~
Winners ~
Golf
Communities, Golf Course Rankings
& Golf Community News
Welcome
to the Winners section, where you will find articles on golf course
rankings, places to go near your golf course home, golf community news
and other information. Click on a link below to go to the article you
wish to read.
See the New GolfCourseHome
Video Section!
GolfCourseHome's
"Best of the Best Rankings"--Where Golf & Living Are No. 1
Women- and Family-Friendly Golf
Communities, Part III
Where to Retire's
2007 "America's 100 Best Master-Planned Communities"
GolfCourseHome.net Selects
'18 Residential Golf Course
Dream Holes'
Women- and Family-Friendly Golf
Communities, Part I
Why Jack
Nicklaus-designed Courses Add the Most Value to Your Golf Course Home
Golf Digest's
2007 "America's Great Courses & Greatest Public Courses"
Updated, More Communities!
About Vero Beach and Florida's Treasure Coast
Links Magazine's 2007 "100
Premier Properties"
Golf Digest's 2007 "Best Public, Resort and
Private Courses"
Golfweek's
2007 "Best Modern Golf Course Top 100" Rankings
Golfweek's Best New Courses 2007
Golfweek’s 2007 America's Best "Top 100
Residential Golf Courses"
T+L Golf Magazine's
2007 "Top 100 Golf Communities"
How the Audubon
Environmental Program Works
and Is Your Club A Member?
Golfweek’s
2006 America's Best "Top 50 New Courses"
Golf Magazine's
Top 100 Courses You Can Play & Live On
T+L Golf Magazine's 2006 "Top
100 Golf Communities"
Luxury Golf & Travel's Top 25 Private Golf
Communities
Places to Go, Things To Do, Near
Your Community
The LandMar Golf Advantage Program
The 10 Commandments
of Golf Real Estate Buying by David Lott
What Do You Want in a Golf
Course Home?
15 Questions You Must Answer First
"America's 100 Best
Master-Planned Communities" by Where to Retire
Buying in Mexico? Read These First!
Golfweek’s 2005 America's Best "Top 100
Residential Golf Courses"
Golf Digest's State Golf Course Rankings
Live at a Golf Community that Features a
Top-Ranked Golf Instructor
Live on a Golf Digest
100 Greatest Public Course
New! GreatSchools.Net -
Check out Great Schools in the Area You Want to Purchase In!
Gift Books on Golf
Course Architecture!
7 Fabulous Books on Retirement Places with
Ratings & More
"The Golden State
of (California) Golf" by David Lott
Other Golf & Real Estate
Links
"America's
Best Places to Live Rated"
The Best 36
Golf Counties in America
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GreatSchools.net
We've found a terrific website to use if you want to check out schools
in the area where you are looking for your golf course home. www.GreatSchools.net,
The Parent's Guide to K-12 Success. Let us know what you think of it!
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Community
News
Update
All about new courses, special events, new homes
and new real estate opportunities
Use the highlighted links
to learn more about the communities and to email a request
for more
information. If your community has something new to announce,
please send your news to the Editor.
Headlines:
ALABAMA COMMUNITY
NEWS
Ross Bridge, AL has added the Barkit
Market, an outdoor expo specializing in pet products, to its
regular Farmers Market event on Saturday mornings. Vendors
include companies offering gourmet treats, training,
boarding, safety, rescue and adoption. The festivities
include a Puparazzi Parade with prizes given for the best
dressed dogs, and an Air Dogs Frisbee Exhibition.
Click here for more information about Ross Bridge!
This week,
Ross Bridge, AL and the Renaissance Ross Bridge
Golf Resort and Spa, play host to the Champions Tour,
featuring defending champ Andy Bean in the $1.7 million
Regions Charity Classic.
Click here for more information about Ross Bridge!
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY
NEWS
Pauma Valley Country Club, CA sparkled this
past weekend with a specialty Car Show. Co-sponsored by
Desert European Motorcars, the Sunday afternoon show
displayed over 40 rare and highly admired automobiles,
including a 2009 Rolls Royce Phantom worth $1,000,000, a
2009 Maserati and a 2009 Porsche. A barbeque tent and bar
was set up to provide refreshments.
Click here for more information about Pauma Valley Country
Club!
COLORADO COMMUNITY
NEWS
Rio Grande Club, CO is a first-class venue
for the fisherman-golfer, according to Wild on the Fly magazine. The
influential publication voted the Rio Grande Club into its Top
15 Golf & Fly Fishing Destinations for 2009, as part of its
mission to “discover frontiers in both fresh and salt water, and
celebrate the traditional favorites of American rivers.
Click here for more information about Rio Grande Club!
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FLORIDA COMMUNITY NEWS
Amelia Island Plantation, FL
was recently honored by the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection
with its prestigious Palm Two
certification. The community is one of
just 26 properties in Florida to attain
this status, which it earned via such
measures as utilizing biodegradable
plastic bottles in its various dining
outlets, increasing bulk purchasing and
closely monitoring water and energy
savings in its resort laundry
operations.
Click here for more information about
Amelia Island Plantation!
Mariner Sands, FL announced
that homes available for sale in the
community would be presented by
Illustrated Properties Real Estate, Inc.
Specializing in Palm Beach area real
estate since 1936, Illustrated
Properties is an Exclusive Affiliate of
Christie’s Great Estates. Residences in
Mariner Sands, which has two 18-hole
championship golf courses, include
single-family homes and charming
cottages.
Click here for more information about
Mariner Sands!
SummerGlen, FL has once
again been named one of 'America’s 100
Best Master-Planned Communities' by
Where To Retire magazine in its
July/August issue. You can see the full
list of GolfCourseHome communities that
were selected here.
Or request more information about
SummerGlen here.
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GEORGIA COMMUNITY NEWS
Reynolds Plantation, GA has been named the Community of the
Year by the Dream Home Awards. The Dream Home Awards, an independent
award program for the nation’s building industry, are designed to reward
excellence for architecture, building, design and innovation. Linger
Longer Homes was presented with a Silver Award for the Custom
Contemporary Home of the Year.
Click here for more information about Reynolds Plantation!
The Landings on Skidaway Island, GA is celebrating July 4th
in a big way with its annual Independence Day event. Rides and
activities will be available throughout the day for "kids" of all ages,
and various tents will offer a great selection of food, beverages and
sweet-treats. To put a capper on the day, residents and guests will
enjoy a spectacular fireworks display.
Click here for more information about The Landings!
The Landings on Skidaway Island, GA has teamed up with the
Skidaway Chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association to host an
Inshore Fishing Program on On June 8 at 7 pm with Captain “Wild Bill”
Jarrell, a well-known and successful inshore fishing guide. All are
welcome to attend, and no reservations are needed.
Click here for more information about The Landings!
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IDAHO GOLF
COMMUNITY NEWS
Huntsman Springs, ID opened a new Sales and Information
Center on June 1st. Located in a fully furnished Park
Home, the center provides a comfortable venue for showcasing the
amenities of Huntsman Springs. Staffing has also been upgraded,
with Amy Allen joining Brooke Blackwelder on the sales team. Completion
of the Sales Center was the next scheduled milestone
for the community, following its golf course, a group
of homes, water features and parks.
