The GolfCourseHome Life

Sneak Preview: Tennessee National to Join GolfCourseHome

Tennessee National, TN: Norman tees off on his new course.

Tennessee National, TN, the new golf course
community near Knoxville, TN, that features a brand
new layout designed by Greg Norman will be launched
on the GolfCourseHome Network tomorrow, Nov. 1,
but you can have a sneak preview at it now.

Tennessee National is a master-planned waterfront
and golf community tucked into the foothills of the
Great Smoky Mountains where the community offers
a private sanctuary on historic Watts Bar Lake.
Homesites are accented by a broad selection of
premium amenities, architectural styles and community
activities.

The original site, Matlock Bend, has been kept in its
natural state even as surrounding parcels yielded to
development. With roots as a century-old dairy farm,
Matlock Bend sits on a storied 3.5-mile stretch of the
Tennessee River and enjoys four distinct yet temperate
seasons.

Tennessee National’s river location will yield a planned
Marina and Waterside Village and access to Watts Bar
Lake’s clean, fishable deep waters which cover a vast
expanse of 39,000 acres that are ideal for boating,
fishing, sailing or water skiing.

Real estate includes:

• Homesites from the $150,000s
• Condominiums from $299,500
• The Cottages, starting in the $400,000s
• Golfside Villa’s from the $500,000s
• Custom homes from the $800,000s
• Maintenance-free golf villas, cottages, condominiums
• Wide selection of floor plans and finishes
• Premium sites and views of woods, lake and golf course
• To request more information about Tennessee National, click here

GolfCourseHome Sponsors MV International Film Festival

MV Film Festival: Sold out in only its second year.

One of the more enjoyable events GolfCourseHome
sponsored this summer was the Martha's Vineyard
International Film Festival, Sept. 13-16. In only its
second year, the Film Festival sold out virtually
every screening. With its doubled capacity, festival
originator Richard Paradise's vision of 2,000 patrons
and guests, sponsors, and press was more than
realized. Local network PlumTV got into the act as
well, creating a nice 5-minute segment about the
event after it concluded.

One of our favorite films was the "Owl and the
Sparrow," by director Stephane Gauger, who was born
in Vietnam to interracial parents and raised in Orange
County, Calif.--a Vietnamese film about three lost
and lonely souls in Saigon in which a young girl plays
matchmaker to an airline stewardess and zoo keeper.

The other was "Deep Water," a sometimes haunting
documentary directed by Louise Osmond with Jerry
Rothwell, both making their cinema debuts on the
project, about an Englishman, no more skilled than
a weekend sailor, who gets in literally over his head
in the first-ever round the world sailing race held
in 1968 and meets a tragic end. (The French entry,
meanwhile, becomes a national hero by turning
around nearly in sight of the finish line to start the
race all over again, leaving his wife and family to
wonder when they will see him again.)

Overall, the festival was fun to be a part of, what
with the attending parties and meeting a number
of interesting and talented people; we will certainly
be a sponsor again next year. Our sponsorship
grew out of our relationship with PlumTV where
festival founder Richard Paradise works in sales.

Last July we had worked with Richard in creating our
series of five golf community film shorts, filming the
introductions at Farm Neck Golf in Oak Bluffs. The
series continue to be shown on PlumTV Martha's
Vineyard's House and Home Show. You can also
see them here. And Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard,
is the location of one of our Featured Private
Residence Clubs, Edgartown Residence Club,
proving you don't have to go far from home to
find good clients or ideas.

Colleton River Supports Marine Scholarship Fund

Darle Booher, Broker-in-Charge, at Cora Bett Thomas
Realty of SC, is a good friend and supporter of
GolfCourseHome. She recently attended a fundraiser
managed by members at Colleton River Plantation,
which is located just two miles off the Hilton Head
Island bridge. Here is her report:

"I had the privilege of being a guest at the annual
Marine Scholarship fund raiser this week at Parris
Island, SC. This program benefits the children of
fallen men and women who have given everything
they had for all of us. These children are offered an
opportunity to receive a scholarship so that they can
attend college - many of whom would never have the
chance otherwise.

Here in Beaufort County, the drive is largely managed
by Colleton River men who have taken a special
interest in this project and have raised over $100,000
this year. The annual golf tournament is the
culmination of the fund raising with a full field of
players at the Parris Island Golf Course who enjoy a
Captain’s Choice game with lots of fun extras.

The food is donated and includes breakfast, lunch
and dinner.  Everyone left with doorprizes, shirts,
and some fond memories of the day’s events. 
My hat's off to the many volunteers who make this
event possible and a Marine-style salute for the work
they are doing to help these youngsters who have
learned to live without the help of their parent."

Links Magazine 2007-08 Top 100 Premier Properties Ranking List

Suncadia, WA: A Top 100 for golf, and lifestyle, too.

The ranking season is upon us once again. That time of
year when the various golf publications proclaim their
Top 100 and Best New courses and communities. They're
fun for water-cooler talk, but for the golf courses involved,
it is serious business. The earning of a top ranking assures
media coverage and more than the usual amount of curiosity.
And for those looking for a new place to play, or a community
to investigate, the rankings provide valuable road signs.

