Lee Wetherington Homes has begun construction on its newest custom estate home at The Founders Club, Sarasota’s premier golf club community. Offering 4,821 square feet of indoor living space plus 1,635 square feet of outdoor living area, the home is situated on the fifth hole of the community’s 18-hole championship course.

Designed in a West Indies architectural style, the home features four full suites, including a luxurious master suite with two spacious walk-in closets. His and hers master baths offer the utmost in privacy and connect to an outdoor shower and private garden.

An expansive kitchen, dining room and great room make up the heart of the home. A den and bonus room provide incredible flexibility for the homeowners to use in a variety of ways. Pocket doors lead from the bonus room to the outdoor dining area, part of an enticing 1,093-square-foot alfresco space that includes a summer kitchen and bar and custom swimming pool by LeeSure Water Pools, a Lee Wetherington company.

“Our design professional sat down with our clients and asked them a series of questions to help determine what the key elements were that we need to incorporate into their home,” said Gregg Carlson, CEO of Lee Wetherington Homes. “Many of those questions revolved around how our clients like to relax, how they like to congregate, how they like to dine and how they like to entertain. The feedback provided by our clients was drawn – and in many cases re-drawn – to fine tune the home before arriving at the final design.”

The second floor features two full guest suites plus a retreat and veranda overlooking the golf course. A three-car garage and Florida basement offer plenty of storage space for the homeowners.

“The end result is a custom home designed for our clients’ unique tastes, their personal lifestyle choices and character,” said Carlson. “Such as the his and hers bathrooms in the master suite and flexible spaces for entertaining that can comfortably accommodate any number of guests.”

The home is scheduled for completion this fall.

The Founders Club experience ensures that while no two homes are alike, each reflects the community’s character. Homebuyers at The Founders Club have the option of selecting from one of five preferred builders – Anchor Builders, Arthur Rutenberg-Nelson Homes, Lee Wetherington Homes, London Bay Homes and Nutter Custom Construction. Offering a portfolio of customizable floor plans to fulfill a variety of scenarios, each premier builder offers various architectural styles that seamlessly blend with the aesthetic and natural beauty of the community. An array of expansive homesites overlooking picturesque preserves, lakes and golf course fairways expands homebuyer choices. Home and homesite packages in The Founders Club start in the $700,000s. There are no CDD fees.

Interested homebuyers at The Founders Club can also tour a model home by London Bay Homes to get a sneak peek at what’s possible. The 3,322-square-foot semi-furnished Isabella Grande features a coastal contemporary design, driftwood finishes along with a mixture of textures, silver accents, earth tone woods and artwork that captures the best of Southwest Florida’s lifestyle. With three bedrooms and three baths, the Isabella Grande also offers a study, formal dining room and great room. The model is priced at $1,399,000.

Residents of The Founders Club can also enjoy a spacious but intimate clubhouse featuring casual and fine dining, a fitness center and a full social calendar with the purchase of an optional Club membership. Har-Tru tennis courts, basketball and sand volleyball courts and a picnic pavilion are available to all homeowners at the community, where hundreds of protected live oaks create a natural habitat that attracts a variety of birds and wildlife.

The community’s Robert Trent Jones Jr.–designed championship golf course was carved from the natural landscape, with each hole sculpted in harmony with the natural beauty of its surroundings. No tee times are required and crowds are never an issue, since membership is limited to 275. Members can walk the course at their own pace – utilizing Sarasota’s only traditional caddie program – and enjoy the game as it’s meant to be. The Club’s 7,094-yard, par 72 layout features a backdrop of mighty oak, pine and palm trees and is dotted with tranquil lakes, unspoiled wetlands and natural buffers of untamed landscapes.