Click here for more information about Huntsman Springs!
Huntsman Springs, ID has appointed Guy Johnson as course
superintendent at the the community’s 18-hole
championship golf course. Johnson comes to his new position at Huntsman
Springs as a 20-year golf-industry veteran. He earned
his undergraduate degree in agronomy from Texas A&M
Click here for more information about Huntsman Springs!!
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ILLINOIS GOLF
COMMUNITY NEWS
Check back soon for Illinois news.
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KENTUCKY GOLF
COMMUNITY NEWS
The Club at Olde Stone, KY will be hosting a 5k run, 5k
pump and run, 5k wheel chair race, 5k walk, and 1 mile Kids Fun Run on
Saturday, June 27th. Proceeds go to Operation PRIDE, which is a
non-profit organization that works to beautify Bowling Green. The club
will kick off the race with a pasta party the night before.
Click here for more information about The Club at Olde Stone!
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MASSACHUSETTS GOLF
COMMUNITY NEWS
Check back soon for Massachusetts news!
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MICHIGAN GOLF
COMMUNITY NEWS
Forest Dunes, MI is reporting
that a total of $3,200 was raised
for local charities at the
community’s recent Art de Vin
Celebration of Michigan Art, Wines,
Hops and Harvest. The event took place
in mid-August and featured
Michigan-based artists, breweries,
vineyards, distillers, coffee roasters
and non-alcoholic beverage producers.
More than a dozen Michigan artists
showcased their work.
Click here for more information about
Forest Dunes!
The Villages at Tullymore in Stanwood, MI, has announced a stunning
limited time
offer on its condominiums, custom homes and homesites. Putting 30 percent down
on a purchase gets you 0 percent financing and no payments for two full years.
Also included is membership at two of the country’s finest golf courses,
Tullymore and St. Ives. Luxury condos start in the $270,000s; custom homes begin as
low as $300,000 and homesites start at from $60,000.
Click here for more information about
Tullymore!
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MISSOURI COMMUNITY
NEWS
Branson Creek, MO
is pleased to report the addition of an important new lodging destination within its Ozarks property. A
$40 million luxury hotel near the Branson Regional Airport (presently under construction) will be located at the burgeoning 7,500-acre Branson Creek development, adjacent to the Branson Creek Golf Course. The six-to-nine-story,
180-to-200-room/suite hotel will include meeting and luxury accommodations.
Click here for more information about Branson Creek!
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MONTANA COMMUNITY NEWS
Black Bull, MT is continuing winter
activities and festivities for the
entertainment of resident members. Cuisine
by Chef Erik continues to make clubhouse
dining a big draw. Evening events such as
Trunk Shows, Wild Game Nights, Poker Nights and
Chalkboard Dinner Specials have
been well-attended. The Museum of the Rockies holds
its annual Fire and Ice Ball on
Valentine's Day, and the historic Ellen Theatre in
downtown Bozeman, just renovated, will open “The
Miracle Worker” this month.
Click here for more information about Black Bull!
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NEVADA COMMUNITY NEWS
Montrêux, NV members were among 75-plus guests attending a
check presentation hosted by the PGA TOUR and NV
Energy. The two organizations, with the Montrêux community, contributed
$62,500 to charities from proceeds of the PGA Tour
Legends Reno-Tahoe Open. In partnership with the PGA Tour and other
sponsors, Montrêux provides assistance to the Food Bank
of Northern Nevada, Washoe County Education Foundation, the Boys & Girls
Clubs and other causes.
Click here for more information about Montrêux!
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NEW HAMPSHIRE COMMUNITY
NEWS
Check back soon for New Hampshire news.
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NORTH CAROLINA
COMMUNITY NEWS
Balsam Mountain Preserve, NC
will host its first annual Charity
Golf Tournament on Tuesday, August
18th. Proceeds will benefit worthy
area charities such as The Community Table
of Jackson County, Save The Warmth /Jackson
Neighbors in Need, and the construction fund
for the new Jackson County Library. The
tournament is open to all golfers,
men and women, with a limited field of 22
four-person teams. The format will be
Captain's choice and the entry fee per
player will be $175.
Click here for more information about Balsam
Mountain Preserve!
Champion Hills, NC presents a
special Comedy Night with Jeff Jena this
Friday, June 26. Seating is limited, and
available on a first-come, first-served
basis. There will be assigned seating unless
you reserve a table of ten. Cost is $65 per
person, and includes the comedy
presentation, buffet dinner, tax and
gratuity.
Click here for more information about
Champion Hills!
Heritage Wake Forest, NC
reported that June 7-13 was a
record-breaking week in 2009 for property
sales and for visitors to its newly
renovated sales center. This activity and
interest was sparked by the opening of "The
Walk," an enclave of custom-built ranch
homes within the planned neighborhood of
Heritage. These homes are on wooded lots and
adjacent to the community’s miles of walking
trails.
Click here for more information about
Heritage Wake Forest!
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PENNSYLVANIA GOLF
COMMUNITY NEWS
The Links at Gettysburg, PA
reminds one and all that December is a busy
social month for the
community. The Links at Gettysburg homeowner
Holiday Party, held in the
main clubhouse on Dec. 7, was a spirited
success and upcoming on
December 14th is the homeowner
Holiday Home Tour. Six homeowners at the
Links will open up their
homes to all the residents. Wine,
hors d'oeuvres, desserts, and
holiday cheer will be enjoyed by all.
Click here for more information about The
Links at Gettysburg!
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SOUTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY NEWS
The Cliffs at Glassy, SC
invites families and friends to its
Independence Day Celebration
taking place on Saturday, July 4.
It’s an evening of food, fun and fireworks;
children’s games, face-painting,
entertainment, and more. The All-American
dinner buffet is 7 to 9
p.m. and fireworks begins
at 9 p.m. The cost is $36.95 for adults,
$14.95 per child 5-11, free for children
under five. Reservations
are required and there is a 48-hour
cancellation policy.
Click here for more information about The
Cliffs at Glassy!
Dataw Island Club, SC announced
that the Club had approved major
renovations to both the Cotton Dike
and Morgan River courses. The club’s Cotton
Dike course will close in March 2010 for the
renovation project, with a planned
reopening in October 2010. The Morgan River
course will close in March 2011, with a
targeted reopening of October 2011. The
renovation project will be handled by
renowned designer and former Augusta
National superintendent Billy Fuller.
Click here for more information about Dataw
Island!
Daniel Island, SC has been
named one of “America’s 100 Best
Master-Planned Communities,” by Where to
Retire magazine for the third consecutive
time. Neighborhood spirit and a strong sense
of community were cited among the most
significant contributing factors to
selection.
Click here for more information about Daniel
Island!
The Reserve at Lake Keowee, SC
recently hosted 100 participants for its
Bi-Lo Charity Classic Golf Tournament. This
was the 26th annual edition of this
important fundraiser, which has raised over
$44 million for important causes. The
Reserve’s private, Jack Nicklaus-designed
course was one of 12 host sites for the
one-day event. It is the largest golf
tournament held at the community.
