Isleworth: A golf club community on the Butler Chain of Lakes, Windermere, FL
About 600 acres in unincorporated Orange County, almost surrounded by lakes and built around a private club that opened in 1986. How the club, the HOA and the lakes work, from the sources.
What is Isleworth?
Where is Isleworth, and what is it?
A guard-gated golf club community in Windermere, FL. Isleworth covers about 600 acres of unincorporated Orange County with a Windermere 34786 address, almost surrounded by the Butler Chain of Lakes. It's built around Isleworth Golf & Country Club, a private club owned by Tavistock Group since 1993.
Isleworth in short
- Once the Chase family's Isleworth Grove; Arnold Palmer bought it in 1984 and the course opened in 1986.
- Outside the Town of Windermere: county taxes, the Orange County Sheriff, no Town ramp pass.
- The club is private and by invitation; the HOA is separate and every owner pays it.
- Six chain lakes border it, including Lake Butler, Lake Tibet-Butler and Lake Louise.
- The county votes on December 1, 2026 on slow-speed zones in canals around it.
A Windermere address, outside the Town.
The Town of Windermere proposed annexing Isleworth in late 2007; it stayed in unincorporated Orange County. That decides who taxes, polices and serves the homes.
What unincorporated means here
- Taxes
- County rates, including fire (2.8437) and sheriff (1.8043) millage, about 15.98 mills in all for FY 2026-27Before any lake district levy and non-ad valorem charges
- Police
- Orange County Sheriff's Office, plus the community's own guard staff
- Town perks
- No Town boat-ramp pass or tennis keys; no vote in Town electionsTown of Windermere FAQ
- Club
- 6100 Payne Stewart Drive, Windermere, FL 34786Isleworth Golf & Country Club, 407-909-2000
- Check a parcel
- The "Municipality" field on the Orange County Property Appraiser's site
How far, in a straight line
From the middle of Isleworth. Straight-line miles, not driving distance.
Show the numbers
| Place | Miles (straight line) |
|---|---|
| Windermere Town Hall | 1.3 |
| Restaurant Row (Sand Lake Rd) | 3.1 |
| Universal Studios Florida | 3.6 |
| Magic Kingdom | 5.3 |
| Downtown Winter Garden | 7.0 |
| EPCOT | 7.3 |
| Downtown Orlando | 10.0 |
| Orlando International Airport | 13.7 |
Calculated from map coordinates (28.4781 N, 81.5272 W), October 2026. Drive times depend on the route and the hour.
Town of Windermere FAQ (accessed October 2026); 2007 annexation proposal: Orlando Sentinel, December 19, 2007, via Wikipedia; FY 2026-27 rates: Orange County (adopted September 24, 2026) and Orange County Public Schools (September 9, 2026). Town and county compared in our Windermere guide.
From a lakeside grove to a golf community.
Brothers Sydney and Joshua Chase of Chase & Co. own citrus groves that include Isleworth Grove, on the Butler Chain.
UCF RICHES, Chase CollectionThe grove is sold to Arnold Palmer.
UCF RICHES, Chase CollectionIsleworth Country Club opens, on a course designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay.
Golf Course Management, Feb 2005Tavistock Group buys the club and the land around it and develops the community.
GrowthSpotter, 2020The course reopens in December after a rebuild by Steve Smyers, lengthened to 7,544 yards.
Golf Course Management, Feb 2005The Town of Windermere proposes annexing Isleworth; it stays in unincorporated Orange County.
Orlando Sentinel, via WikipediaThe course hosts the Hero World Challenge, December 4 to 7; the community association joins Audubon International's Sustainable Communities program.
PGA TOUR; Newswire, April 29, 2014Orange County commissioners hear the proposed boating code, with slow-speed zones in canals around Isleworth.
We'll update this page after the voteThe name dates to the Chase family's Isleworth Grove; sources disagree on where the name itself came from and on the grove's size, so we don't repeat either claim.
Almost surrounded by water.
Isleworth sits in the middle of the Butler Chain, a state-listed Outstanding Florida Water. The six lakes around Isleworth are in the list: pick one, on the map or in the list, to see how it connects and what the county has proposed for its canals.
Acreage: Orange County Water Atlas. At Isleworth: club amenities page, listings and county plats. Zones: Orange County draft boating ordinance, May 19, 2026. Lake outlines © OpenStreetMap contributors.
