The GolfCourseHome Life

Club at Olde Stone Holds Festival, Indian RIver Colony Club Helps Folds of Honor

Colony at the Grand, AL is on Grande Hotel grounds.

Colony at the Grand, AL members continue to enjoy an active fall season: Recently it held its popular Polo at the Point charity event, a social success for participants as well as a benefit to good causes. Colony at the Grand members also took part in the Grand Festival of Art by the Bay, a free cultural gathering. Click here for more information about Colony at the Grand!

The Club at Olde Stone, KY recently celebrated its Fall Fashion, Frills and Food Festival. Over 20 booths were set up comprised of local businesses owned by members. More than 330 attendees turned out to have lunch, shop and enjoy two informal style shows. Olde Stone also celebrated Veterans Day with a Red, White and Blue Battle on the golf course. Members who had served in the armed forces teamed up to fight it out on the course for bragging rights. Click here for more information about The Club at Olde Stone!

Indian River Colony Club, FL and its Couples 18-Hole Golf group joined thousands of like-minded golfers nationwide in raising funds for the Folds of Honor Foundation during the multi-day Patriot Golf Day event. The 50-member group collected donations from its weekend tournament, proceeds of which brought the total donated by Indian River Colony Club residents to $1,265. Click here for more information about Indian River Colony Club!

Daniel Island Hosts Championship, Colony at the Grand Working on Big Upgrades

Dataw Island, SC is a waterfront community.

Dataw Island, SC and the Military order of Purple Heart Low Country Chapter #1948 will co-host a second annual benefit golf tournament to support America’s wounded warriors on their road to recovery. Proceeds from the event will assist wounded warriors with financial aid, gift backpacks, phone cards, disabled sports programs, housing and career transition workshops. Tournament is Nov. 10. Last year Dataw island residents raised $10,800 for this worthy cause. Click here for more information about Dataw Island!

Daniel Island, SC is set to host the prestigious Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island. This important championship teed off yesterday, Oct. 22 and continues through Sunday on the Ralston Creek Course at the Daniel Island Club. Players will compete for purse of $1 million. First prize is $180,000. More importantly, PGA TOUR cards for 2010 will be awarded at the conclusion of the event, which is televised live on the GOLF Channel. Click here for more information about Daniel Island!

Colony at the Grand, AL reports that a number of important community upgrade projects are either already completed, or on schedule for completion by summer of 2010. Improvements include: Installation of high-speed Internet service and 42-inch high-definition TVs in all 28 residences, a new, state-of-the-art pool area surface, and eight individual homes completely refurbished. Click here for more information about Colony at the Grand!

Harbour Ridge Spotlights Custom Home, Dataw Island Named Top Community

The Reserve at Lake Keowee, SC offers waterfront views.

The Reserve at Lake Keowee, SC held its inaugural Charitable Foundation Golf Classic earlier this month, raising over $10,000 in donations. Charities throughout Pickens County are beneficiaries of the Golf Classic, which will become an annual October event at The Reserve. The inaugural drew 84 players for golf on the community’s Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. Click here for more information about The Reserve at Lake Keowee!

Harbour Ridge Yacht & Country Club, FL alerts home buyers to a special featured residence in the community. It’s a totally remodeled custom San Remo Collection Home, priced at $529,000. Located within the Laurel Oak Village neighborhood, the home has three bedrooms, 2.5 baths and 2,189 square feet of luxury living space. Two-car garage and extensive custom amenities. Click here for more information about Harbour Ridge!

Colony at the Grand, AL reports that its own Baldwin County has ranked as the second Most Successful Micropolitan Area in the country by Site Selection magazine. The rankings measure how much expansion and/or new location of corporate entities an area experiences in one year. Micropolitan areas are counties with population of over 50,000 but no single city larger than 50,000. Click here for more information about Colony at the Grand!

Dataw Island, SC was named one of the top South Carolina retirement communities in a recently-released ranking by BestRetirementDestinations.com. Criteria for the ranking include visual appeal, recreational activities, social networking, and safety/security. Dataw received an overall score of 96 percent. Click here for more information about Dataw Island!

Colony at The Grand Spurs Activity with Price Reductions and New Swim & Tennis

The Colony at the Grand, AL: Prices drop 42 percent.

Two recent developments at The Colony at the Grand has spurred renewed activity at the Fairhope, Alabama, golf  community. 

A $17 million swim and tennis club opened on July 4th and prices have been reduced up to 42 percent on its condominiums. Each unit features a balcony view of the spectacular pool complex and a 700-foot-long sandy beach along a 20-acre, fish-stocked lake.

