At a glance
| Location | Unincorporated Orange County, west of Apopka Vineland Road, Windermere mailing address (ZIP 34786) |
|---|---|
| Size | About 600 acres |
| Golf | Isleworth Golf and Country Club; Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay design, opened 1986, redesigned by Steve Smyers in 2004 |
| Clubhouse | 89,000-square-foot Mediterranean-style clubhouse |
| Water | Butler Chain of Lakes, including Lake Isleworth, Lake Louise, Lake Butler and Lake Tibet-Butler |
| Security | Gated, with guard patrols around the clock (per a local brokerage) |
What Isleworth is known for
Isleworth is known for its private golf club, its lakefront estates and its privacy. The name goes back to the Isle of Worth, land that brothers Sydney and Joshua Chase used for their citrus company, Chase and Co., formed in 1884. Arnold Palmer bought the property in 1984 and, with the Concord Corporation, built an 18-hole course before the homes. Top 100 Golf Courses credits the original layout to Palmer and Ed Seay, opening in 1986, and a multimillion-dollar redesign by Steve Smyers in 2004. Palmer sold the 600-acre community to Aviva Land Holdings in 1993.
The club has hosted the Tavistock Cup, first televised in 2004 as a match against Lake Nona, and the 2014 Hero World Challenge. Its grounds display sculpture, including the Wall Street Charging Bull and works attributed to Henry Moore and Salvador Dali.
Is Isleworth a good area to live?
It suits buyers looking for a gated estate, lake frontage on one of Florida's most protected lake systems and a private club on the doorstep, and whose budget starts in the millions. The trade-offs are cost, club and association obligations, and rules on building and renovating.
On the question of whether Isleworth is an affluent area, the housing data speaks for itself: the listing range above sits several times higher than Zillow's typical value for Windermere, $707,471 in August 2026, which was up 0.1% over the year.
Isleworth homes and prices
Zillow does not publish a figure for Isleworth, and at this price level a handful of sales can swing any average. Use closed sales within the gates, adjusted for lot, water frontage and age.
Lakefront estates
Lots on Lake Butler, Lake Louise, Lake Tibet-Butler and the smaller lakes carry the highest prices. The brokerage snapshot listed homes from about 2,848 to 15,337 square feet with three to seven bedrooms. Ask for a survey showing the shoreline, dock permits and any seawall work.
Golf-course homes
Homes along the fairways trade on view and privacy. Check the club's rules on landscaping, fences and screening near the course.
Homesites and rebuilds
The same brokerage describes 360 lots developed over the community's life. Some buyers purchase an older home to replace it, so budget for the architectural review process, demolition and new permits from Orange County.
Living in Isleworth
The club
The Isleworth Golf and Country Club's 89,000-square-foot clubhouse holds a fitness center, spa, restaurants and event space, and the club describes itself as one of the Top 100 Platinum Clubs of the World. Membership terms are set by the club, so ask before you buy whether a membership is required, offered or transferable.
Boating on the Butler Chain
The Butler Chain is 13 lakes with more than 5,000 acres of surface water and 32 navigable canals. It became the first lake system in Florida to be named an Outstanding Florida Water, in 1985. The Windermere Water Navigation Control District oversees it, and the Butler Patrol enforces the rules on the water.
Schools
Orange County Public Schools assigns schools by address, and boundaries change. Check the exact address with the district rather than relying on a listing. Several private schools are nearby, including Windermere Preparatory School.
Getting around
Isleworth is close to Apopka Vineland Road, Interstate 4 and the Turnpike. The Town of Windermere itself sits on the strip of land between Lake Down and Lake Butler. For the wider area, compare Dr. Phillips to the east.
HOA, club and tax costs in Isleworth
Association fees
The community has a homeowners association, but its fees are not published online. Ask for the budget, the current assessment, reserves, any special assessment and an estoppel letter, and read the architectural guidelines before you plan changes. The Florida HOA laws guide explains your rights to those records.
Club dues
The club sets its own initiation and dues. Get them in writing, and check whether any are tied to ownership of the home.
Property tax
Isleworth stayed unincorporated when nearby Butler Bay voted to join the Town of Windermere in 2007, so it pays Orange County's unincorporated rates, not the town's 3.7425 city rate. In 2025, unincorporated Orange County totals ranged from 16.0858 to 19.4681 mills depending on the mill code, so check the parcel's code. A new owner's value resets to market value, and on a multimillion-dollar home that swing is large. The Orange County property tax guide shows how to estimate it.
Insurance and flood
Lakefront homes need a flood zone check on FEMA's map and an elevation certificate if one exists. Get wind and flood quotes before your inspection period ends; see the Florida homeowners insurance guide.
Pros and cons of Isleworth
Pros
- A private club with a Palmer-founded course and a large clubhouse.
- Access to the 13-lake Butler Chain, an Outstanding Florida Water.
- Gated with round-the-clock patrols.
Cons
- Prices from the millions, with a steep property tax reset on purchase.
- Association and club costs that are not published.
- Architectural rules on renovation and new building.
Compare other lake and golf communities in the Windermere local agent guide, including Lakes of Windermere.
Common questions
Where is Isleworth in Florida?+
Isleworth is in unincorporated Orange County west of Apopka Vineland Road, with a Windermere mailing address in ZIP 34786. It surrounds several lakes on the Butler Chain, including Lake Isleworth, Lake Louise, Lake Butler and Lake Tibet-Butler. It is not inside the Town of Windermere's limits.
Is Isleworth a gated community?+
Yes. A local brokerage describes guard-patrolled security 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Ask the association how guests, contractors and deliveries are admitted, and whether any section has its own additional gate or rules.
How much do homes in Isleworth cost?+
A local brokerage's listing snapshot showed asking prices from about $2.8 million to $19.5 million, for homes of roughly 2,848 to 15,337 square feet. Zillow's typical value for the whole 34786 ZIP code was $702,439 in August 2026, so Isleworth sits far above the local average. Price each home from closed sales inside the gates.
Who designed the Isleworth golf course?+
Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay designed the original course, which opened in 1986, according to Top 100 Golf Courses. Steve Smyers completed a multimillion-dollar redesign in 2004. The course is part of the private Isleworth Golf and Country Club.
Is Isleworth an affluent area?+
By home values, yes. Asking prices in a recent brokerage snapshot ran from about $2.8 million to $19.5 million, several times Zillow's August 2026 typical value of $707,471 for Windermere. We do not describe the people who live there; use sales and tax data when you compare areas.
Sources
- Isleworth Golf and Country Club: About
- Isleworth Golf and Country Club: Discover
- Top 100 Golf Courses: Isleworth Golf and Country Club
- Realty in Orlando: Isleworth history
- Realty in Orlando: Isleworth real estate
- Wikipedia: Windermere, Florida (2007 annexation and Isleworth)
- Orange County Water Atlas: Butler Chain of Lakes
- Orange County Property Appraiser: 2025 Final Millage Rates
- Zillow Research: city and ZIP home values (ZHVI), August 2026