The six lakes, as a table
| Lake | Acres | Connects to | At Isleworth | County boating zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Louise | 140 | Lake Butler, Lake Isleworth | The club's infinity-edge pool overlooks it; Isleworth West homes on Louise Cove Drive | Slow-speed zones proposed in both connecting channels |
| Lake Butler | 1,600 | Lake Louise; Lake Down via Wauseon Bay | The chain's largest lake, joined to Lake Louise by a canal under Chase Road | Slow-speed zone proposed in the channel to Lake Louise |
| Lake Tibet-Butler | 1,200 | Lake Isleworth, Lake Chase; Lake Sheen | The club's tennis center overlooks it | No-wake in the channel to Lake Chase (existing); slow-speed proposed to Lake Isleworth |
| Lake Chase | 135 | Lake Tibet-Butler, Lake Blanche | Homes front it, some by the course's 2nd tee | Slow-speed zone proposed in the channel to Lake Blanche |
| Lake Blanche | 121 | Lake Chase | Isleworth plats touch it, with neighboring communities | Slow-speed zone proposed in the channel to Lake Chase |
| Lake Isleworth | 86 | Lake Louise, Lake Tibet-Butler | Also called Lake Palmer; the public R.D. Keene Park ramp is on its shore | Idle speed, no wake at the ramp (existing); slow-speed proposed in both channels |
Club docks
Private docks at the club with access to the connected lakes. The club lists boating, fishing, paddleboarding and waterskiing.
R.D. Keene Park
10900 Chase Road, on Lake Isleworth. The nearest public ramp; no key needed.
Your own dock
A new dock needs an Orange County EPD permit, $965.50 to apply from October 1, 2026, plus any association approval.
Isleworth Golf & Country Club amenities page; Orange County Parks boat ramp list; Orange County EPD dock permit page (read October 22, 2026); Rule 62-302.700, F.A.C. (Outstanding Florida Waters, including "Lake Palmer (also known as Lake Isleworth)").
The club, and the HOA: two different things.
Buying a home makes you a member of the community association, not of the club. The club is private, owned by Tavistock Group, optional and joined by invitation.
Isleworth Golf & Country Club
- Owner
- Tavistock Group, since 1993
- Joining
- "By invitation only", with a waiting list; the club doesn't disclose how long it is; several membership types
- Fees
- Not published by the club; third-party figures conflict, so we don't repeat them
- Required?
- No: membership is optional (Andy Neal, October 2026)
- Contact
- Membership Director, 407-909-2004
Isleworth Community Association
- Runs
- The staffed gates, guest lists and gate app, private roads and common areas
- Dues
- $3,297 to $3,672 a quarter in 2025–26 listings, by section
- Documents
- Covenants and rules sit behind the resident login; buyers get them through the sale
- Before you sign
- The HOA disclosure summary (F.S. 720.401)
The course
18 holes, par 72, 7,544 yards from the back tees, rating 77.5 and slope 142, with TifEagle greens.
2005 figures, after the Smyers rebuild89,000 sq ft
A Mediterranean-style clubhouse with several dining rooms, a fitness center and the spa.
Club amenities pageTennis center
Six Har-Tru clay courts, one Plexi Cushion court and a padel court, overlooking Lake Tibet-Butler.
No pickleball listedOn Lake Louise
An infinity-edge pool behind the clubhouse, with a splash pad and a poolside bar and grill.
Club amenities pageClub Membership, Amenities and Golf pages (read October 22, 2026); Golf Course Management, February 2005 (course figures may have changed); Isleworth Community Association public page; MLS listings, 2025–26; membership optional: Andy Neal, October 2026. More from Andy: Isleworth's golf, on his blog.
The HOA, section by section.
Every listing in 2025–26 shows the community association fee. The Gardens of Isleworth adds a second quarterly fee, which covers turnkey landscaping, irrigation and residential landscape-lighting maintenance (Andy Neal, October 2026).
-
A 24-hour staffed gate and securityListed on every 2025–26 example
-
Private roads, maintenance and managementMain community, Isleworth West and the Gardens
-
Reserves, and on most listings cable TV and internetThe Gardens' second fee adds landscaping, irrigation and landscape lighting
-
No community development district foundConfirm on the estoppel certificate and disclosure summary
Paperwork, taxes and insurance
- Estoppel
- Issued within 10 business days; it states the dues and anything else owed to the associationF.S. 720.30851
- Leasing
- Rules are in the governing documents; Florida lets an HOA ban leases shorter than 6 monthsF.S. 720.306
- Taxes
- About 15.98 mills, FY 2026-27; one home paid $45,808 in 2025 taxes5,972 sq ft, Isleworth Country Club Drive; listing record
- Insurance
- 4-point inspection on homes over 20 years old; flood zone varies lot by lotCitizens; FEMA flood maps
HOA figures: Coldwell Banker (MLS O6427447, July 30, 2026); Bex Realty and Realgeeks MLS records (MLS O6392133, O6430931, O6397842, O6349960, O6359789), November 2025 to October 2026. One listing's figures, not the association's budget; confirm for each home. What the Gardens' second fee covers: Andy Neal, October 2026. Recorded prices for each section: Isleworth homes for sale.
