Here's a list of 20 golf communities from Florida to Oregon.
Mature, established developments, with limited real estate inventory, are balanced by promising newcomers that offer a wider variety of real estate product.
BELFAIR
Hilton Head Island, SC; (800) 587-7710
Real Estate. New low-density community has quiet, tree-lined streets. Half-acre homesites range from $110,000 to $500,000, depending on location. Club homesites (75-foot-wide lot intended for a four-bedroom house) average $135,000. Homes start at $395,000.
Golf. Tom Fazio-designed East Course heralded as one of best ever built in the Low Country. Several holes skirt salt marshes and tidal creeks of Port Royal Basin. Good versatility from five sets of tees. No intrusive housing behind greens. First nine of Fazio's West Course, designed for walking, due spring '98. Belfair's Jim Ferree Golf Learning Center is world-class.
Climate. Spring and fall best, sweater weather in winter, summers are sticky.
Perks/Quirks. Despite P.O. box address, new community is located on mainland in Bluffton near (but not on) Hilton Head Island. Setting, however, is exceptional, with centuries-old Avenue of Oaks, wildlife habitats, freshwater lakes, wide expanse of Colleton River bordering property. Good restaurants, beaches on Hilton Head.
BOYNE USA RESORTS
Northwest Michigan; (800) 462-6963
Real Estate. Multipronged entity 45 minutes from Traverse City has real estate offerings at Boyne Mountain (homesites overlooking Deer Lake run $38,000 to $55,000); Boyne Highlands (five products, from Moor homesites at $45,500 to Ross cottages starting at $210,000); Crooked Tree (70 homesites from $59,000 to $139,000); and Bay Harbor (80 Inn suites starting at $179,000, homesites from $85,000 to $1 million along Lake Michigan coastline).
Golf. New 27-hole Bay Harbor Golf Club by Arthur Hills is attention grabber: Eight holes on Links nine occupy bluffs above Lake Michigan. Preserve and Quarry nines due this summer. Boyne Highlands has Nicklaus/Flick Golf School, three fine layouts (Moor, Heather, Donald Ross Memorial), plus nine holes of new Arthur Hills course open. Boyne Mountain has Monument and Alpine courses. Crooked Stick, acquired last year, overlooks Little Traverse Bay.
Climate. Season is short -- May through October in a good year.
Perks/Quirks. Superb fly fishing in Maple and Sturgeon Rivers, gaslight shopping district in Petoskey, good dining in Harbor Springs, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore nearby. Black flies can be pesky early in season.
BROKEN TOP
Bend, OR; (800) 382-7600
Real Estate. 775-acre community is located on dry, high-desert side of Cascade Mountains in central Oregon beside Deschutes National Forest. Half-acre homesites (mostly fairway) average $125,000. Maintenance-free townhomes range from $209,500 to $325,000. Home-and-site packages in patio home neighborhood run $259,500 to $363,500. Existing custom homes are $289,900 to $850,000.
Golf. Weiskopf-Morrish course integrates huge rock outcrops, Ponderosa pines, five water features, abandoned rock quarries. Green at signature par-four 11th is perched above 45-foot-high pumice wall. Walking encouraged. Copper-roofed clubhouse, built from sandalwood stone quarried on site and situated on mesa overlooking lake, has panoramic view of Cascades.
Climate. Nearly 300 sunny days per year, low humidity. Warm days and cool nights prevail. Golf season is mid-March to mid-November.
Perks/Quirks. Community is a short walk or bike ride from Bend. Road from Broken Top leads to Mt. Bachelor, a ski mountain. In spring, residents can ski, fish, river raft, mountain bike, and play golf in same day. Club's dining room has sweeping view of seven major Cascade peaks. Ranked one of top-five communities in United States by National Association of Homebuilders in 1994.
CEDAR CREEK
Aiken, SC; (800) 937-5362
Real Estate. Laid-back community 25 miles west of Augusta, Georgia has homesites from the low $30,000s, custom homes (with lot) from $129,900.
Golf. Appealing 7,206-yard layout by Arthur Hills, opened in 1991, has lots of sand, pedestal greens. Each hole tucked in its own wooded compartment. Walking permitted.
Climate. Golf is played year-round. Summers are hot.
Perks/Quirks. Century 21 ranked Aiken the number 1 place to retire in 1995, while Money magazine ranked the town among the nation's top-10 places to retire in 1994. Community has 1,150 acres of pristine woods and wildlife sanctuaries, walking trails, field for outdoor activities of all kinds.