While GolfCourseHome issues no rankings itself, we enjoy
noting the number of courses and communities that appear on
the lists that are also featured on GolfCourseHome.net. The
first golf rankings to appear are those of Links Magazine's
"Top 100 Premier Properties." We are pleased to count 34 of
these world-class communities are featured, or are soon to
be featured, on GolfCourseHome. Here they are:

Links Magazine's Top 100 Premier Properties

ARIZONA
Desert Mountain, Scottsdale
Mirabel, Scottsdale

COLORADO
Glacier Club, Durango

CALIFORNIA
Winchester Country Club, Meadow Vista

FLORIDA
Tesoro, Port St. Lucie
Quail West, Naples
Fiddler's Creek, Naples
The Founders Club, Sarasota
Hammock Dunes Private Community, Palm Coast
Frenchman's Reserve, Palm Beach Gardens
Isleworth Country Club, Windermere 

GEORGIA
The Landings, Skidaway Island (12 miles from Savannah)
Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro (75 miles east of Atlanta)
Marina Cottages at The Ford Plantation, Richmond Hill (20 minutes from Savannah)

LochenHeath, MI: A Links Top 100 Premier Property.

MICHIGAN
Lochen Heath, Williamsburg

NORTH CAROLINA
Mountain Air, Burnsville
Champion Hills, Hendersonville

SOUTH CAROLINA
Oldfield, Beaufort
Spring Island, between Beaufort & Hilton Head Island
Colleton River Plantation, Bluffton
Palmetto Bluff, Bluffton
Belfair, Bluffton
Daniel Island, Charleston
Grande Dunes, Myrtle Beach
The Reserve at Lake Keowee, Pickens
The Cliffs at Lake Keowee, Sunset   

VIRGINIA
Ford's Colony, Williamsburg

WASHINGTON
Suncadia, Roslyn

Jupiter CC Greg Norman Golf Course Opens Nov.1

Jupiter CC, FL: Greg Norman course opens this Thursday.

The Greg Norman Signature Golf Course at Jupiter
Country Club will open to members this Thursday,
November 1. Among one of the area’s newest golf
course communities, the Toll Brothers-developed
community is located just west of Florida’s Turnpike
on Indiantown Road in northern Palm Beach County.

Incorporating nature preserves and more than a dozen
lakes into its design, the course features large wetland
preserves in the center of the course. Generous
fairways are defined by large, sweeping bunkers and
orange coquina shell waste bunkers add definition to
several holes. Landscaping includes local native plants
including Pine Flatwoods, Oak Hammock and Sabal Palm
Hammock. To request more information about real
estate available at Jupiter Country Club, click here.

Southern Hills Plantation, FL: Tour of Homes Nov. 10-11

Southern Hills Plantation, FL: New pool & spa.

Southern Hills Plantation, Brooksville FL, is unveiling
its new Rutenberg model early next month and will offer
a Tour of 19 Homes in the golf club community. The
open house will take place on Saturday, November 10,
from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and on Sunday, November 11
from noon to 5 p.m. The event is open to the public
and realtors.

The tour will take visitors through seven fully furnished
models and 12 Express Address homes, showcasing a
variety of floorplans, including a new model by Rutenberg
Homes. Guests will enjoy light refreshments and beverages.

Located across from the first green of the award-winning
Pete Dye golf course, the new Rutenberg model offers a
3,650-square-foot, split floor plan, 3 bedrooms/4 baths,
plus den and leisure room and 3-car garage. An expansive
pool area with expanded cabana, outdoor kitchen and
fireplace brings total square footage under roof to more
than 5,000. To request immediate information about
Southern Hills Plantation, click here.

Southern Hills Plantation covers 1,000 acres and
features oak-lined streets, new pool and spa, classic
Southern architecture and 360-degree vistas with
elevated, panoramic views stretching almost 20 miles
to the Gulf Coast. Southern Hills is also home to
renowned designer Pete Dye’s first course in the
Tampa area.

Chopra Birdie Wins It at Teroso on Extra Day

Reunion Resort, FL: Showcased by Ginn at Tesoro event.

Alan, Pearce, Marshall on Hole No. 14, and VP of Sales
for the Golf Course Home Network, reports on his final
day at Ginn Sur Mer PGA Tour Event at Tesoro whose
finish spilled over onto today (Monday).

Final Day--Early this morning (Mon Oct 29th), in a holdover
due to darkness on the final two holes, Daniel Chopra
came in to win the Ginn Sur Mer Tournament on the
Arnold Palmer course at Ginn's Tesoro in Port St. Lucie,
FL. A birdie on No. 17 broke a three-way tie.  It was
Chopra's first tour win.

Maureen Pearce, my bride, was among the dozen volunteers
who helped me as Marshall on hole No. 14 throughout
the five days. We all enjoyed being at the exclusive
Tesoro Club and being right in close with so many top
PGA Tour golfers.

Back again at Ginn's special tent showcasing their several
communities in the Southeast, we had the opportunity to
visit with sales executives: Barry Mc Dermott, who in a
former life was a staff writer for Sports Illustrated,
from Hammock Beach, FL; Marlene Somerville from
Reunion Resort, FL; Marcus Krause from The Briar
Rose, GA; David Plyler from Cobblestone Park, SC,
and Donald Dawson from Laurelmor, NC.