Click here for more information about The
Reserve at Lake Keowee!
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TENNESSEE
COMMUNITY NEWS
Tennessee National, TN has just announced
its partnership with the prominent area real
estate firm, Gables & Gates, Realtors. The
two parties have officially joined forces to
capitalize on the recent increase in sales
activity and prospect interest at Tennessee
National. Selected Gables & Gates agents are
now headquartered on-site at Tennessee
National to exclusively market and sell
Tennessee National’s lots, homes, condos and
other products, replacing in-house staff.
Click here for more information about
Tennessee National!
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TEXAS
COMMUNITY NEWS
The Resort on Eagle Mountain Lake, TX
announces the opening of its new,
state-of-the-art fitness facility.
The new facility is much larger than its
predecessor and more completely outfitted.
Each piece was carefully selected, including
cardio equipment, pin
select machines, dumbbells,
loading machines, electronic bikes,
walkers and elliptical machines.
Click here for more information about The
Resort on Eagle Mountain Lake!
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VIRGINIA COMMUNITY NEWS
Homestead Preserve, VA
announces that the Valley Conservation
Council, a respected regional environmental
council, has awarded the community the 2009
Better Models for Development Award for
“Excellence in Historic Preservation” in
recognition of its restoration and adaptive
reuse of the historic Old Dairy in Warm
Springs. The award spotlights projects that
respect local character, create livable
communities, complement historic resources,
and conserve natural assets.
Click here for more information about
Homestead Preserve!
Homestead Preserve, VA has been
honored with a 2009 “Best of the
Mountains” Award from Pinnacle
Living Mountain Homes magazine. The magazine
cited Homestead Preserve’s conservation of
more than 10,000 acres with
The Nature Conservancy and Virginia Outdoors
Foundation as well as its strict
architectural guidelines.
Click here for more information about
Homestead Preserve!
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CANADIAN COMMUNITY
NEWS
Check back soon for Canada news!
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Click here for more Community News Updates!
GOLF Magazine's 2008
Top 100 Courses You Can Play
Golf Magazine has announced its Top 100 Courses You Can Play for 2008
and several of these championship, public golf courses are associated with
a golf/waterfront community. The winners listed below are Featured Communities
on the GolfCourseHome Network. Information includes facts culled by
the Golf Magazine staff and includes this year's ranking and last year's position,
golf club, course designer, year opened and the fee range for 18 holes.
GOLF Magazine's Top 100 Courses You Can Play
14 15
Harbour Town, Hilton Head Island S.C.
Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus, 1969 $165-$295
17 18
The Homestead (Cascades), Hot Springs VA.
William Flynn, 1923 $125-$280
42 43
Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro Ga. (Great Waters)
Jack Nicklaus, 1992 $135-$205
58 60 Reynolds Plantation (Oconee), Greensboro Ga.
Rees Jones, 2001 $155-$260
67 69 Barton Creek Resort (Fazio Canyons), Austin Texas
Tom Fazio, 2000 $45-$250
71 68 Barton Creek Resort (Fazio Foothills), Austin Texas
Tom Fazio, 1986 $45-250
76 74 Branson Creek Golf Club, Hollister Mo.
Tom Fazio, 2000 $48-$99
86 95
Barefoot Resort (Love), North Myrtle Beach S.C.
Davis Love III, 2000 $100-$155
95 96
St. Ives Resort (Tullymore), Stanwood, Mich.
Jim Engh, 2002 $65-$125
Golf
Digest's "America's 100 Greatest
Courses & 100 Greatest Public Courses" Two of the most important rankings in all of golf, the biennial
Golf Digest compilations of "America's 100 Greatest Courses" and
"America's 100 Greatest Public Courses," were recently released--and you
can live on many of them. Joining them here are the annual LINKS
Magazine roster of "100 Premier Properties."
To arrive at their rankings, Golf Digest maintains a rating panel
of more than 800 low-handicap men and women who are dispersed throughout
the U.S. These raters evaluate courses on seven criteria: Shot Values;
Resistance to Scoring; Design Variety; Memorability; Aesthetics;
Conditioning; Ambience. Compilers average the scores with Shot Values
counting double.
Below are all the
communities on the GolfCourseHome Network that earned a spot on
the Golf Digest and LINKS rankings--40 in all. You can click on any
community name to get more information about real estate offerings,
amenities, local weather, prices, photos and more.
Golf Digest's
"America's 100 Greatest Courses"
(Great Courses You Can Live On)
78. Long Cove Club, Hilton Head, SC; Pete
Dye
93.
Harbour Town Golf Links (Pete Dye & Jack Nicklaus) –
Sea Pines Plantation, Hilton Head, SC
97.
Homestead (Cascades Cse.- William Flynn) –
Homestead Preserve, Warm Springs, VA
Golf Digest's "America's 100 Greatest
Public Courses
(Great Courses You Can Live On)
15.
Harbour Town Golf Links (Pete Dye & Jack Nicklaus), Sea
Pines Plantation, Hilton Head, SC
16.
Homestead
(Cascades Cse.- William Flynn),
Homestead Preserve, Warm Springs, VA
53.
Barefoot Resort (Davis Love Cse.),
North Myrtle Beach, SC
66.
Running Y Ranch
(Arnold Palmer), Klamath Falls, OR
83.
Barton Creek Resort & Spa (Fazio
Canyons Cse.), Austin, TX
92.
Barefoot Resort, North Myrtle Beach, SC (Tom Fazio course)
97.
Reynolds Plantation (Great Waters
Cse. – Jack Nicklaus), Greensboro, GA
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Links Magazine's 2007 "100 Premier
Properties"
Though not as well-known as
Golf Digest, LINKS enjoys a growing reputation in the world of golf
real estate. Since 2003, LINKS has published an annual Premier
Properties issue containing descriptions of 100 selected U.S. golf
communities.
Editors determine the list “based on surveys
filled out by hundreds of communities, and each listing provides key
data—golf information, membership requirements, initiation fees, price
ranges for real estate, amenities and future developments.” Nearly a
third of the LINKS 100 (below) are featured on
GolfCourseHome.net. Click on the community names to find out much more
about each.
ARIZONA
Desert Mountain, Scottsdale
The Mirabel Club, Scottsdale
COLORADO
Glacier Club, Durango
FLORIDA
The Founders Club, Sarasota
Isleworth, Windemere
Reunion Resort & Club, Orlando
GEORGIA
Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro
The Landings on Skidaway Island, Savannah
NORTH CAROLINA
Mountain Air, Burnsville
SOUTH CAROLINA
Belfair, Bluffton
Colleton River Plantation, Bluffton
Daniel Island, Charleston
Grande Dunes, Myrtle Beach
Long Cove Club, Hilton Head
Reserve at Lake Keowee, Sunset
The Cliffs at Glassy, Landrum
The Cliffs at Keowee, Lake Keowee
VIRGINIAA
Ford's Colony, Williamsburg
WASHINGTON
Suncadia, Roslyn
WYOMING
The Powder Horn, Sheridan
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Golf Digest's
2007 Best New Public,
Resort and Private Courses
The grandaddy of golf
course evaluators, Golf Digest, provides its top picks in
public, resort and private courses. Here we list the magazine's
choices of these courses on which you can both play and live.
