Copperleaf Golf Club in Estero, Florida, recently celebrated the grand opening of its upscale and completely renovated $20 million Clubhouse, which features 28,000 square feet of dining and entertainment options for its members. This is the final step and crowning achievement of a total revitalization of the 23-year-old clubhouse and pool complex after its initial groundbreaking in June 2023.
David Dore-Smith, General Manager/COO of Copperleaf at The Brooks, welcomed several hundred members, vendors, and the construction team to the grand opening event with a champagne celebration on October 21, introducing guests to all areas of the state-of-the-art clubhouse and its facilities.
“Copperleaf has always been admired for its golf course,” shared Dore-Smith, “additionally, we now have first-class dining and entertainment options for club and associate members that are elevating our club with best-in-class features to serve our members for decades to come. Copperleaf Guests can experience indoor and outdoor dining, served by a massively expanded food service facility. Meeting spaces have been doubled, the size of our Golf Shop has increased dramatically, the bag room has been expanded for our golf members, and the employee work areas have created a great place to work.”
Primary professionals who comprised the building team include Curran Young Construction (CYC), one of the area’s largest locally-owned construction firms; Loren Wegman of Wegman Design; Dave Humphrey of Humphrey Rosal Architects; Marisa Mangani of Mise En Place Design, Food Service designer; Johnson-Lancaster, food service contractor; Matthew Thornburg of Interlink, IT contractor; and Beyond Audio Video, AV | Security contractor.
Loren Wegman of Wegman Design was responsible for the spectacular interiors of the entire clubhouse and its custom lighting. She was welcomed to the grand opening event with applause from the club members. The interiors feature a palate of warm and welcoming tones, with comfortable seating. All lighting was custom designed exclusively for Copperleaf. Loren added that she most enjoys creating designs that are uniquely branded for the clients she serves.
Shared Gordon Knapp,, Owner’s Project Manager and President of Knapp Construction Management, LLC, “Everyone on the team pulled together as they battled the challenges, and the project stayed on track,” said Knapp. “Sincere congratulations are extended to Chris Curran and his team at Curran Young Construction for weathering many storms and delivering a fantastic, finished product.”
Executive Chef Justin Hornyak,, who recently completed his first year at Copperleaf, toured club members in his shining 3-section kitchen, which will be staffed by two sous chefs and 18 cooks when the club is at full capacity. A graduate of the Pennsylvania Culinary Arts Institute, Chef Justin has been a professional chef for over two decades and loves cooking a wide variety of customer favorites.
Seasoned hospitality professional Carmine Spiro is Copperleaf’s Food & Beverage Director. With a staff of over 30 servers, Carmine is a strong proponent of hospitality training. His immediate goal is to bring exceptional service to club members. “With our expanded dining and entertainment facilities, we have decided to open our venues to non-members wishing an elegant location for weddings and other special events during May-October.” Contact him at Carmines@copperleafgc.com for additional information. Both are excited to welcome members and guests to the new dining venues and look forward to a fun-filled upcoming season.
Fine Dining.
The main dining room, The Leaf, overlooks the 9th hole and features a state-of-the-art kitchen with an expanded menu and bar offerings. All walls and ceilings are covered in WhisperSpan™ acoustic panels to absorb noise.
Casual dining.
Greenside provides the setting for casual indoor/outdoor dining overlooking the 18th hole, with 10 TVs for sports enthusiasts. It serves cocktails and small bites as diners watch golfers complete their rounds and features spectacular vaulted ceilings that tower to 25′ at their peak. The Banyan and Cypress multi-purpose rooms are ideal for various club events and activities, including an extensive card and tile program.
Outdoor dining.
In response to members’ requests for additional covered and protected outdoor seating areas, Ospreys poolside cafe opened in March 2024, featuring a 22-seat oval-shaped bar with multiple TVs overlooking the golf course and lakes. The venue has become a favorite casual dining venue. Ospreys’ diners enjoy 13 TVs – 55″ to 85″. The AV components use an integrated Q-SYS system, allowing AV and sound control from iPads and mobile devices. Operable screens and shutters close in patrons at outdoor dining and bar areas to avoid outside elements.
Unique to other area clubhouses, the clubhouse’s spaces can be adjusted with operable partitioning features to suit all types and sizes of events. Building exteriors include hurricane-rated glazing and the added protection of operable hurricane shutters. The entire complex has a mixture of flooring types determined by space use and acoustic requirements, including tile, LVT, and carpet.
About Copperleaf Golf Club.
Built by Pulte Homes in 2000, Copperleaf Golf Club is a gated 460-acre master-planned development featuring 570 single-family and carriage homes. Neighborhoods overlook emerald fairways, picturesque greens, and vibrant lakes. Copperleaf is a Blue Zone-certified community and one of only 100 Audubon-certified golf clubs in Florida. The 18-hole golf course was designed by Gordon Lewis and redesigned in 2015 by course architect Kipp Schulties. Bundled golf provides homeowners with membership in the Golf Club with no initiation fees, plus some of the lowest playing density of area courses. The Club offers 55 Associate Annual Memberships for those who live off-property. Resort-styled amenities include tennis and bocce courts, a geothermally heated swimming pool and spa, fitness center, and a 1.7-mile walking and biking loop.
For additional information, contact info@copperleafgc.com or visit www.CopperleafGC.com.