Ginn and the various other sponsors should be very proud
(and should be thanked) for bringing such a prestigious
event to The Treasure Coast. Surely the many tour
golfers, spectators and volunteers (we were two of more
than 1,400), enjoyed having the opportunity to take
part in this tournament.

How Nicklaus Name on a Golf Course Adds Immediate Value to Real Estate

Sea Pines, SC: First golf community & first Jack Nicklaus course.

Whether you play golf or not, when you consider buying
real estate in a golf course community, the designer of the
golf course can affect the price you pay. Today, no other
golf course architect impacts real estate values like Jack
Nicklaus. (Some of Nicklaus' courses are featured here.)

Once the king of the golf course, the Golden Bear is now the
king of golf course design and sits atop the leader board in
regard to the value his signature imparts to his creations
and the surrounding real estate.

Colin Hegarty, president of Golf Research Group, studies
how a course architect’s name and reputation affects
property values in golf communities. Hegarty recently
equated the homes in communities built around Nicklaus
courses with “blue chip stocks” whose “value grows
dependably.”    

    FLORIDA: Reunion, Orlando

In the past six, Nicklaus has designed more than 80
residential golf courses. Golf Research Group puts their
average net value—course and real estate combined
—at a cool $246 million per community. Run the same
calculation for other leading U.S. course designers and
none of them matches up with Jack.

     NORTH CAROLINA: Governors Club, Chapel Hill

Nicklaus got his start in golf course design in 1968 as co-
author (with Pete Dye) of the famed Harbour Town Golf
Links at Sea Pines Plantation on Hilton Head Island—perfect
symmetry considering it’s the same place where golf-course
real estate was first invented.

Nicklaus has since designed some 250 additional courses,
of which 35 have been listed on national and international
Top-100 rankings. His achievement as a designer is such
that the Nicklaus name will be forever revered in golf
circles, even if he had never picked up a club.   

FLORIDA: Grand Haven, Palm Coast

A fine example of the Nicklaus approach to residential
course design is his new layout at Bay Creek Golf & Marina
Resort in Cape Charles, VA. Measuring 7,417 yards with
Tifsport Bermuda fairways and smooth A-4 bentgrass greens,
this Nicklaus course is characterized by large waste areas
and more than 100 boldly shaped bunkers.   

SOUTH CAROLINA: The Reserve at Lake Keowee, Lake Keowee

Of all golf communities with Nicklaus-designed courses,
Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, AZ, has the deepest
Bear tracks. It is home to no fewer than six 18-hole
layouts bearing the Nicklaus signature with their
openings stretched over a 15-year period. Some call
it a Nicklaus Design Museum, showing the evolution
of his style and beliefs.

GEORGIA: Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro, Lake Oconee

Despite his lack of formal training in course design,
Nicklaus had several advantages when he started. He
knew the game well and he was given bigger construction
budgets than the average architect. His courses have a
fine, finished look to them—no corners are cut and it
shows. In fact, the quality-control standards Nicklaus
applied to his own early courses quickly became adopted
industry-wide.

Early on, Nicklaus courses were discouragingly difficult,
especially on shots into the greens, which were wide, but
shallow—often just a few paces from front to back—which
frustrated all but the most accomplished golfer.   

SOUTH CAROLINA: Woodside Plantation, Aiken

With experience, designer Jack learned to accommodate the
average player by building in more options and bailouts.
His courses took on softer lines and avoided the sharp edges
that sent impure shots careening sideways upon landing.   

DELAWARE: Bayside, Selbyville

Today, Nicklaus retains a fondness for the split fairway, using
that feature to add character and a sense of fun to the tee shot
on par-5s. As more and more architects have squared off their
tee boxes in a nod to the formal-landscape look of the early
20th century, Nicklaus has bucked the trend, preferring to keep
his teeing grounds "free-form."   

GEORGIA: Riverwood Plantation, Augusta (one of three nines)

To see a complete list of the 23 Jack Nicklaus-designed golf
courses on GolfCourseHome.net, click here. To see the
complete list of the 75 golf course architects (and their
courses) featured on the GolfCourseHome Network with links
to the golf communities for which they were built, click here.

Vista Del Verde, CA, Village Four Now Open

Vista Del Verde: Fourth and final village now open.

Village Four, the golf-themed neighborhood at Vista Del
Verde, Yorba Linda, CA, is now open. The community's
final neighborhood, the village will feature Vista Del
Verde's second neighborhood park and a five-acre
community facility located on the east side of Lakeview
Avenue. Portions of the Casa Loma equestrian trail
from the Lakeview Avenue entrance to Valley View
will be incorporated.

To request more information, click here.

Village Four will feature approximately 562 homes.
Many of the homes will have golf course views over-
looking holes No. 1, 17 and 18 and the surrounding
hillsides.

The neighborhood's attached, single-family and
estate homes range from approximately 2,100 to
4,500 square feet. Architectural themes include
Craftsman, Mediterranean/Italian, Mission Revivalist,
Neo-Classical/Georgian, Monterey and Spanish
Colonial/Ranch.