Click on the highlighted links below to learn about each
community and to request more information about real estate
offerings, fees, site plans, home designs, amenities and more. In
the public category, the fee for 18 holes is indicated.
GOLF DIGEST's BEST NEW PUBLIC $75 AND OVER
3.
Bay Creek Golf & Marina Resort (Nicklaus)
Cape Charles, Va. • 7,417 yards, par 72, $95 • Jack Nicklaus
7.
The Prospector at Suncadia
Cle Elum, Wash. • 7,112 yards, par 72, $95 • Arnold Palmer, Ed Seay,
Erik Larsen
GOLF DIGEST's
Top 75 Resorts
( ) = previous ranking
18.
The Homestead (9) Hot Springs, Va.
47.
Barton Creek Resort & Spa (37) Austin, Tx.
GOLF DIGEST's
Best New Private CourseS
7.
Tumble Creek Golf Course at Suncadia
Cle Elum, Wash. • 7,070 yards, par 71 • Tom Doak • Fee: $60,000
8.
Daniel Island Club (Ralston Creek Course)
Daniel Island, S.C. • 7,446 yards, par 72. • Rees Jones. • Fee: $65,000
(property owner), $90,000
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2008 Golfweek’s Best
Residential Courses
Golfweek Magazine has just
announced its "Top 100 Residential
Courses," many of which you can
learn about on GolfCourseHome. See the list
below.
16.
The Powder Horn, Sheridan, WY
24.
Forest Dunes GC, Roscommon, MI
25.
Old Tabby Links, Spring Island, SC
34.
Olde Stone, Bowling Green, KY
38.
Bright's Creek, Mill Spring, NC
50.
Headwaters Club at Teton Springs**, Victor, ID
52.
Isleworth G&CC, Orlando, FL
54.
May River Course at Palmetto Bluff, Bluffton, SC
56.
Golf Club at Briar's Creek, Johns Island, SC
67.Colleton
River - Nicklaus, Bluffton, SC
76.
Desert Mountain - Chiricahua, Scottsdale, AZ
81.
Belfair GC, West, Bluffton, SC
83.
Montreux, Reno, NV
94.
Desert Mountain - Geronimo, Scottsdale, AZ
95.
Colleton River - Dye, Bluffton, SC
97.
Reynolds Plantation - Great Waters, Greensboro, GA Back to Top
Golfweek's 2008 Top 50 Best New Courses
Golfweek has just released its Golfweek’s 2008 Top 50 Best
New Courses and it includes some top-flight golf communities. See below
those Top 50 Courses featured on GolfCourseHome.
25.
Juliette Falls, Dunnellon (near Ocala), Florida
31.
Ocean Ridge Plantation, Sunset Beach, NC
The rankings are based on input from nearly 500 raters who regularly
submit ballots based on 10 criteria which are graded on a 10-point
scale.
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2007 Golfweek’s Best
Modern Courses Rankings
Golfweek Magazine's latest rankings list the Top
100 Best Modern Courses built from 1960 to the present. You can live on
several of them. Look below for links to the communities with which the
courses are associated. Designer and year opened are noted along with
location.
No. (2006 rank)
Raters avg.
29. (27)
Harbour Town Golf Links (r) 7.38
Hilton Head, S.C. Pete Dye, 1970
39. (40) Long Cove Club (p)
7.17 -
Hilton Head, S.C., Pete Dye, 1982
68. (82)
The Powder Horn (d) 6.89
Sheridan, Wyo., Dick Bailey, 1997
(d) daily fee; (p) private; (r) resort
* first time in top 100; **returns to top 100
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Golfweek's Best New Courses 2007
Herewith, Golfweek magazine has
its say about the best new courses for 2006-07. Designers are noted
along with the year the course opened.
Golfweek Best New Courses
15.
Members Club at Grande Dunes, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Nick Price & Craig Schreiner, 2005
24.
Desert Mountain
Outlaw, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Jack Nicklaus, 2004
50.
Suncadia
Prospector Golf Course, Roslyn, Wash.
Arnold Palmer, 2005
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Where to Retire
Magazine's 2007
"America's 100 Best Master-Planned Communities"
Where to Retire
magazine's 2007 annual listing of "America's 100 Best Master-Planned
Communities" features a number of communities with excellent golf
courses. In fact, 21 of these communities, representing nine states, are
featured on GolfCourseHome. Please see the links below to learn more
about these fine properties.
"America's 100 Best Master-Planned Communities"
As Selected by
Where to Retire Magazine
FLORIDA
Terra Vista of Citrus Hills, Crystal River - Inverness
Terra Vista of Citrus Hills, FL: A Top 100 Community.
GlenLakes, Weeki Wachee
GEORGIA
Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro
The Georgia Club, Statham
NORTH CAROLINA
Ocean Ridge Plantation, Sunset Beach
River Landing, Wallace
SOUTH CAROLINA
Woodside Plantation, Aiken
Daniel Island, Charleston
VIRGINIA
Bay Creek Golf & Marina Resort, Cape Charles
Ford's Colony, Williamsburg
WYOMING
The Powder Horn, Sheridan
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Golfweek’s
America's Best
"Top 50 New Golf Courses"
As selected by Golfweek Magazine for 2006
Nine of Golfweek magazine's
"Top 50 New Courses for 2006" reside within golf communities featured on
GolfCourseHome.net.
Click on the highlighted links below to learn more about each community
and to request more information about real estate offerings, club and
association fees, site plans, home designs, amenities and more. The
listings below include ranking position, community name and/or course
name, city and state, designer and year opened.
Golfweek’s 2006 America’s
Best
Top 50 New Courses
8.
May River Course at
Palmetto Bluff,
Bluffton, S.C.
Jack Nicklaus, 2004
15.
Members Club at Grande Dunes, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Nick Price & Craig Schreiner, 2005
24.
Desert Mountain Outlaw, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Jack Nicklaus, 2004
50.
Suncadia Prospector Golf Course, Roslyn, Wash.
Arnold Palmer, 2005
Back to Top
Golfweek’s
America's Best
"Top 100 Residential Golf Courses"
As selected by Golfweek Magazine for 2007
Golfweek's special annual issue, America's 2007 Best Residential Golf
Courses, features its rankings of the "Top 100 Residential Golf Courses." Listed
below are the Golfweek Top 100 courses that are featured on
GolfCourseHome.net. The name of the course designer and the year the course
opened are indicated beneath the name of the community.
Click on the highlighted links below to learn about each community and
to request more information about real estate offerings, club and
association fees, site plans, home designs, amenities and more. The
listings below include ranking position, community name, course designer
and course name, year opened, city and state.
Golfweek’s 2007 America’s
Best
Top 100 Residential Courses
8. Long Cove
Club, Hilton Head, SC
Pete Dye, 1982
24.
The Powder Horn GC,
Sheridan, WY
Dick Bailey, 1997
44.
Colleton River-Nicklaus,
Bluffton, SC
Jack Nicklaus, 1992
48.
Desert
Mountain-Outlaw, Scottsdale, AZ
Jack Nicklaus, 2004
53.