Three sections, one community.
Mediterranean architecture has marked Isleworth since it opened. The local paper places the Gardens of Isleworth within the community, and Isleworth West listings show the same HOA fee as the main community.
Estates on golf and lake
Golf-front, lakefront and interior estate lots, with homes built from 1989 on.
Lots about 0.5 to 2.3 acresLouise Cove Drive
Homes built around 2002 near Lake Louise, with some on the water. Residents use either Isleworth gate.
One quarterly HOA feeGarden villas
Smaller homes on Isleworth Gardens Drive and the Garden Courts, built mostly 2006 to 2008. Residents use either Isleworth gate.
A second fee covers the groundsCustom builds
A few at a time: a Gardens home listed for 2027 completion and a pre-construction lakefront estate on Latrobe Drive.
Listings, August and October 2026LINKS Magazine, "LINKS Living: Isleworth" (undated); Orange Observer, February 26, 2026; MLS listing records 2025–26; gates and the Gardens fee: Andy Neal, October 2026. Isleworth has about 331 homes (Andy Neal, November 2026).
Isleworth homes on the market.
The newest Isleworth listings, from the MLS feed. For every home for sale, recorded sale prices and the buying steps, see the Isleworth homes for sale page.
Current Isleworth listings appear here.
See Isleworth homes for saleListings courtesy of Stellar MLS as distributed by MLS GRID. Some IDX listings have been excluded from this website. IDX information is provided for consumers' personal, non-commercial use, is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed by MLS GRID, and each listing shows its listing brokerage, MLS number and status. Presented by Andy Neal, REALTOR®, The Agency FL, (407) 619-3517.
Isleworth next to other gated communities.
| IsleworthWindermere 34786 | Keene's PointeWindermere 34786 | Lake Butler SoundWindermere 34786 | Golden OakOrlando 32836 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gate | Guard-staffed | Guard-staffed, two entrances | Guard-staffed | Guard-staffed |
| Town or county | Unincorporated | Unincorporated | Unincorporated | Unincorporated |
| Water | Butler Chain: six lakes | Lake Tibet-Butler (chain); Lake Burden | Lake Butler (chain) | Not on the chain |
| Golf club | Private, by invitation | Golden Bear Club (Nicklaus, 1999) | None | Golden Oak Club, required for owners |
| HOA example | $3,672 / quarterJul 30, 2026 | $3,578 / yearAug–Sep 2026 | $637 / monthOct 10, 2026 | $10,895 / yearMay 2026, plus club |
| Prices | Sold $2.745M–$11.5MSep 2025–Aug 2026 | Sold $950K–$13.2M2026 | Listed $1.1M–$2.39MOct 2026 | Sold $4.3M–$14MOct 2025–Sep 2026 |
Research files for each community, October 2026: listing records, Orange Observer sales reports, Orange County Property Appraiser deeds (Golden Oak) and Nicklaus Design. HOA = one listing's figure; confirm for each home. Guides: Keene's Pointe, Lake Butler Sound, Golden Oak homes for sale, every Windermere gated community.
Thinking about Isleworth?
Isleworth homes for sale
Every home on the market, recorded sale prices and the steps to buy behind the gate.
See homesGet a free home valuation
An instant estimate, then Andy's value range from recent sales, by email the same day. Not an appraisal.
Start hereA luxury agent in Windermere
How Andy works with buyers and sellers in Windermere's gated communities.
About Andy's serviceIsleworth, answered.
01Where is Isleworth, Florida?
Isleworth is a guard-gated golf community of about 600 acres in unincorporated Orange County with a Windermere, FL 34786 address. It sits on the Butler Chain of Lakes, about 1.3 miles in a straight line from Windermere Town Hall and 10 miles from downtown Orlando, outside the Town of Windermere's limits.
02Who owns Isleworth Country Club?
Tavistock Group has owned Isleworth Golf & Country Club since 1993, when it bought the club and the land around it. Arnold Palmer had bought the former Chase family citrus grove in 1984, and the course opened in 1986. Tavistock also developed Lake Nona in Orlando.
03How much does it cost to be a member at Isleworth?
The club doesn't publish initiation fees or dues. Its website says memberships are by invitation only and have a waiting list, and it doesn't disclose how long the list is. Figures on third-party sites conflict and carry no date or source. For current terms, ask the club's membership office at 407-909-2004.
04Do you have to join the club to buy a home in Isleworth?
No. Club membership is optional (Andy Neal, October 2026). It's separate from buying a home and from the HOA, and it's by invitation, with a waiting list.
05What are the HOA fees in Isleworth?