Vista Del Verde residents will enjoy 10 acres of new
parks, 10 miles of pedestrian and equestrian trails,
numerous outlook vista points, more than 70 acres of
preserved open space, a trail system linking to Chino
Hills State Park and Carbon Canyon Regional Park,
and the award-winning $30 million Black Gold Golf Club.
In addition, a new $6.5 million elementary school
opened in the fall of 2005.

Luxury home builder Toll Brothers and Aera Energy,
the California oil and gas producer, are developing
Vista Del Verde under the joint venture Vista Del
Verde, LP.

Note that Vista Del Verde does not have Mello Roos
or master community association fees.The Vista Del
Verde Information Center is open daily from 10 am
to 5 pm. To request more information about Vista
Del Verde, click here.

Behind the Scenes Report: Day 2 at the PGA Tour Ginn Tesoro Event

Laurelmor, NC: Showcased at Ginn event.

Alan Pearce, Hole Captain on No. 14 at the Tesoro
PGA Tour event, reports on his day at the tournament:

"Inclement weather notwithstanding, Day #2 at the
Ginn Sur Mer PGA Tour Event at Tesoro was the scene
of more great golf. Bob Estes and Tommy Armour III
both go into the weekend at 14 under.

At lunchtime we were treated to a special tour of the
elegant Tesoro Clubhouse. Saying that this Clubhouse
is outstanding would be an understatement! There are no
less than six kitchens accommodating every conceivable
appetite of Tesoro members and their guests.

Just outside the Clubhouse, the area was dotted by many
vendor booths/tents, providing a very festive setting.
Of note, Ginn had an impressive tent with separate
booths showcasing not only Tesoro (whose Sales
Associate Mark Greenberg warmly greeted us), but
booths also for Ginn's Reunion Resort, Hammock
Dunes, Laurelmor (in NC) and The BriarRose (in GA).
The variety of communities and real estate choices
offered by Ginn is simply amazing!

Going into the last two days of The Ginn Sur Mer PGA
Tour Event at Tesoro in Port St. Lucie, FL we pray
the "Rain Gods" will look upon us favorably! Just in
case, we will have rain gear and umbrellas close at
hand."

Links, Golfweek Begin Golf Course Ranking Season

Founders Club, FL: A Links' Top 100 Premier Property.

Links and Golfweek magazines have fired the first shots
in this year's golf course ranking wars with their recent
rankings of Best New Courses list (Golfweek) and
Top 100 Premier Properties (Links).

A pair of head's-up communities alerted us today about
their places in the rankings. Ian Fetigan at the
Founders Club, FL, emailed us with the proud notation
that his club was ranked in the Links 100 Premier
Properties for the second year in a row. Overall, a
third of the Links 100 Premier Properties are
featured on GolfCourseHome.

Daniel Island, SC: Rees Jones layout among the Best.

And a press release from the Daniel Island Club, SC,
related that its Ralston Creek Course had been named
to Golfweek’s list of Best New Courses. Designed by
Rees Jones and opened in April 2006, Ralston Creek
ranked 50th among more than 350 U.S. courses
opened between 2005 and 2007. Several of these
Best New Courses are featured on GolfCourseHome
as well. However, watch for our list soon.

Savannah Snapshot: Proud Owners at The Reserve at Savannah Harbor

The Reserve at Savannah Harbor, GA: The Muellers check in.

Here's a picture some families dream about: A snapshot
of a new homesite at a luxury golf community. Here the
Mueller Family of Wall, NJ, pose on their recently purchased
homesite at the Reserve at Savannah Harbor, Ga. While
they stand in front of their lot with visions of building their 
dream house in their heads, a new home starts to take
shape in the distance behind them. An additional part of
the backdrop is the stunning bridge that spans the Back
River to Savannah.

Behind the Scenes Report from the PGA Tour Ginn Tesoro Event

Tesoro, FL: PGA Tour event gets under way.

Alan Pearce reports on his activities as a Hole
Marshall on the Day One at the Ginn sur Mer Tesoro
PGA Tour event. (Thurs Oct 25th):

"A wet course wasn't necessarily friendly to the golfers
--but the habitat surely liked the conditions. We are
we are marshaling on Hole No. 14. Just before a
group including John Daly approached, seven Blue
Hill Cranes were pecking their way up to the 14th green. 
With QUIET signs waving, we very gently diverted them.

Then as Daly and the others in his group approached the
No. 14 green, they allowed meaningful distance to
a small snake in the fairway. It turned out to be a
water moccasin . . dangerous in any size! Upon radioing
for assistance, a PGA Rules official appeared in his
cart, and was successful coaching the snake back into
the nearby marsh!

Ginn's Tesoro development is ultra glamorous--with
many grand homes already built and many other homes
now under construction. During our lunch break we paid
a visit to one of their "hospitality models." Both the
builder, Palm Beach Homes, and a local decorator were
on hand to explain the details of this magnificent
residence, priced at $1,650,000. (To see a video of
Tesoro, click here.)

An elaborate lunch spread was catered/on hand. 
Surely this was a comprehensive andtop notch way
for Ginn, the builders and decorators involved to
market/showcase their unique properties and upscale
homes! More to follow....."

The Dream 18: Great Golf Holes from World-Class Golf Communities

Teton Springs, Idaho: No.3 Hole on the Dream 18.