CORDILLERA
Edwards, CO; (800) 624-0632
Real Estate. Upscale resort community near Vail, half of its 4,100 acres dedicated to open space, has one- to two-acre homesites averaging $300,000. "Vertical product" includes enclave (common site) homes, most around golf courses, ranging from $700,000 to $1.3 million. Spec homes start at $850,000, custom homes from $1 million.
Golf. Mountain Course by Hale Irwin is a 7,369-yard roller-coaster ride through Rockies. Tom FazioÕs Valley Course, scheduled to open July 1 at lower elevation in high-desert setting, has good views of New York Mountains. Ten-hole, par-three Short Course by Dave Pelz is also due July 1.
Climate. Valley Course, built in a "mini-banana belt," will be open from late March through late October. Mountain Course season is shorter.
Perks/Quirks. The Lodge & Spa at Cordillera, a GOLF Magazine Silver Medalist, will expand to 56 rooms this summer. Superb dining at Picasso's. Spa is world-class. Excellent trout fishing in Flat Tops Wilderness. Also sporting clays and skeet shooting (with instruction), hiking, exercise center.
COUNTRY CLUB OF MOUNT DORA
Mt. Dora, FL; (800) 290-3672
Real Estate. Six-year-old central Florida community 30 minutes north of Orlando has single-family homes priced from $120,000 to $500,000.
Golf. Golf course, designed by Lloyd Clifton, is a 6,612-yard layout that partakes of region's natural assets: rolling hills and lakes. A pleasant, country-club-style test, not overbearing.
Climate. Mt. Dora is 182 feet above sea level-club usually enjoys a pleasant breeze. Spring and fall best for golf.
Perks/Quirks. With its charming downtown area (sidewalk cafes, antique shops), Mt. Dora is a hot spot for retirees and pre-retirees. Rolling terrain usually reminds East Coast folks of home. (There is, however, no Mt. Dora to climb.) Lake County has more than1,400 lakes-lots of boating and bass fishing, plus access to Atlantic Ocean via Chain of Lakes. Disney World and other major attractions are nearby.
DESERT MOUNTAIN
Scottsdale, AZ; (800) 322-0044
Real Estate. Major complex in northeast Scottsdale, opened in 1986, has sold 1,400 pieces of property to date. Custom-lot inventory is 150. Prices start at $275,000, including $125,000 deferred equity golf membership. Developer-built homes range from low $600,000s to $1 million-plus. Availability is about 120-plus units, with homes in each of community's six villages.
Golf. Four Jack Nicklaus courses: Renegade, Cochise, Geronimo, and Apache. Cochise hosts The Tradition at Desert Mountain, a major championship on Senior PGA Tour. All four are challenging, target-style layouts laid into high Sonoran desert. Master plan includes a fifth Nicklaus course.
Climate. Excellent year-round summer temperatures 10 degrees cooler than downtown Phoenix.
Perks/Quirks. Club's amenity package includes tennis (grass, clay, and hard court), fitness center, pool, casual restaurant. Scottsdale has good shopping, fine dining. Burgeoning Phoenix has crept ever closer to formerly secluded community.
BELFAIR
Williamsburg, VA; (800) 334-6033
Real Estate. Twelve-year-old, 2,500-acre community has Colonial, Georgian, Federal, and Greek Revival architectural styles represented. Primary market is homesites for custom homes. Sites range from $49,500 to $450,000. Existing homes start at $250,000. Zero lot line courtyard homes are $250,000.
Golf. Two Dan Maples-designed courses (with a third under construction) offer classic country club-style golf. Nice blend of water, sand, and woodlands. Moderately challenging from member tees, tough enough from tips for better players.
Climate. Distinct four-season climate. Inland enough to be protected from ocean storms, coastal enough for moderate climate. Spring and fall best.
Perks/Quirks. The Dining Room is region's only AAA 5-Diamond restaurant (and one of 34 in nation). Nearby Colonial Williamsburg is an authentic slice of American history. Several factory outlets nearby. Virginia Beach is an hour's drive east. Grandview Fishing Pier has all-night fishing and kick-off-your-shoes bluegrass concerts.
KIAWAH ISLAND RESORT
Kiawah Island, SC; (800) 277-7008
Real Estate. Barrier reef island was put on map by 1991 Ryder Cup Matches, a.k.a. the "War by the Shore." Homesites range from $60,000 to $2 million, average $225,000. Homes range from $275,000 to $10 million, average $750,000. One- to four-bedroom cottages and condos are $75,000 to $600,000, average $200,000.
