The Highlands, part of The Meadows Country Club in Sarasota, was designed by Francis Duane, a native of The Bronx, New York. Duane worked with greats such as Robert Trent Jones and Arnold Palmer, eventually going out on his own to design renowned courses such as Bellerive Country Club, St. Louis, Missouri; Big Sky Resorts Golf Course, Big Sky, Montana; Half Moon Bay Links, Half Moon Bay, California; and Kapalua Resort, Lahaina, Maui, Hawai‘i. Duane is known as a profile in courage in golf architecture, as he contracted Guillain- Barré Syndrome, a debilitating disease. Through his illness and as a wheelchair user he still traveled, often with connecting flights, to courses under his design to craft places we still play and enjoy today.

The Highlands was built, along with its sister course, The Meadows, in 1984, the same year as Duane’s death. The well-run complex offers a public/private aspect. Members have access to the member bar clubhouse and restaurants and preferred tee times. Nonmembers are relegated to the tennis facility area bar — a little more honky-tonk, but it serves well as a watering hole after a round. I teed up with Frank Wood, Global Traveler Advisory Board member, for the game.

We arrived way too early, not knowing there was no practice facility. We checked in, and I asked the pro if we could tee off a little early, but he said that was impossible. So there we were, an hour and a half early with no practice site. The pro told us we could go to the putting green near the first tee and roll a few putts and wait. Anyone who knows me is aware this is my worst nightmare: waiting for no reason. With nothing else to do, we jumped into the cart and drove the winding path to the putting green and first hole, where we encountered the starter. I told him, “The pro said you might be able to get us out early,” and the starter said, “He did? Okay, you can go right now, but you need to tee off, as there is a mixed tournament starting shortly.” Happy as clams, we quickly teed off and were on our way for a nice round at The Highlands.

HOLE 2
146 yards, par 3
After rushing through the first hole to take advantage of our early start, we turned to attack the first par 3 on The Highlands, a nicely laid-out hole with water running along the left side to the green. I hit a perfect iron shot to the back of the green, and although too far for a birdie, secured a par. Frank had some water issues, scoring a double bogey.

HOLE 8
372 yards, par 4

I turned this par 4 into a par 5 due to my over-hit tee shot. Frank commented my drives were getting straighter and straighter during the course of the game. This hole is designed as a slight dogleg turning left, lined by trees and water. Long ball hitters like Frank can find the water right, causing a penalty. I landed left and in fine shape but miss-hit my approach to the green, causing me to chip up. The green has bunkers on the left and right toward the back but is generous to well-hit shots.

HOLE 9
502 yards, par 5
This is the most challenging hole on the course, and you need to land your ball no more than 200 yards, favoring the left side. If you are too far right, a large oak tree will block you out of your next shot. This is all clearly on the cart GPS, but I did exactly what I was not supposed to do, causing me to give up my string of bogeys and pars for the front nine. Frank followed the proper procedure, sticking his ball on the left side, not too far, and secured a whopping second shot laying up before a creek running through the fairway. From there he landed the green and two-putted for par.

HOLE 14
195 yards, par 3
If you like alligators, this is the hole for you! With a flat green, this par 3 should be straightforward, the only issue being the water lining the left side. Frank shot his ball right toward the right-side bunker. I was going to make this my comeback hole and used a rescue club to drive the ball to the green. It landed short and took a kick left, resting on the tail of a 6- to 7-foot alligator basking in the sun. A generous ruling by Frank — the safe call — allowed me a drop to chip up to the green and putt in for a bogey. I let the alligator keep the first ball.

HOLE 15
525 yards, par 5
Charging ahead as a twosome, on the back nine we caught up with a rather slow foursome. We saw no one on the front nine — odd, considering the question about teeing up early. Fortunately, the group allowed us to play through the next hole.

On 15, Frank and I put on our A game and played like a couple of “pros from Dover” — a reference to the movie M*A*S*H. This longish par 5 poses fairway bunkers left and right ready to destroy your day. Both our drives landed in the center within a few feet of each other, and I declared these the “Twin Shots.” We both took out our 3-woods and slammed equally strong shots within easy chipping distance of the green. Water sits on the left side of the green, and Frank was dangerously close but safe. Dual chips secured us both on the green in regulation for twin pars!

HOLE 18
393 yards, par 4
This nice finishing hole requires a meticulously accurate drive — and Frank was prepared for a strong finish. Fairway bunkers left and right will capture your drive, as happened with me. Frank hit a ball center and took dead aim to the green with impressive results. He knocked in his ball in two putts for par, and I recovered a bogey.

From here, banished from the member bar, we drove over to the tennis facility and pool and headed into Centre Court Lounge to celebrate our day at he Highlands.