The Oaks Club in Osprey recently received the “Distinguished Emerald Club of the World” award from BoardRoom magazine and Golf Digest recently recognized the club for the redesign of the Heron Course by Hurdzan/Fry Environmental Golf Design. The "Emerald Club" designation places the Oaks among the top 4 percent of all clubs in the world. The Oaks is the only residential country club community in West Central Florida to receive that honor, according to a press release. The Heron Course, meanwhile, was one of 11 U.S. courses honored as part of the fifth annual American Society of Golf Course Architects' Design Excellence Recognition Program. State-of-the-art infrastructure was implemented for the Heron Course, with drainage, bunkers and greens that have weathered tropical storms and a hurricane.