Montreux, Reno, NV
Jack Nicklaus, 1997
55.
Desert Mountain -
Chiricahua, Scottsdale, AZ
Jack Nicklaus, 1999
56.
Reunion - Independence, Davenport, FL
Tom Watson, 2003
61.
Reynolds Plantation - Great
Waters, Greensboro, GA
Jack Nicklaus, 1992
62.
Desert Highlands,
Pinnacle Peak, AZ
Jack Nicklaus, 1984
63.
Belfair-West, Bluffton, SC
Tom Fazio, 1996
67.
Colleton River
- Dye, Hilton Head, SC
Pete Dye, 1998
72.
Belfair-East, Bluffton, SC
Tom Fazio, 1999
73.
Old North State Club
- Uwharrie Pt., New London , NC
Tom Fazio, 1992
75.
Desert
Mountain-Renegade, Scottsdale, AZ
Jack Nicklaus, 1987
76.
Desert
Mountain-Geronimo, Scottsdale, AZ
Jack Nicklaus, 1989
89.
Golf Club at
Fiddlers Creek-Creek, Naples, FL
Arthur Hills, 2002
91.
The Mirabel Club,
Scottsdale, AZ
Tom Fazio, 2001
95.
Reynolds Plantation -
Oconee, Greensboro, GA
Rees Jones, 2000
97.
Desert Mountain -
Cochise, Scottsdale, AZ
Jack Nicklaus, 1987
100.
Grande Dunes GC, Myrtle
Beach, SC
Nick Price & Craig Schreiner, 2005
Back to Top
T+L Golf Magazine's 2007
"Top 100 Golf Communities" Rankings
Here GolfCourseHome highlights
"America's Top 100 Golf Communities" from the second annual set of
rankings issued by
Travel + Leisure Golf magazine. Regular GolfCourseHome
contributor David Gould prepared the article. Listed below are the
Travel + Leisure Golf Top 100 golf communities which are
featured on GolfCourseHome.net.
ARIZONA
DESERT MOUNTAIN Scottsdale
Borders a national forest, six golf courses, nine miles of hiking
trails,
spa and concierge services. Homes from $600,000
MIRABEL Scottsdale
Spa and fitness center. 18 holes/Tom Fazio.
Homesites from $399,999, homes from $1.45 million
FLORIDA
THE FOUNDERS CLUB, Sarasota
Just 262 homes are planned for this 700-acre site., 24,000-square-foot
Golf Hall
clubhouse. 18 holes/Robert Trent Jones Jr. Homes from $1.2 million
FRENCHMAN’S RESERVE, Palm Beach Gardens
Toll Brothers community, spa and fitness center, multiple dining
options, swimming
and tennis centers. 18 holes/Arnold Palmer. Homes from $1 million
ISLEWORTH, Orlando
82,000-square-foot clubhouse, wellness center, art exhibitions by
Sotheby’s,
18 holes/Arnold Palmer/Ed Seay. Homes from $2 million
GEORGIA
REYNOLDS PLANTATION, Greensboro
New members-only Creek Club, five courses, Ritz-Carlton lodge, on Lake
Oconee.
Cottages from $260,000, homes from $479,000, homesites from $115,000
MONTREUX, Reno
PGA Tour’s Reno-Tahoe Open, 34,000-square-foot private clubhouse with
wine cellar,
18 holes/Jack Nicklaus. Homes from $900,000
SOUTH CAROLINA
BELFAIR, Bluffton
Lowcountry community with a spectacular golf practice center, 36
holes/Tom Fazio
Homes from $600,000
THE CLIFFS COMMUNITIES, Travelers Rest
Multiple communities in a 30-mile sweep around Greenville. Wellness and
luxury a theme, 72 holes w/2nd Nicklaus 18 coming. Homes from $650,000
Colleton River
Plantationn, Hilton Head Island
DANIEL ISLAND PARK, Charleston
36 holes/Tom Fazio, Rees Jones, 17-court tennis center, 23 miles of
rivers/creeks,
boat ramps, boat docks & crabbing docks, parks. Townhomes/condos
$200,000s,
homesites from $300,000s, homes from $400,000s
PALMETTO BLUFF,
Bluffton
Award-wining golf & resort amenities overlooking May
River, 18 holes by Jack Nicklaus, 20,000-acre retreat between Hilton
Head Island and Savannah, Georgia, The Inn at Palmetto Bluffs by Auberge
Resorts, spa & fitness center, homesites from mid-$300,000, homes from
$1 million
THE RESERVE AT LAKE KEOWEE, Sunset
Private 3,900-acre on the shores of Lake Keowee in the foothills of the
Blue Ridge
Mountains, 18 holes/Nicklaus, 27 planned holes/Palmer. Mountain view
homesites
from $175,000, waterfront homesites from $350,000, golf homesites,
$175,000
TEXAS
BARTON CREEK, Austin
Full-service Luxury resort spa, top-rated resort, 72 holes, tennis,
health & fitness center. Homesites from $300,000, homes from $500,000
WASHINGTON
TUMBLE CREEK Cle Elum
A community within the Suncadia complex,
Tumble Creek is 2,600 acres of meadows and brooks. On the edge of the
Wenatchee National Forest, it’s a true hiker’s paradise. Plus, there’s a
private Tom Doak course and abundant fly-fishing. 18 holes (Tom Doak).
Recent Home Listings (lots only):
$400,000 to $1.2 million
WYOMING
THE POWDER HORN RANCH, Sheridan
Western lifestyle of golf, fishing and
other outdoor activities with luxurious surroundings,
27
holes/Dick Bailey.
Mtn./golf homesites from $80,000, Deck
Homes from $400,000, cottages from $495,000
Back to Top
Golf
Magazine's Top
100 Courses
You Can Play & Live On
Every two years Golf Magazine publishes its
ranking of the "Top 100 Courses You Can Play," and often these
world-class layouts have a golf community to go with them. In the latest
set of rankings, seven of these courses are set in a golf community that
is featured on GolfCourseHome.net. Since they are open for you to play,
it makes it easy to try out the course and see the community in action.
Click on the highlighted links below to learn more about each community
and to request more information about real estate offerings, club and
association fees, site plans, home designs, amenities and more. The
listings below include current and former ranking position,
community name and/or course name, city and state, designer and greens
fees.
2006-2007 Golf Magazine's
Top 100 Courses You Can Play
2006 Rank
2004 Rank Course Location
Designer Greens Fees
18 23
The Homestead (Cascades) Hot Springs, Va. William Flynn $210-$261
43 51
Reynolds Plantation (Great Waters) Greensboro, Ga. Jack Nicklaus
$125-$195
60 67
Reynolds Plantation (Oconee) Greensboro, Ga. Rees Jones $135-260
68 62
Barton Creek
(Fazio Foothills) Austin, Texas Tom Fazio $135-$240
69 58
Barton Creek
(Fazio Canyons) Austin, Texas Tom Fazio $135-$240
95 NR
Barefoot Resort (Love) North Myrtle Beach Davis Love III $75-$155
NR= not previously
ranked
Back to Top
How Much
Value Does a
Golf Architect
Add to Your Home?