Prices start at $399,900 for a two-bedroom, $459,900 for a three-bedroom and $529,900 for a four-bedroom unit. A year ago, a two-bedroom in the gated community started at $750,000 and a four-bedroom was $1.3 million. The units range in size from 1,600 square feet to 2,600 square feet.

No Initiation Fees
An added incentive for condo buyers will be the news that the developers are footing the bill for the initiation fee for membership in the new swim and tennis facility, The Lakewood Club at the Colony. The club buildings reflect low-country, village-style designs with metal roofs and screened porches.

The club includes a two-story, 10,000-square-foot fitness building, a dining and clubhouse building with a lounge, and outdoor seating. There are 10 tennis courts, including a professional court for tournament play. The kitchen features a huge wood-burning pizza oven.

The pool complex features a lap pool, a hot tub, a sun shelf pool for sitting in the water while sunbathing, and a variety of fun swim areas, as well as fountains that are lighted at night and feature different colors. A custom-built, 20-foot-high twisting water slide overlooks the pool.

Dozens of Golf and Waterfront Communities Join GolfCourseHome and WaterViewHome

Pauma Valley Country Club has lush valley views.

2009 First-Half New Community Summary

Here is a summary of all communities added to GolfCourseHome (6 states, 14 communities) and WaterViewHome (9 states and 15 communities) in the first six months of this year.

NEW ON GOLFCOURSEHOME.NET

CALIFORNIA

=> Pauma Valley Country Club
Lush valley views, challenging golf, private air strip, homes from $245,000

FLORIDA

=> Olde Cypress Country Club, Naples
Golf by P.B. Dye, attached villas from the mid-$400,000s, homes from the $600,000s

=> SummerGlen, Ocala
Championship golf, SummerGlen Grand Hall, Residents Club, homes from $150,000

=> Frenchman’s Creek, Palm Beach Gardens
Two championship golf courses, deepwater marina, 17 Har-Tru tennis courts, wellness center, homes from $750,000

GEORGIA

=> Kingston on Lake Oconee, Buckhead
Gary Player golf, private marina, $70,000 savings w/ First Families, Lake Club, historic region, homesites from $80,000

NORTH CAROLINA

=> Bald Head Island, Bald Head Island
Ten-acre marina, golf and oceanfront clubhouses, kids camp, homes from the $400,000s

=> Balsam Mountain Preserve, Sylva - near Asheville
Arnold Palmer golf, equestrian center, tennis, pool, homesteads from $350,000

=> Brier Creek Country Club, Raleigh
Arnold Palmer golf, 40,000-square-foot clubhouse, Executive Cottages from the $200,000s

=> Cummings Cove, Hendersonville  
Gated 650-acre mountain community, Bob Cupp golf, stone/timber clubhouse, lots from the $70,000s

SOUTH CAROLINA

=> The Owners Club at Hilton Head, Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head lifestyle, fractional real estate, priced from low-$40,000s to high-$80,000s

=> Spring Island, Spring Island
New sports center this year, equestrian facilities, Arnold Palmer-designed golf, homes from the $600,000s

=> Wachesaw Plantation Club, Murrells Inlet
Tom Fazio golf, Intracoastal Waterway, sports complex, Resale homes from $350,000

=> Wyboo Plantation, Manning 
Lake Marion views and boating access, 36 holes of golf, patio homes from $200,000

VIRGINIA

=> Regency at Valley, Haymarket
Arnold Palmer Signature golf, grand clubhouse, Sports Pavilion, homes from the $300,000s

NEW ON WATERVIEWHOME.NET

ALABAMA

=> Colony at the Grand, Fairhope
Two Robert Trent Jones golf courses, hotel spa, yacht basin, luxury condominiums from the $700,000s

FLORIDA

=> The Champions’ Club, Trinity
Overlooks Fox Hollow Golf Club, tennis pavilion, fitness center, pool, clubhouse, homes from the mid-$700,000s to over $2 million

=> Isleworth, Windermere
Boat ramp to Butler Chain, private golf, 89,000-square-foot clubhouse, homes from $2 million

=> Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota
Parks, nature preserves, 160-acre lake, country club, 54 holes, athletic center, homes from the $200,000s to $1 million+

=> Piper’s Landing, Palm City
Championship golf, great fishing, protected yacht basin, homes from $250,000 to $2 million

GEORGIA

=> The Bluffs at Richmond Hill, Richmond Hill
Clubhouse, pool, tennis courts, 20 acres of lakes, one- to three-acre lots from $69,500

NEW YORK

=> The Lake at Sylvan Way, Grafton
118 acres, never before available, abuts lakefront preserve, entire parcel or lakefront & lakeview homesites,

NORTH CAROLINA

=> Bald Head Island, Bald Head Island  
Ten-acre marina, golf and oceanfront clubhouses, kids camp, real estate from $300,000s to $4 million