If you were to play 18 of the best, most memorable
golf holes--a Dream 18--that can be found within today's
best golf course communities, which ones would you
choose? That's the hypothetical question we posed to
ourselves if we had to choose from among the 200 golf
communities featured on GolfCourseHome.net.

These havens of the country club lifestyle represent
more than 5,000 golf holes, 300-plus championship
golf courses and over 75 different golf course designers.
A lot to choose from. Furthermore, many of the courses
are highly ranked by the various golf publications
and have been crafted by the greats of golf course
design. That's only part of the story, however.

The Lucky Ones
The crux of the matter is that all these courses
are home courses to the lucky ones who live around
them. Whether you play their carpeted fairways,
traverse around them on your morning walk or just
have them as a lovely background as you go about
your day, each help create a beautiful environment
that makes you glad you live there.

Thus, you could go mad trying to select the "best" 18
holes. Instead, we select 18 of the ones we'd most
like play with the full knowledge that if we paused
and started over, we'd most likely pick another
group of 18, and then yet another.

A Happy Solution
Which gives us the happy solution of saying that
this group is the first of what will be an annual
selection. If you'd like to add your own favorite
golf hole to this list, please email us and we will
publish your selections at a later date.

Each entry includes a parenthetical denoting which
number hole on the original course our selected hole
represents. For detailed information on any of these
courses or communities, just click on the name of
the community. For the sake of saving space, we
present a few of the Dream 18. You can go to the
Dream 18 page on GolfCourseHome.net for the
full list.

Hole No. 1,  The Cliffs at Glassy (1st), Travelers
Rest, SC. Sophisticated cuisine and high-tech wellness
facilities are a theme at each of the eight Carolina
communities bearing The Cliffs brand. Our Dream
18 starts there with an inspiring tee shot courtesy
of architect Tom Jackson.

This tight and dramatic par-4 at Cliffs at Glassy plays
to a narrow landing area beside a steep wooded hillside.
Drives that steer clear of it flirt with water on the right.

Hole No. 3, Teton Springs (11th) Teton Valley, WY.
Rocky Mountain snow-splashed peaks, mountain-fed
stream and lakes and vast green fairways make golf
at Teton Springs a continually memorable event.
The community's 11th hole takes advantage of great
mountain views from allalong its straightaway 460-yards.

Two ponds lie in perilous locations along the fairway
and up by the green. The front of the green is open
to allow a long second shot to bounce in front and
run in, proving that yes, you can you can build a
great par-4 without doglegs or elevation changes.

Hole No. 6, The Founder’s Club (14th), Sarasota, FL.
Inside a guarded sanctuary accented by 90 acres of
picturesque lakes and shaded by stands of pines,
palms and old oak hammocks, there is a “core”
golf course (not lined by housing) by Robert Trent
Jones, Jr. that represents some of his finest work
in recent years. Our highlight hole is a monster par-5
that plays from a narrow chute of trees.

This 570-yarder plays along water for half its length,
and a mistake off the tee will make getting home
in a decent score a difficult task. The large green
provides plenty of rippling contour, so par will be
well earned.

Reserve at Savannah Harbor, GA, Discovery Package Offers Golf or Spa

Discovery Package: Views of the Back River & Savannah skyline.

The Reserve at Savannah Harbor, GA, is offering
a two-night 'Savannah Harbor Discovery Getaway' so
you can check out the new community and enjoy
what Savannah has to offer at the same time.

You can pick any two nights at the Westin Savannah
Harbor Resort & Greenbrier Spa (based on availability).
Your 3 day/2 night stay will include accommodations
for two, plus your choice of two rounds of golf at
The Club at Savannah Harbor, where the Senior PGA
“Legends of Golf” tournament is held or two
massages at the renowned Greenbrier Spa–-all
for just $349.

You will also have a private tour of The Reserve at
Savannah Harbor and spend the rest of your time
enjoying the many attractions of Savannah. Call for
details 912-341-0910; Toll Free 877-287-3737.

Mazatlan, Mexico, Offers New Golf & Boating Community

Serena Marina & Golf: A new boating and golf haven.

Serena Marina & Golf, located in storied Mazatlan,
Mexico, one of the most important ports on the Pacific
Coast, is a new private condominium community
coming to life with waterfront residences, marina,
championship golf and more.

Designed in the Spanish Mediterranean style and
surrounded by beachfront and Latin America’s
largest marina with more than 1,200 slips, Serena
is an attractive buying opportunity for golf and
boating enthusiasts for whom such purchases
are out of reach north of the border.

The Serena harbor facility is lined with private
slips and yacht club offering world-class services
for resident boaters. Mazatlan is known as the
Pearl of the Pacific because of its beautiful
beaches and abundant marine life; its average
year-round temperature is 77 degrees.

The area is ideal for surfing, diving and sailfish
or marlin fishing. Visitors to the historic  district
marvel at the Cathedral of the Immaculate
Conception and stroll down sun-drenched  streets
lined with 19th-century architecture.

This gated community is being developed
by the well-established firm Portus.
Condominium residences offer three bedrooms
and range from 2,192 to 3,428 square feet.
Whole ownership ranges from $295,000 to
$645,000. Views are of either the marina
or golf course.