GolfCourseHome.net's continuing series on how a top
golf course architect can add value to your golf course home looks
at marquee names such as
Jack Nicklaus--the No. 1 value enhancer,
Tom Fazio,
Arnold
Palmer and others. These articles appear in our
weekly newsletter, "New Communities," which you can subscribe to by
clicking here. Watch future issues for
spotlights on other stars such as Bob Cupp, Arthur Hills and Pete
Dye!
Back to Top
Places to Go,
Things To Do
Near Your Community
Museums, sporting events, universities & more within
50-75 miles of your new golf community
Increasingly, what's available outside the limits of
your master-planned community play an important part in your decision to
buy. Today's buyers want to stimulate their minds and bodies and have
things to do when relatives, grandchildren and children visit them.
This new feature provides a sampling of restaurants,
museums, cultural opportunities, pro sports teams, universities and
outdoor recreation that are available within 50-75 miles of Featured
Communities on The Golf Course Home™ Network. Our
first few cities appear below, watch for additions to come in the
future!
Florida
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Naples, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina
Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania
Virginia
Williamsburg, Virginia
Washington, DC
Washington, D.C.
Back to Top
About
Vero Beach and Florida's Treasure Coast
Florida's Treasure Coast is the region between the
Jupiter Inlet and north to the Sebastian Inlet and consists of four
counties, from south to north, Palm Beach County, Martin, St. Lucie, and
Indian River County. Treasure Coast towns are rich in world-class golf
communities and include Stuart, Palm City, Port St. Lucie and Vero
Beach.
Vero Beach is located in Indian River County and
features 26 miles of unspoiled beaches and is a nesting ground to such
creatures as the Loggerhead sea turtle and 35 other rare and endangered
species.
Vero Beach is known for its unspoiled beaches and wildlife.
Nationally ranked 12th in "The Rating Guide to Life in
America's Small Cities," Vero Beach has retained its small town charm,
intimacy, and character. That's not to say that Vero Beach is a sleepy
little town. On the contrary, Vero Beach has become an exciting and
invigorating place to live with arts, entertainment, and
state-of-the-art medical facilities.
Port St. Lucie, the heart of the Treasure Coast.
The area has become famous for golf, culture, shopping and dining, as
well as for its unspoiled waterways, breathtaking beaches and preserved
environment. Often called "the best little town in Florida," Vero Beach
has average temperatures in the low 70s and an above average community
spirit. Check out the following Treasure Coast communities in Vero Beach
and neighboring towns:
Back to Top
2006 "Top 100 Golf Communities" Rankings
by T+L Golf Magazine
Another golf publication has jumped into the ranking
business. This time it's Travel+Leisure's Golf magazine, which
has announced in its Jan/Feb 2006 issue its first-ever ranking of the
"Top 100 Golf Communities in America." You'll be pleased to find that
nearly a quarter of this esteemed collection of golf communities is
featured on GolfCourseHome.net (with more to come) and the
GolfCourseHome®Network.
Please see below the list
of the tantalizing 22. Note that only the top 25 are given a numerical
ranking, with the remaining communities simply listed as among the top
100. Click on the highlighted links to obtain more information.
3.
New!
Isleworth, Orlando, Florida
9.
The Cliffs at Glassy,
Greenville, SC
11.
New!
Palmetto Bluff,
Beaufort, SC
16.
New!
Colleton River
Plantation, Hilton Head Island
25.
Mirabel
Scottsdale, Arizona
ARIZONA
Desert
Mountain, Scottsdale, AZ
FLORIDA
Frenchman's Reserve, Palm
Beach Gardens, FL
GEORGIA
Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro, GA
SOUTH CAROLINA
Daniel Island, Charleston, SC
The Reserve at Lake Keowee, SC
TEXAS
Barton Creek,
Austin, TX
WYOMING
The
Powder Horn Ranch and
Golf Club, Sheridan, WY
Back to Top
"Luxury
Golf
& Travel" Magazine Names Its
Top 25 Private Golf Communities
Luxury Golf & Travel Magazine announced in its
March/April 2006 issue its inaugural list of the "Top 25 Private Golf
Communities" (Diamond Award Winner). An expert panel of six judges, who
“weighed equally every criterion from services to scenery,” included in
their list of the Top 25 six golf communities that are featured on the
GolfCourseHome.Network. See below for links to these
award-winning communities.
New!
Colleton River
Plantation, Hilton Head Island, SC
The Cliffs including:
The
Cliffs at Glassy, SC
The Cliffs at
Keowee, SC
Desert Mountain,
AZ
Reynolds Plantation, GA
Back to Top
The
LandMar Golf Advantage Program
At LandMar, the purchase of a new property is your ticket to one of
the best club environments anywhere, because membership incentives and
numerous privileges are included.*
The LandMar Resident Golf Membership Advantage offers a valuable
package designed to allow everyone in the family an opportunity to enjoy
the game of golf, the pleasures of a casual club lifestyle and the
opportunity to extend the membership to all of LandMar's golf courses.
Advantage benefits include:
- A Home Course for primary membership
- Access to reciprocal golf to play selected Hampton Golf courses at
Preferred Rates
- Access to reciprocal golf at Crescent Communities, some of the
best clubs in the nation, many of which are private clubs not open
to public play
- Courses designed to be as challenging as you want, most with five
tee boxes plus our exclusive Family Tees™ to accommodate beginners
of all ages
- QuickStart2Golf™ program where our PGA Professionals provide a
free introduction designed to get you on the course and enjoying the
game
- Friendly Clubhouses to gather with neighbors for socializing,
casual dining and private events
- Member events that create fun inter-club activities and the
opportunity to make friends with residents from other LandMar
communities
- Competitive membership dues that make the Advantage an even
greater value
Back to Top
The 10
Commandments of
Golf Real Estate Buying
by David Lott
The stars that dance in a golfer’s eyes when you start talking
about fairway living are often bright enough to obscure even the
most cautionary road signs. But developers, marketers, agents and
builders alike advise prospective buyers to do their homework
first.
According to the National Golf Foundation, today’s golf community
market is "more active than ever," having come back strongly from
the chill that gripped the golf real estate market in the early 90s.
"Roughly 40 percent of new courses are associated with real
estate," says Steve Singer a consultant at the NGF, "which is where
it was before the early 90s." That means you have more choices than
ever in locations as diverse as Wyoming, Washington, Oregon,
Connecticut and Rhode Island in addition to the usual spots such as
Florida, North Carolina and Arizona.
Do Your Homework
This abundance also means that while it’s great fun to vacation
and shop for a home at the same time, you don’t have time to check
out all the possibilities personally. Do your homework and arrive at
your destination prepared.
To help you arm yourself with the facts, we’ve put together The 10
Commandments of Golf Real Estate Buying. Half the battle of
information gathering is knowing the right questions to ask. And
like any investment decision, you need to be aware of the pitfalls
and hazards. Follow these commandments and you’ll be successful in
finding the fairway home that best suits you.
The 10 Commandments of Golf Real Estate Buying
- Create Your Best Case Scenario
<==Click here to go to a special questionnaire to help create
your vision!
