Jimmy Lynn – President of Lifestyle Management Group of Florida – has come a long way since we first met in 2011. After spending 10 years in the golf industry, running sales and marketing for the largest publisher of golf travel information in the world, I had taken a position outside of golf but was still doing a little writing about golf courses and equipment. On the occasions I was sent some equipment, I would head to the driving range at The Club at Gateway. I had worked out a deal with General Manager Jimmy Lynn, mentioning his club’s facilities in those earlier articles. Our friendship grew and we played a fair amount of golf together. Life happened; Jimmy moved to a club in Naples, and I relocated to Lakeland to be closer to family.
Fast forward 12 years and we both have new, successful career paths. Jimmy put together an investor and created Lifestyle Management Group of Florida which owns/manages four clubs in Southwest Florida: The Club at Westminster, Quail Creek Village, Bonita Fairways, and Gateway. As a management company, LMGO’s goal is to elevate each private club and make them relevant in every aspect of services and facilities, thus creating sustainability for the long term and satisfied members.
Of the four properties Gateway has seen the biggest changes; it is a lot nicer and more family-oriented than on my last visit. As a Fort Myers, Florida resident, you could always find a way to get on and play at Gateway. But not anymore! The Club at Gateway is now a private country club that offers not only an 18-hole Tom Fazio Signature golf course but also an incredible Ron Garl-designed 20-acre practice facility with two practice holes. The Club at Gateway is widely regarded as one of the best layouts in Southwest Florida.
Lifestyle Management Group of Florida owns and manages the property and is finishing up a multi-million dollar renovation project that includes a completely renovated 300-seat banquet and meeting space, a state-of-the-art fitness center, an open exhibition kitchen with wood burning pizza oven, private wine storage area, and a resort-style pool with a Tiki bar. Pickleball and bocce courts have been added as well.
The Club at Westminster closed the golf course and driving range earlier this year and is undergoing a major renovation with plans to re-open in October. This includes a wall-to-wall re-grassing of the entire course and practice areas with Bimini grass and completely renovating the greens, coring out the existing greens and 8-12” of dirt, and then replanting with certified Tif-Eagle grass from Georgia. The Club at Westminster is a semi-private golf course with resident & non-resident memberships.
Lifestyle Management Group of Florida acquired Bonita Fairways Golf Club in early 2021. In the words of Jimmy Lynn, “Bonita Fairways is a self-sustaining golf club. During the season, the tee sheets are always full and the restaurant is packed.” The par 61, 3500-yard golf course was designed by Gordon Lewis and is anything but a pushover with six holes in the 300-yard range. The golf course is surrounded by a nature preserve and the lakes that you’ll encounter as you play your way around the course will challenge both your short game and your long game as well!
Before your round, warm up your short game and putting stroke on the full-size putting green. There’s a fully stocked pro shop in case you need any last-minute necessities, and the Bobcat Café can handle your thirst and hunger after your round.
Quail Creek Village became a part of the LMGOF portfolio in 2019. Shortly after purchasing the club, Lifestyle Management Group did a total renovation of the golf course. Originally designed by Gordon Lewis, Quail Creek Village is a short course the plays slightly less than 5,000 yards with a par of 69. Don’t let the length fool you; there are three par 5’s, nine par 4’s, and six par 3’s, and water comes into play on at least 11 holes. Greens tend to be small but well-undulated and well-protected by sand bunkers. You’ll find a lot of the members getting their exercise by walking the golf course after 11 a.m.
The clubhouse was also recently renovated and offers lunch 7 days a week with themed dinners on Tuesday and Friday nights. Bogeys, the poolside pub overlooking the golf course, is another favorite gathering place for members and offers great food and friendly service.
Lifestyle Management Group of Florida is poised to become a top golf management company in Florida. One of their biggest assets is a subsidiary company, D. Garrett Construction Company, Inc. This allows them to go after clubs that need major repair and renovation. Instead of purchasing a club and subbing the work out to a general contractor and sub-contractors, they can purchase a club and do the work themselves, saving a great deal of time and money. Look for good things from Jimmy Lynn and his staff at LMGOF. For more information, visit their website at www.lmgof.com.