Mazatlan is just 750 miles from the Arizona
border and surrounded by the Sierra Madre
Mountains on Mexico’s northern Pacific coast,
and is easily accessible by air from the USA
and Canada, with daily service available from
several airlines.

Sneak Preview: Madison Lakes, GA, Coming to GolfCourseHome.net

Madison Lakes, GA: Private, gated & 60 acres of lakes & streams

Madison Lakes, GA, will be joining GolfCourseHome.net
and the GolfCourseHome Network on Thursday, October
25, but you can have a sneak peak at it now. Offering
more than 1,000 acres of rolling hills, open spaces and
60 acres of lakes and streams, this master planed
community includes four miles of walking trails, parks,
facilities for equestrian, fitness and tennis, plus pools
and multiple recreation centers and, of course, golf.

At the heart of the property is Long Shadow Golf Club,
a newly completed 18-hole championship course. Already
praised by local and national golf media, the course
will be complemented by a proposed executive-style
course for beginners and casual golfers.

Another important focal point is the Madison Lakes
Community Center. Warm Georgia afternoons
bring members out to its Junior Olympic pool,
adult Jacuzzi or kids’ pool. The pool complex also
includes a large entertaining and socializing area.

Homes at Madison Lakes, featuring golf and lake
views, are priced from the mid-$200,000s to the
$700,000s.

Balmoral at MacGregor, NC, Sets Sales Record

Balmoral at MacGregor, NC: Residents enjoy golf views.

Balmoral at MacGregor, Cary, NC, reports that they
have sold a record five luxury townhomes since July.
"We have a new sales agent, Heather Derr, (who
started mid-July) who has done an incredible job
getting some momentum going," says Marketing
Manager Bobby van Doornewaard.

Balmoral at MacGregor is a luxury townhome
community set in the heart of North Carolina's
Research Triangle and sits directly adjacent to
MacGregor Downs Country Club

In addition,  Doornewaard reports that the central
North Carolina property's Phase 2 opened recently
and two of its six homes are already sold. Phase 1
has just one home remaining. A new model is
also now open.

Reynolds Plantation, GA, Hosts College Golf Stars Oct. 28-30

Reynolds Plantation, GA: Finishing hole, Oconee course.

Reynolds Plantation, Ga, residents who want to
get a glimpse of future golf superstars can do
it without even leaving home this weekend. The
Callaway Golf Collegiate Match Play Championship
will be played Oct. 28-30 on the community's Oconee
Course featuring 16 top collegiate teams. Invitation
to the Callaway Golf Collegiate Match Play Championship
is based on 2007 Division I national championships
finish. Charlotte, winner of all three tournaments it
has competed in this fall, is the tournament's top seed.

Charlotte will meet Coastal Carolina in the first
round. The winner will face the victor of the
eight-nine match between Duke and Florida.
Fourth-seeded UCLA vs. Minnesota and fifth-
seeded and defending champion Oklahoma State
against Tennessee completes the top half of the
bracket. 

Georgia Tech - the third seed - will tee off
against Texas and play the winner of (6) Georgia
- (11) Lamar.  Seventh-seeded Florida State
squares off against South Carolina. Second-seeded
Alabama battles Georgia State in the final first-
round match. First-round tee times will be at
approximately 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 28.

Golf Course Home Blog-Launch Announcement Hits Wire at 9:15 a.m. Today

The Golf Course Home Life, the official blog
of GolfCourseHome.net and the Golf Course Home
Network, is officially launched today when a
press annoucement hits the wire at at 9:15 a.m.

The blog is devoted to breaking news about golf
and waterview communities, ongoing and
upcoming GolfCourseHome marketing and promotion,
and new amenities and benefits added to the more
than 200 golf and waterview communities
presented on the Network.

We call the blog The Golf Course Home Life
because people choose to live at these communities
because of the lifestyle—the country club lifestyle.
And the blog will feature information on how you
can acquire it and the fun things we do in bringing
it to our audience. We hope you will enjoy it and
find it useful.

PGA Tour Event at Tesoro Mixes Business with Pleasure

Sometimes our vocation and avocation happily mix.
That is the lucky situation this week for GolfCourseHome
VP/Sales Alan Pearce, who will be a Hole Captain on Hole
No. 14 at the inaugural Ginn sur Mer Classic at Tesoro,
which will be played on the Arnold Palmer Course at
The Tesoro Club in Tesoro-Port St. Lucie, Fla.,
October 22 – 28.

The first PGA TOUR event in Port St. Lucie, the Tesoro
tournament features a $4.5 million purse. Alan will be on deck
coordinating marshaling by some 20 volunteers (including his
spouse, Maureen) for the 4-day event, plus Pro/Am kickoff
on Wednesday.

Tesoro is but one of many Ginn properties which are known
for their high quality, world-class amenities and the country club
lifestyle. GolfCourseHome features a number of these top-level
communities. For details, see below.

DEVELOPER SPOTLIGHT: GINN COMPANY
=>Hammock Beach, Palm Coast, Florida
Tucked between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach, Hammock
Beach is a 1,000-acre, beachfront retreat featuring a spa, 2.4 miles
of beachfront and access to an oceanfront golf course.
Click here for more information about Hammock Beach!