2025–26 listings show $3,672 a quarter in the main community and Isleworth West, covering a 24-hour staffed gate, private roads, security, reserves and management. Gardens of Isleworth homes show $3,297 to $3,438 a quarter, and some add a second fee of $3,129 for turnkey landscaping, irrigation and residential landscape-lighting maintenance, per Andy Neal. Get the estoppel certificate for the specific home.
06Who designed the Isleworth golf course?
Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay designed the original course, which opened in 1986. Architect Steve Smyers rebuilt it, and it reopened in December 2003 at 7,544 yards from the back tees, par 72, with a 77.5 rating and 142 slope (2005 figures).
07Which lakes does Isleworth sit on?
Isleworth is almost surrounded by the Butler Chain, with over seven miles of shoreline. The club pool overlooks Lake Louise and the tennis center overlooks Lake Tibet-Butler. Homes also front Lake Chase, and Lake Butler, Lake Isleworth and Lake Blanche border the community. The chain is an Outstanding Florida Water.
08Can Isleworth residents boat on the Butler Chain?
Yes. The club has private, members-only docks with access to the connected lakes, and lakefront homes can have private docks with an Orange County permit. The county has proposed slow-speed zones in canals around Isleworth, with hearings on October 28 and December 1, 2026.
09What is Isleworth known for?
Its Palmer and Seay course, rebuilt by Steve Smyers; the 89,000-square-foot Mediterranean-style clubhouse; over seven miles of Butler Chain shoreline; and estate homes on golf and lake lots. The course hosted the PGA TOUR's Hero World Challenge in December 2014.
10Is Isleworth in the Town of Windermere?
No. Isleworth is in unincorporated Orange County, so homes pay the county's fire and sheriff millage instead of the Town's 3.7425 mills. The Town proposed annexing Isleworth in late 2007, but it stayed unincorporated. Check any parcel's "Municipality" field on the Property Appraiser's site.
Ask Andy about Isleworth.
Golf or lake, the main community, Isleworth West or the Gardens: tell Andy what you're weighing. He'll get the HOA figures and documents for any home and arrange showings at the gate.
Talk with Andy
A short note is enough. Andy replies personally.
Andy Neal, Realtor · The Agency FL · (407) 619-3517
Sources and how we compiled this page Updated October 2026 · 19 sources
How we compiled it
Facts come from the club's own pages, county and state records, archives and dated listing records, each checked in October 2026. The club doesn't publish fees, so we don't quote any. We describe the land, homes, club and rules, not the people who live there. Confirm anything you rely on with the source or with Andy.
- Isleworth Golf & Country Club: Home, About, Membership, Amenities, Golf and Contact pages (read October 22, 2026)
- Isleworth Community Association resident site, public page (read October 22, 2026)
- Golf Course Management (GCSAA), "A longer, more difficult Isleworth", February 2005 (MSU archive)
- UCF RICHES: Chase Collection (UF MS 14) and Chase & Co. pamphlet
- GrowthSpotter, December 17, 2020 (Tavistock Group's 1993 purchase)
- Wikipedia, Isleworth, Florida and Windermere, Florida (citing the Orlando Sentinel, December 19, 2007)
- PGA TOUR, Hero World Challenge report, December 7, 2014
- Newswire, Isleworth joins Audubon International's Sustainable Communities Program, April 29, 2014
- LINKS Magazine, "LINKS Living: Isleworth" (undated)
- Orange County Water Atlas, Butler Chain of Lakes; Rule 62-302.700, F.A.C.
- Orange County, Chapter 8 boating code update page and draft ordinance (May 19, 2026)
- Orange County Parks boat ramp list; Orange County EPD dock permit page (read October 22, 2026)
- Town of Windermere, Frequently Asked Questions (accessed October 2026)
- Orange County and Orange County Public Schools, FY 2026-27 adopted millage (September 2026)
- MLS listing records via Coldwell Banker, Bex Realty and Realgeeks, November 2025 to October 2026
- Orange Observer, Windermere home sales, February 26, 2026
- Florida Statutes 720.401, 720.30851 and 720.306 (2026); Citizens Property Insurance inspections page
- Comparison data: research files for Keene's Pointe, Lake Butler Sound and Golden Oak (October 2026)
- Andy Neal, The Agency FL: club membership optional, gate use for Isleworth West and the Gardens, what the Gardens' second fee covers (October 2026)
Andy Neal, Realtor, The Agency FL · 4757 The Grove Dr, Suite 124, Windermere, FL 34786 · (407) 619-3517 · Florida Sales Associate, Lic. SL3396613.
The Agency FL (H2 Collective LLC d/b/a The Agency FL), a Florida-licensed real estate brokerage, Lic. CQ1073923. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Information on this page is for general guidance and was checked in October 2026; it isn't legal, tax or insurance advice. Andy Neal and The Agency FL are not affiliated with Isleworth Golf & Country Club, Tavistock Group or the Isleworth Community Association. Lake outlines © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