Golf. Four resort courses include Cougar Point (reworked, formerly Marsh Point), Osprey Point (Tom Fazio layout with new clubhouse), Turtle Point (Jack Nicklaus design with three holes by sea), and the Ocean Course, site of World Cup in November. Pete Dye firebreather has been tweaked to enhance playability. A fifth entry, Tom Fazio-designed River Course at Kiawah Island Club opened in 1995, is private. Property owners can apply for golf membership ($60,000 refundable initiation deposit, annual dues of $3,200 to $4,500); join Governor's Club (preferred tee times on resort courses, interclub matches, etc.) for $2,500 to $4,500 annual dues, no initiation fee; or play courses on daily-fee basis.
Climate. Spring and fall best, but good year-round. Ocean breeze cools courses in summer.
Perks/Quirks. Easy proximity to historic Charleston and its restaurants, culture, Antebellum homes. Resort's 10-mile-long, firm-packed beach is pristine. Jeep tours of wilderness areas, exceptional recreation programs for kids and teenagers. Ocean Course is Kiawah's drawing card, but few golfers have the game to survive it.
LAKE LAS VEGAS
Henderson, NV; (800) 564-1603
Real Estate. Two-year-old, 503-acre, low-density residential development 17 miles southeast of Las Vegas fronts a 320-acre private lake with 10 miles of shoreline. Custom homesites range from $255,000 to $1.9 million. Waterfront condos are priced at $250,000 to $450,000. Golf and lakefront patio homes cost $450,000 to $850,000.
Golf. Jack Nicklaus-designed SouthShore Golf Club is routed through rugged desert terrain, with elevations to 1,750 feet. Five tee boxes offer a challenge to players at all skill levels. Several forced carries over canyons and water. A second Nicklaus course with limited resort-access in the works.
Climate. Rain is rare, sun abundant. Blazing hot summers.
Perks/Quirks. Vegas, nation's original Sin City, is growing faster than any other major municipality in America. The Strip, a nonstop entertainment and gambling capital, is 30 minutes away. Mediterranean-style community has gondola-style water taxis. (No gas-powered vessels permitted on lake.)
THE LANDINGS ON SKIDAWAY ISLAND
Savannah, GA; (800) 841-7011
Real Estate. Major 4,450-acre development on Intracoastal Waterway 12 miles from historic Savannah has built nearly 3,000 homes, sold 4,150 properties (including lots) to date. Fewer than 100 homesites remaining. Full-size (half-acre) homesites range from wooded view ($50,000 to $55,000) to lagoon view ($66,000 to $120,000). Patio homesites range from $50,000 to $60,000. More than 100 homes (resale or new) available.
Golf. Six courses, including designs by Fazio, Palmer (2), Hills (2), and Byrd. Fazio's Deer Creek, arguably the best course, is a classic Low Country layout with exceptional playability.
Climate. Average winter temperature is 50 degrees. Spring and fall delightful, summers can be hot and humid.
Perks/Quirks. Called "one of the nation's best residential communities" by the Urban Land Institute, The Landings celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Master plan stipulates that nearly half the community be preserved as nature conservancy or greenbelt. Four clubhouses, two deep-water marinas, 40 miles of walking trails, lots of Low Country wildlife.
MONTREUX
Reno, NV; (888) 566-9444
Real Estate. More than 500 custom homesite lots from one-half acre to three-plus acres (most with golf course views) on 635 acres in Reno city limits. Price range is mid-$100,000s to mid-$200,000s. Smaller fairway cottages in planning stages.
Golf. Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, scheduled to open in June, is a 7,518-yard design with half the holes in high desert, other half in tall Ponderosa pines. Deep canyons, abundant rock outcrops, sharp elevation changes. Very dramatic.
Climate. Nine-month golf season. Elevation (5,600 to 6,000 feet) makes Montreux 10 degrees cooler than downtown Reno in summer.
Perks/Quirks. More than two-thirds of community preserved as woodlands. Architectural style (lots of hand-forged wrought iron) borrows heavily from European landed gentry. Nevada has no personal income tax, no corporate income tax, no estate tax, etc. Fishing, sailing, hiking, and biking available.
OSPREY COVE
St. Marys, GA; (800) 637-4269
Real Estate. Seven-year-old, 900-acre community 20 minutes north of Jacksonville International Airport near I-95 has golf- and marsh-view homes (with lot) from $164,900 to $229,900. Total inventory of 550 properties, with 300 lots sold and 107 homes built.