=>Bella Collina, Montverde, Florida
Bella Collina is a 1,900-acre, master-planned community
comprised of 800 homesites and custom homes with lake and
golf-course views in rolling countryside an easy commute from
downtown Orlando. Private-club amenities from championship
golf to boating, equestrian and hiking will provide an active lifestyle
for primary- and second-home residents here.
Click here for more information about Bella Collina!

=>Reunion, Orlando, Florida
At Ginn's 2,300-acre Reunion Resort you can play signature golf
courses by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson. But that’s
just a small part of what makes this Orlando resort community
such an extraordinary place to live. Water park, horse stable/riding
trails, Kids CrewSM, formal and casual dining, tennis, spa and plans
for much more. Click here for more information about Reunion!

=>Tesoro, Port St. Lucie, Florida
Tesoro® is a private golf course community offering two
Signature golf courses designed by Arnold Palmer and
Tom Watson, with an additional 18 holes designed by Nick
Price just a short drive away. Additional Member privileges
at an oceanfront Beach Club, a Swim & Racquet Club and
a grand Italianate Clubhouse. Click here for more information about Tesoro!

Click here to see the GolfCourseHome/PlumTV Video on Tesoro!

=>Laurelmor, Boon, North Carolina
LaurelmorSM is a new, private resort community planned
for 6,000 acres of Blue Ridge Mountain splendor near
Boone and Blowing Rock, N.C. A new development
created by the Ginn Company, Laurelmor will offer four
seasons of activity in a setting designed to craft a luxury,
mountain club experience.
Click here for more information about Laurelmor!

Townhomes Start to Rise at Reserve at Savannah Harbor, GA

The Reserve at Savannah Harbor: Townhomes rising.

The Reserve at Savannah Harbor, a new community
located on Hutchinson Island directly across from
historic downtown Savannah, is "putting sticks in
the ground." The Talmade Townhomes being built
by Donald L Moore, Jr. (DLM) are making their
mark as they rise up and give potential buyers
their first glimpse at their future homes.

The Reserve: Golf course and river views.

The Reserve is adjacent to The Westin Savannah
Harbor Golf Resort and Spa and is bordered on
three sides by the Bob Cupp-Sam Snead designed
course (host of the PGA TOUR's Champions Tour
Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf) and on one side
by the Back River. Residents will have views of
the golf course, Back River, parks and the
Savannah cityscape.

Horn Rapids Announces New Neighborhood

Horn Rapids: Spectacular desert mountain views.

Horn Rapids, Richland, WA, announces that its
new neighborhood, Desert Summit, is now available.
This premium neighborhood consists of lots with
views of the river and mountains. Buyers will also
be able to  customize their home. Residents enjoy
community tennis courts, club house, pool, walking
trails and a bold, 7000-yard desert-style layout
designed by the highly regarded architect Keith
Foster. Horn Rapids is an 800-acre master-planned
golf community set in a stunning natural location
near the banks of the Yakima River in the sunny,
temperate Tri-Cities region of Washington.
Call 877.433.0916 for more information or visit
the community's Featured Community page on
GolfCourseHome.

Where the Real Estate Market Still Works

GolfCourseHome's First Annual 'What's Selling'
Survey, whose results were  first mentioned here
recently, highlighted where the real estate market
is still moving product--at the top and low ends
of the market. As one survey respondent noted:
"Quality will always sell."

The survey results showed that the best-selling
price points for golf and waterview property in
master-planned communities were at $1 million
and up and $250,000 and under.

In fact, from 2006 to 2007 these price points
were the only ones to gain market share. The
under-$250K market was up 29 percent and the
$1 million+ market was up even more--34 percent,
according to the survey.

Single-family homes accounted for 48 percent
of sales, homesites 33 percents. Condominiums
were way down,accounting for just 7 percent of
sales.

So what will help drive sales? Smart pricing and
incentives that create value. Pulte Homes just
finished its Monster Sale weekend and we wonder
how that came out. Recent promotions by golf
communities include the waiving of the $30K
membership fee. And one South Carolina
marketer explained his strategy for the coming
coming months this way:

"Driving purchase motivators are price and value,"
he said. "For the next 18 months we are encouraging
smaller homes at price points at or below $400,000.
Adding value via price purchase incentives, membership
initiations, etc. will be well accepted by a Boomer
market stalled by its inability to "sell my home in
the North."

Hasentree, NC, Opens New Golf Course

Hasentree, NC: Fazio with developers Carlton Midyette & Henry MacNair.

Hasentree, Raleigh, NC, celebrated the opening of
its new championship golf course last Wednesday
with a ribbon cutting ceremony and the help of 
the course's designer, Tom Fazio. The noted
course architect was accompanied by club officials
and more than 200 members and guests.

Hasentree also celebrated the opening of the Pro
Shop Cottage, an elegant two-story structure
overlooking the 1st and 18th holes. Designed
by Small/Kane Architects of Raleigh, the $2.5
million facility encompasses about 5,200 square
feet, with 12-foot ceilings and exquisite
mahogany woodworking.

The opening of the golf course and pro shop
cottage highlighted a "memorable fall season at
Hasentree," according to community executives
who note that the community is experiencing
strong sales with the launch of three new
neighborhoods, including The Peninsula, The
Groves and The Hasentree Golf Villas. Hasentree
homes are priced from the $800,000s to more
than $5 million.