- Use the Inside Sales Team
- Consider the Resale Value
- Eliminate the Ultimate Surprise
- Ask About the Homeowners Association
- Ask "How Private Is it Really?"
- See If the Club Lives Up to the Marquee Designer’s Name
- Find Out What the Amenities Will Be & When They Will Be In
- Visit More than Once, and Talk to Owners
- Investigate the Surrounding Area
For the complete text of this article,
click here.
Back to Top
What Do You
Want in a Golf Course Home?
15 Questions That Will
Help You Find Out
by David Lott
The first step in finding your perfect golf course home is to determine
what you want at the outset and then look for it.
Use the questionnaire below to help get you thinking about what’s
important in your golf course community.
Circle your answers and use them as a template when you start looking at
specific communities.
1. The main reason you want to live in a golf course community is:
- To play as much golf as I can
- To learn the game & make friends
- Not to play, but to enjoy the golf course view
- Because my spouse wants to live on a golf course
- To be near my children and grandchildren
2. What kind of community do you want to belong:
A. Private, equity club
B. Private, no equity
C. Semi-private
D. Public
3. How much can you afford?
A. Up to $250,000
B. Up to $500,000
C. Up to $750,000
D. Up to $1 million+
4. Where do you want to live, in general terms?
- Beach
- Mountains
- Desert
- Lake
- River
- Rural
- Metro-area
5. Where do you want to live within the golf community? Overlooking:
- Fairway
- Green
- Marsh
- Lake
- Lagoon
- River
- Beach
- Desert
- Mountain
- Not on the course, but with a golf course view
- Just within the community, golf view not critical
6. You’ve chosen one of the areas above, but you also want to want to
live within 30-45 minutes of one of the areas below. For example, you want
to live in/near a metro area, but want to be able to drive to the beach
within 30 minutes.
- International airport
- Beach
- Mountains
- Desert
- Lake
- River
- Rural
- Metro-area
7. In which region of the U.S. would you like to live?
- New England
- Mid-Atlantic
- Southeast
- Mid-West
- South Central
- Pacific Northwest
- West
- Southwest
8. Do you want to be near:
- Cultural centers
- University town
- Health Care Facilities
- Shopping Centers
- Airport
- Other golf courses
- My grandchildren/children/family
9. A "name" golf course designer is important
Yes No
10. Other amenities that are important check all that apply
- Golf practice facility
- Golf lessons/golf school
- Tennis
- Marina
- Wilderness areas/Preservation areas
- Fishing
- Fly-fishing (on property or near by)
- Skiing (ski-in, ski-out, nearby)
- Indoor swimming pool
- Outdoor Swimming pool
- Aquatic aerobics
- Personal trainers
- Spa/Massage/herbal wraps, etc.
- Whirlpool
- Aerobic classes
- Free weights
- Weight machines
- Walking trails
- Hiking trails
- Fine dining
- Well-stocked Wine cellar
- Card clubs (bridge, etc.)
- Instruction classes (cooking, bridge, flower arranging, etc.)
- Active club social calendar
- Club tournaments & events
- Inter-club play
11. The kind of home you want is
- Single-family
- Custom Home
- Patio Home
- Cluster Home
- Condominium (low-rise)
- Condominium (high-rise)
12. How many bedrooms
- 4+
- 3
- 2
- 1
13. How many bathrooms
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4+
14. Circle other important home features:
- Hardwood floors
- Fireplace
- Vaulted ceilings
- Basement
- Garage
- Golf Car garage
- Pool
- Gourmet kitchen
15. How much can you afford to devote to golf each year?
- Up to $2,500
- Up to $10,000
- Up to $20,000
- Up to $30,000
- Up to $40,000
- $50,000+
- $100,000+
Back to Top
"America's
Best 100 Master-Planned Communities, 2005"
Selected by Where to Retire Magazine
Twenty of the master-planned, golf course
communities featured on the Golf Course Home®
Network were named to Where to Retire Magazine's 2005 list of
"America's Best 100 Master-Planned Communities." Our congratulations to
them all!
FLORIDA
Villages of Citrus Hills, Hernando
GlenLakes, Weeki Wachee
GEORGIA
The Landings, Skidaway Island
Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro
IDAHO
Teton Springs, Teton Valley
NORTH CAROLINA
River Landing, Wallace
OREGON
Running Y Ranch, Klamath Falls
SOUTH CAROLINA
Woodside Plantation, Aiken
Daniel Island, Charleston
Barefoot Resort, N. Myrtle Beach
VIRGINIA
Bay Creek, Cape Charles
Back to Top
Buying in Mexico?
Read These First!
Buying real estate in Mexico has become easier for
foreigners because of recent Mexican governmental rule changes. Click
here and
here for
two articles on what you should know before buying, plus some suggested
golf communities which offer both golf and beach buying opportunities.
Back to Top
Golfweek’s America's Best
"Top 100 Residential Golf Courses"
As selected by Golfweek Magazine for 2005
Golfweek's special annual issue, America's 2005 Best Residential Golf
Courses, features its rankings of the "Top 100 Residential Golf Courses." Listed
below are the members of Golfweek Top 100 courses that are featured on
GolfCourseHome.net.
Click on the highlighted links below to learn about each community and
to request more information about real estate offerings, club and
association fees, site plans, home designs, amenities and more. The
listings below include ranking position, community name, course name,
city and state.
Golfweek’s 2005 America’s
Best
Top 100 Residential Courses
30. The Mirabel
Club, Scottsdale, AZ
51. Old North
State Club - Uwharrie Point - New London, NC
52. Reynolds Plantation -
Great Waters - Greensboro, GA
56. Reynolds Plantation -
Oconee - Oconee, GA
57. Desert
Mountain – Chiricahua - Scottsdale, AZ
61. Desert Mountain - Geronimo - Scottsdale, AZ
62. Berkeley Hall, North Bluffton, SC - Coming Soon!
63. Desert
Mountain - Cochise - Scottsdale, AZ
67. Desert Mountain - Renegade - Scottsdale, AZ
69. Reynolds Plantation -
National - Greensboro, GA
75. Grande Dunes GC,
Myrtle Beach, SC
77. Lake Jovita, Dade
City, FL
79. Desert
Mountain - Apache - Scottsdale, AZ
85. Hammock Dunes, Palm
Coast, FL
90. Landings at Skidaway
Island - Deer Creek - Skidaway, GA
94. Daniel Island,
Charleston, SC
95. Indian River Club,
Vero Beach, FL
98. Cliffs at Glassy,
Landrum, SC
Back to Top
Golf Digest's
State Golf Course Rankings
Golf Digest regularly posts state golf course
rankings. The latest rankings shown below highlight those courses that are
associated with a master-planner golf course community and are among the
top-ranked courses--out of all courses--in their respective state.
GOLF DIGEST'S STATE COURSE RANKINGS
( ) = previous ranking
ARIZONA
14. (12)
Desert Mountain C. (Chiricahua) Scottsdale
18. (17)
Desert Mountain Club (Renegade) Scottsdale
21. (18)
Desert Mountain Club (Geronimo) Scottsdale
22. (16)
Desert Mountain Club (Cochise) Scottsdale
FLORIDA
22.