Golf. Mark McCumber-designed course is a links-style layout with double green at ninth and 18th holes set alongside marshes in St. Marys River basin (river is dividing line between Georgia and Florida). Sixty percent of play is public. Walking permitted. Osprey Cove is often called second-best maintained course in state (behind Augusta National).
Climate. Subtle change of seasons, pleasant "sweater weather" in winter.
Perks/Quirks. Howard Gilman, head of world's largest privately-held paper firm, spared no expense in creation of a legacy. Community attracts equal mix of retirees, young families, professionals. Good fishing, canoeing on 14 lakes. Money magazine ranked St. Marys the number-one small town in America last year due to its historic charm, hospitality, high-paying professional jobs. A ferry ride away is Cumberland Island National Seashore (Carnegie-era mansions, 15-mile-long beach).
PINEHURST PLANTATION
Pinehurst, NC; (800) 633-2685
Real Estate. 535-acre community midway between Southern Pines and Village of Pinehurst has homesites (one-half to three-quarter acres) from $55,000, custom homes from $275,000. New patio homes currently under construction are priced from $250,000. Golf clubhouse to be built this year will feature eight suites.
Golf. Arnold Palmer-designed course, opened in 1993, functions as a semi-private club. (Layout was ranked 73d among GOLF Magazine's "Top 100 You Can Play in the U.S." last year). Very quietly, one of the best-conditioned and most enjoyable tracks in the Sandhills. Dual membership option features playing privileges at adjacent Pinehurst National's very testing Jack Nicklaus layout.
Climate. Golf is played year-round (average temperature in winter is 48 degrees). Spring and fall are best.
Perks/Quirks. Pinehurst is nation's most revered golf mecca, with more than 120 miles of fairway in Moore County. Quaint New England-style Village of Pinehurst has timeless appeal. Sandy soil heats up by day and radiates after sunset, creating warm days and cool nights with low humidity, though old-timers claim swimming pools at new homes have boosted humidity index. Medical facilities are tops.
REYNOLDS PLANTATION
Reynolds Plantation, GA; (800) 733-5250
Real Estate.4,800-acre community midway between Atlanta and Augusta, overlooks Lake Oconee, with 26 miles of shoreline on site. Plantation lots (under one acre) run $30,000 to $100,000. Larger-sized golf-view and lake-view/lake-access lots are $45,000 to $100,000. Lakefront sites are $125,000 to $400,000-plus.
Golf. Plantation Course is a scenic, well-conditioned layout with only 14 bunkers. Great Waters Course, ranked 50th on GOLF Magazine's 1996 list of the "Top 100 You Can Play in the U.S.," is a brilliant Jack Nicklaus design that plays nip and tuck with lake. Reynolds National, new Tom Fazio design due this summer, will be an equity club. Site has dramatic elevation changes, good views of lake over treetops.
Climate. Golf played year-round, spring and fall best.
Perks/Quirks. Reynolds is 40 miles south of University of Georgia in Athens. Preserved Antebellum towns of Madison and Milledgeville are each 25 miles away. Several restaurants on lake offer boat access. Lake Oconee, second largest in Georgia, has excellent fishing. Also hiking trails, bike paths.
SAMOSET RESORT
Rockport, ME; (800) 341-1650
Real Estate. Situated on its own 230-acre peninsula south of Camden, informal, family-oriented resort has three-bedroom, oceanview townhouses ranging from $284,000 to $394,000.
Golf. Golf club has evolved from a patchwork quilt zigzagged across peninsula into a first-class test, with ocean vistas from more than half the holes. Breeze off Penobscot Bay keeps things interesting. Very fast greens. New $1 million golf clubhouse with 88-seat restaurant opened last month.
Climate. Golf is available May through October, though maritime effect can extend season through Thanksgiving.
Perks/Quirks. Fine dining (especially lobster) at Marcel's, nice strolls on flat granite stones of mile-long Rockland Breakwater. Nearby Camden is quintessential Maine coastal community, with harborside cafes, sailing charters, concerts. Farther afield is Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park.
SERRANO EL DORADO
El Dorado Hills, CA; (800) 866-8786
Real Estate. New 3,500-acre community at base of Sierra Nevada foothills 30 miles from Sacramento and 90 minutes from Lake Tahoe has custom homesites starting at $127,000. Predesigned homes range from $125,000 to $250,000 and up. Golf townhouses will be marketed this spring.