Frenchman's Reserve Million-Dollar Home Includes Full Membership

Frenchman's Reserve, FL: Carrington Design.

Frenchmans' Reserve, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, announces
that the award-winning, five-bedroom, five-and-one-half
bath Carrington home design is available for immediate
occupancy. The well-appointed residence has a two-story
floorplan with 4,500 square feet of air-conditioned living
space and numerous upgrades. Its $1,277,186 price includes
a Full Membership to Frenchman’s Reserve. The community
features an Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course, the
relaxed atmosphere of private country club living with
proximity to modern conveniences.

Pulte Monster Sale Begins Today Nationwide

LaCresta, FL: Play golf on The Ridgewood Lakes course.

Today's the day for Pulte Homes' nationwide three-day
weekend Monster Sales promotion to begin. Far from
being spooky, it is incentive events like these that
will bring active adult buyers back to the market for
at least a look-see.

Golf and waterview communities on the GolfCourseHome
Network that are participating include the lakseside
Del Webb at Lake Oconee, Greensboro, GA. All Del
Webb communities in the Atlanta metro area (and
nationwide) will extend their hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
during this special Friday through Sunday sales offering.
The incentive offered at Del Webb Lake Oconee is the
first three years of HOA fees are free. Homes start in the
the $200,000s.

In Florida, purchase a home this weekend at either
LaCresta, Davenport, where real estate begins in
the $200,00s or BellaTrae, ChampionsGate, where
real estate begins in the $250,000s, and receive up to
$20,000 off the price of your new home. Best to call
ahead to any Pulte community you want to visit to check
out exactly what their promotion offering is.

GolfCourseHome To Encourage the Greening of Golf Communites with GreenGolfCommunities.net

The GolfCourseHome Network will further add to its
support of green practices at master-planned golf
communities with the launch of GreenGolfCommunities.net
this fall.

Already a corporate sponsor of Audubon
International, the GolfCourseHome
Network's new Member Website will
highlight Audubon International
Certified Members of the Audubon
Cooperative Sanctuary Program
featured on GolfCourseHome as well
as other communities that are setting
aside preserves, creating eco-friendly buildings and
programs, and are working toward Audubon International
certification.

A good example of the serious attention many golf
communities are bringing to green initiatives is
The Cliff's recent announcement it has created,
in cooperation with Clemson University, The Cliffs
Center for Environmental Golf Research, 

The center will be a laboratory for first-of-its-kind,
industry-leading turfgrass research that the founders
envision producing environmentally-enhancing,
ecologically-complementary golf course and green
space management and maintenance practices both
within The Cliffs communities and, ideally, outside
the gates and to create a model for others in the
golf course development business.

Pulte Homes, GA, Monster Values from Oct. 19 to 21 Is No Trick

Del Webb Lake Oconee, GA: A lakeside treat.

Active Adult new homebuyers in the Atlanta area, and
at Del Webb at Lake Oconee in particular, can enjoy
some great treats this weekend as Pulte Homes/Del Webb
of Georgia offers considerable values to buyers with
its three-day Monster Sales Event, October 19-21. 

All Del Webb communities in the Atlanta metro area
will extend their hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during
this special Friday through Sunday sales offering.

The Monster Sales Event offers great values for
active adult homebuyers including:

•    First three years of HOA fees are free at Village at Deaton Creek
•    First three years of HOA fees are free at Del Webb at Lake Oconee
•    First two years of HOA fees and taxes are free at Sun City Peachtree

Del Webb at Lake Oconee offers 866 homes on 400
acres bordering Lake Oconee. Homes in Del Webb
at Lake Oconee are priced from the low $200,000s.

Active adult living at Del Webb at Lake Oconee includes
a 21,000 square feet amenity center boasting arts
and crafts rooms, resort-style tennis courts, croquet,
Bocce ball, a number of clubs and activities, miles
of walking trails, and convenient, worry-free lake
access with community docks. For more information
on Del Webb at Lake Oconee, call 706-454-5430,

Sneak Preview: Lake James, NC, on WaterViewHome.net

Lake James, NC: A woodland jewel in the Blue Ridge foothills.

Lake James, a waterfront community located in Morgantown,
NC, will join WaterViewHome.net and the WaterViewHome
Network tomorrow. But you can have a sneak peak at the
community today.

Surrounded by state forests and separated into distinct
settlements, Crescent Communities on Lake James is a
recreation-minded community that pays tribute to the
delicate eco-systems that create its special appeal.

To protect the area’s clean waters, mountain terrain
and abundant wildlife, developers have worked with
conservation and environmental organizations to
establish covenants requiring homes and structures
to blend seamlessly with the natural environment.

Where possible, planners left large areas of undisturbed
land between homesites. Setbacks on waterfront lots
exceed most state and local requirements.

The core amenity is Camp James which will serve
as a setting-off point for a day of rock climbing or
a kayak trip down the Catawba River. It’s where
residents will learn how to create certified backyard
habitats on their property or enjoy an evening
movie at the Camp’s outdoor amphitheatre.

The Camp’s facilities will feature a social hall
with a fitness center and snack bar, swimming
pool and tennis courts, workout facilities, a fishing
hole and an extensive trail system with connections
to the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail.