles east of I-75.

Amenities:
Private 18-hole golf course, new 33,000-square-foot clubhouse with Ryder Cup memorabilia, golf shop, formal and casual dining, private dining rooms, men’s and women’s locker rooms, and card rooms.

Membership:
Limited to 300 members. Six categories of memberships, including new categories: national, international, corporate, and young professional.

Golf:
The par-72, 7,470-yard course is a 2006 collaboration of Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin.

Contact:
941-322-1922
TheConcession.com

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