Golf. Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed course, site of Raley's Gold Rush Classic, a Senior PGA Tour event, is a rolling, shotmaker's track stretching to 7,005 yards. Received high marks from graybeard pros last year. Plenty tough from tips, though forward tees (and wide fairways) accentuate playability.
Climate. A four-season community. Summers can be hot.
Perks/Quirks. Serrano El Dorado won 1997 Community of the Year award from National Association of Home Builders. Hilltop clubhouse, with mahogany accents, 10 fireplaces, and gorgeous view of mountain foothills, is a knockout. Amenities include 30 miles of biking and hiking trails, 27-acre Village Green (with amphitheater for outdoor concerts), fishing in American River, boating on Folsom Lake.
STONEWOLF
Fairview Heights, IL; (888) 709-4653
Real Estate. New golf and residential community in southern Illinois 15 minutes from downtown St. Louis is billed as "secluded, yet convenient." Home models with multiple floor plans priced from $199,900. Two-bedroom villas range from $159,00 to $187,500.
Golf. Jack Nicklaus-designed course is a 6,943-yard test carved from rolling farmland and hardwoods. Four lakes, sharp elevation changes, 8,500-square foot clubhouse with restaurant and pro shop. Zoysia fairways, bentgrass greens. Walking permitted. Public welcome.
Climate. A three-season community, except for the hearty who know how to dress for winter golf.
Perks/Quirks. Woodsy setting is convenient to Gateway Arch and everything else St. Louis has to offer, from pro sports and Italian restaurants to antique riverboats moored at The Levee in Mississippi River. VIPO (Very Important Property Owner) club membership entitles homeowners to two free rounds per week (cart extra), additional rounds discounted 50 percent, unlimited range balls for $250 per year.
TIDEWATER
North Myrtle Beach, SC; (800) 843-3234
Real Estate. Established 560-acre community 10 minutes north of Myrtle Beach is located on a forested peninsula overlooking ocean, marshes, and Intracoastal Waterway. Each neighborhood has its own architectural style and landscaping. In Courtyard Village, two- and three-bedroom homes with lake and fairway views run $185,000 to $225,000. Three-bedroom Harborloft homes, some with views of golf course and Intracoastal Waterway, start at $190,000.
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Golf. Golf club, designed by former tax attorney Ken Tomlinson and patterned after classic courses, was ranked 62d last year in GOLF Magazine's "Top 100 You Can Play in the U.S." Bentgrass greens, nice elevation changes, nine holes stretched alongside Intracoastal Waterway and Cherry Grove Inlet.
Climate. Save for a few chilly days in winter, golf is played year-round.
Perks/Quirks. Community is convenient to nearly 100 public-access courses along Grand Strand. Hundreds of restaurants, dozens of nightlife and entertainment venues. Property owners have access to Swim & Racquet Club. Region is overrun in spring by golf-hungry snowbirds.
WAILEA
Maui, Hawaii; (800) 332-1614
Real Estate. 1,500-acre community on southwest coast of Maui in lee of Haleakala Crater, a dormant volcano. Master plan allows for a total of 3,500 hotel rooms, 3,000 condos, 800 to 1,000 single-family homesites. Wailea currently has six single-family communities and six condo communities. Two newest are Wailea Golf Vistas (48 homesites on 18 acres priced from $300,000) and Wailea Pualani Estates (92-lot, single-family subdivision on 32.8 acres; lots from $155,000).
Golf. Fifty-four hole, $80 million golf complex is one of Hawaii's best. Original Blue Course is a pleasant test with nice ocean views. Newer Gold and Emerald Courses, both by Robert Trent Jones Jr., were GOLF Magazine "Top 10 You Can Play" picks when they opened in 1993 and 1994, respectively. Gold, most testing of three, drops 200 feet from top to bottom and is bordered by kiawe trees, wild grasses, lava rock walls. Emerald is framed by colorful foliage. Excellent practice facility, top dining at SeaWatch Restaurant.
Climate. Paradise. Always sunny, cooled by tradewinds. Only 11 inches of rain per annum.
Perks/Quirks. More than $1.6 billion spent since 1990 to improve infrastructure and build new luxury hotels, golf courses, residential projects. Five palm-fringed crescent beaches with spectacular views of West Maui Mountains, 1.5-mile paved beach walk, snorkeling at semi-submerged Molokini crater, whale watching, 25 shops at Wailea Shopping Village, nightlife, cultural programs, downhill bike excursions from Haleakala Crater, exceptional open-air and waterfront dining.
