Golf and tennis are the heart and soul of Laurel Oak Estates, the gated community just a mile or two past the interstate off of Bee Ridge. One of the 18-hole courses was designed by Gary Player; the other is the handiwork of Rees Jones. Tennis great Monica Seles used to live here. And those strange street names—Albert Tillinghast Drive, Wilfred Reid Circle—no, they’re not famous businessmen, as I first thought. They’re famous golf course designers.

Russ Curran was one of the developers of the place back in the early ‘90s and he picked one of the premium lots, almost an acre, for his own home. It’s just come on the market and it epitomizes the Laurel Oak lifestyle. It’s big—4,000 square feet under air—rather traditional looking, and loaded with every convenience for a large family.

You’ll find five bedrooms and three baths. There are two masters. The one on the ground floor has double dressing rooms; the one upstairs has a balcony overlooking the caged pool. The kitchen has been upgraded and the home has French doors everywhere and lots of built-ins. As you would expect with a builder’s home, everything is top quality. There’s an outdoor kitchen by the pool.

Laurel Oak has the reputation of being family oriented and its residents tend to be a little younger than similar communities. Every year there’s a big Halloween party that everybody participates in, and the social life at the clubhouse is very active, with over 180 events per year. (Country club membership is not required but if you join you’ll have reciprocal privileges at the Bird Key Yacht Club.)

Since it’s located close to the interstate, Laurel Oak is good for commuting. In fact, the current owner is a doctor who works in Tampa.

3171 Dick Wilson Drive is listed at $950,000. For more information, call Lynn Robbins of Coldwell Banker at (941) 376-5077.