Hammock Dunes Golf Club (Creek), Palm Coast
25. (22)
Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club, Dade City
GEORGIA
16. (14)
The Oconee at Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro
19. (20)
National at Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro
NORTH CAROLINA
13. (23)
Old North State Club, New London
14. (10)
Champion Hills Club, Hendersonville
SOUTH CAROLINA
11.
The Reserve Club at Woodside Plantation, Aiken
19. (17)
Colleton River
Plantation, Colleton River Plantation G.C. (Nicklaus), Bluffton
21. (17)
River Landing Plantation Golf Course, Wallace
VIRGINIA
9. (7)
Bay Creek Golf Course, Cape Charles
Back to Top
Live at a Golf
Community that Features a
Top-Ranked Golf Instructor!
Is finding a golf course home a goal for 2005? Is
improving your golf game another? Then you'll find both at
Desert Mountain
Club in Scottsdale, AZ. Renowned instructor Jim Flick, who works
out of Desert Mountain, is a regular member of GOLF MAGAZINE's
definitive list of teaching talent, the Top 100 Golf Teachers in
America.
Back to Top
 AMERICA’S
BEST
ALL-AROUND PLACES TO RETIRE
Click here to order this book
The all-new, fifth edition of
Retirement Places Rated by David Savageau is a massive 324 page
resource that is described as "the single best source for planning
the retirement you deserve." More than 180 top retirement areas are
ranked for the key elements that must be considered before you
select your place to live:
- Living costs
- Climate
- Services
- Crime
- Work Opportunities
- Recreation
The method the author uses to rank the areas is
simple. The scores of each place for the six factors noted above are
averaged together for a final score. Pensacola, for example, has a
high score of 75.99 in "cost of living," 52.84 in "climate," 6.23 in
"crime," 66.54 in "working," 66.83 in "services," and 78.86 in
"leisure living." The mean score of these is 57.88, slightly better
than the average for all retirement places.
The higher the mean score the better the place is
judged to be all-around. (Pensacola, for example, places 50th
overall.) This issue’s Top 30 resembles that of the previous edition,
although 13 of the areas that were in the upper echelon of the Top
30 have been overtaken by up-and-comers that were previously ranked
behind them.
Please note that the Top 30 are by no means
flawless. Twelve rank near the bottom in one or more of the six
categories. Just three (Fort Collins-Loveland, Charleston Sea
Islands, and Prescott-Prescott Valley) rank in the upper half of all
of them.
The main point is here is that you have to face
reality and make choices:
there just isn’t an ideal haven in America. Aside
from a blot or two, many come close through a combination of
strengths. Whether their strengths are vital or unimportant, or
whether their blots are knockout factors or trivial is for you to
decide for yourself.
America’s Top 30 Retirement
Places
| Retirement Place |
Mean Sources |
| 1.Fort Collins-Loveland, Co |
74.88 |
| 2.Charleston Sea Islands, SC |
74.68 |
| 3.Henderson-Boulder City, NV |
73.80 |
| 4.Wickenburg, AZ |
72.83 |
| 5.St.George-Zion, UT |
72.52 |
| 6.Boca Raton, FL |
71.36 |
| 7.Scottsdale, AZ |
70.66 |
| 8.Tuscon, AZ |
69.72 |
| 9.Prescott-Prescott Valley, AZ |
69.46 |
| 10. Fort Myers-Cape Coral, FL |
68.96 |
| 11. Medford-Ashland, OR |
67.93 |
| 12. Durango, CO |
67.67 |
| 13. Santa Fe, NM |
67.41 |
| 14. Taos, NM |
67.36 |
| 15. Sarasota. FL |
67.24 |
| 16. Colorado Springs, CO |
66.18 |
| 17. Daytona Beach, FL |
66.08 |
| 18. Kalispell-Flathead Valley, MT |
65.86 |
| 19. Gainsville, FL |
65.70 |
| 20. Mesa, AZ |
65.39 |
| 21. Faytteville, AR |
64.93 |
| 22. Laguna Beach-Dana Point, CA |
64.65 |
| 23. Cottonwood-Verde Valley, AZ |
64.27 |
| 24. Bend, OR |
63.59 |
| 25. North country San Diego, CA |
63.38 |
| 26. Melbourne-Palm Bay, FL |
62.80 |
| 27. Bellingham, WA |
62.61 |
| 28. Fairhope-Gulf Shores, AL |
62.37 |
| 29. Leesburg-Mount Dora, FL |
62.32 |
| 30. Florence, OR |
62.14 |
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The Best
36
Golf Counties in America
Out of 3,141 counties in the U.S and more than 15,000 golf courses,
here are the top 36 counties. Determined by Golf Digest magazine
in conjunction with Dr. John F. Rooney Jr., Ph.D., the rankings use a
weighting system targeting key quality of life issues, such as great
weather, low crime, reasonable living costs, clean air, accessible
health care, cultural stimulation and lots of good golf.
Golf Digest surveyed its subscribers about these issues to get
first-hand input. The survey results were used in conjunction with
Golf Digest’s Database of Golf in America to create the Golf
Digest Retirement Index, which is displayed below. Note that the
counties are broken up into four general categories: College Counties
for more the cultural and sporting aspects of university life, Urban,
Rural and Four Season.
College Counties
| Overall
Rank |
County |
State |
| 1 |
Albemarle |
Virginia |
| 3 |
Orange |
North Carolina |
| 6 |
Monroe |
Indiana |
| 9 |
Payne |
Oklahoma |
Rural Counties
| Overall
Rank |
County |
State |
| 2 |
Transylvania |
North Carolina |
| 4 |
Avery |
North Carolina |
| 5 |
Santa Barbara |
California |
| 7 |
Martin |
Florida |
| 15 |
Maui |
Hawaii |
| 18 |
Napa |
California |
| 20 |
Brunswick |
North Carolina |
| 22 |
Indian River |
Florida |
| 23 |
Collier |
Florida |
| 28 |
Beaufort |
South Carolina |
| 33 |
Horry |
South Carolina |
| 35 |
Glynn |
Georgia |
Four-Season Counties
| Overall
Rank |
County |
State |
| 8 |
Flathead |
Montana |
| 11 |
Deschutes |
Oregon |
| 12 |
Moore |
North Carolina |
| 13 |
Charlevoix |
Michigan |
| 17 |
Emmet |
Michigan |
| 27 |
Barnstable |
Massachusetts |
| 32 |
Eagle |
Colorado |
| 36 |
Summit |
Colorado |
Urban Counties
| Overall
Rank |
County |
State |
| 10 |
Palm Beach |
Florida |
| 14 |
Travis |
Texas |
| 16 |
Burnet |
Texas |
| 19 |
Pima |
Arizona |
| 21 |
Lee |
Florida |
| 24 |
San Diego |
California |
| 25 |
Maricopa |
Arizona |
| 26 |
Lake |
Florida |
| 29 |
Orange |
Florida |
| 30 |
Clark |
Nevada |
| 31 |
Polk |
Florida |
| 34 |
Riverside |
California |
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