OKLAHOMA

=> The Preserve at Grand Lake, Grove
Newly constructed marina, buy-now/build-later, homesites with boat slips from $29,900

PENNSYLVANIA

=> Treasure Lake, DuBois
North of Pittsburgh, gated, 36 holes, lakefront, homesites from $29,000, golf homes from $150,000

SOUTH CAROLINA

=> The Cliffs at Keowee Springs, Sunset
Outdoor living on Lake Keowee shores, Tom Fazio golf, homesites from the $250,000s  

=> Palmetto Bluff, Bluffton
On the May River, Nicklaus golf, equestrian, resort village, homesites from the mid-$300,000s

=> Reverie on the Ashley, North Charleston
Private dock with boat slips, deepwater access, pool, units from the mid-$500,000s

=> Wachesaw Plantation, Murrell’s Inlet
Historic site on the Intracoastal, boat storage & marina, Fazio golf, tennis center, homes from $269,000 to $1 million+

VIRGINIA

=>The Riverfront, Suffolk
Riverfront Swim Club, 43-acre lake, golf by Tom Doak, custom homes from the $500,000s

Pauma Valley CC Holds Car Show, Reynolds Plantation Named Community of the Year

Pauma Valley Country Club, CA is a private community.

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!

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!

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!

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!

NEWS SHORTS

The Club at River Oaks, CT is offering what it calls a “dramatic reduction” on club membership fees—details available to interested buyers…

Woodside Plantation, SC is set to host a Sectional Qualifier on June 22 for the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship…   

The Coves at Round Mountain, NC invites one and all to a Shrimp-on-the-BBQ dinner event on June 20 at the community’s Pavilion on the Johns River…

The Georgia Club, GA has released a save-the-date announcement for its second annual Celebrity Golf Tournament, scheduled for Saturday, August 1...

Belfair, SC is handing out volunteer assignments in preparation for the prestigious Players Amateur Tournament, to be held July 6-12....

The Cliffs Communities, NC recently began offering a new cottage collection, Straus Lake Cottages, at its High Carolina community, site of Tiger Woods' first U.S. golf course design....

DEALS SHORTS

Brier Creek Country Club, NC  is offering a Fly and Buy Program. Visit the community, buy a home and receive up to $2,000 in travel expenses at settlement ....

Sunset Dunes, PEI, Canada offer for June: Any interested buyer who flies in for a tour and makes a purchase will have their airfare paid by Sunset Dunes...

Wachesaw Plantation Club, SC is offering a special Weekend Package exclusive to GolfCourseHome visitors. For details, click here....

Ocean Ridge Plantation, NC reports a price drop, luxury custom-homes, single-family
homes now begin in the $300,000s to $1 million+, down from $400,000...

Black Bull, MT, announces that its developer-built Club Homes, which are designed for turn-key convenience, has lowered its starting price more than 10 percent to $695,000....

Sanctuary Cove, GA homesite special: 2.4-acre, gated deepwater lot on the Little Satilla River with dock, boathouse and boat lift: $517,283....

St. Andrews Park, FL has announces a $10,000 price drop on its popular Alexandra townhome model from $179,900 down to $169,900....

DISCOVERY TOURS - STAY 'n PLAY

Balsam Mountain Preserve, NC's Discovery Visit, good 'til Sept. 4th, includes time to golf, hike, horseback ride, fish, Nature Center. Stay for two nights in a private residence club cabin for just $199 per night....

The Club at Olde Stone, KY is now offering “Stay & Play” golf packages that have a two-night minimum stay and include unlimited golf....

Bald Head Island, NC--Last chance to take advantage of the Fathers Day Discount Package of 25 percent off on accommodations on stays of two nights or more from June 19 - 26, plus a $100 gift certificate...

Amelia Island Plantation, FL is offering a Rise & Shine Golf Special of $135 per person/night in a Resort-view room (1/2 mile from the beach), plus breakfast daily, 18 holes of championship golf on one of 3 courses and more....

SummerGlen, FL is offering a 3 Day/2 Night Stay And Play package for just $129.95, that includes continental breakfast, lunch, community tour, personal golf cart and more...

Rio Grande Named Top Destination, Black Bull Offers Free Golf Memberships

River Wilderness, FL is a gated golf and boating community.

River Wilderness, FL and its newly renovated golf course will host a U.S. Women’s Open qualifier on May 20. The River Wilderness course, designed by Ted McAnlis, has recently undergone extensive renovation and features all new TifEagle greens. It is part of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System and rated one of the Top 50 in the state by Florida Golfer magazine. Click here for more information about River Wilderness!

The Bridges at Preston Crossings, TX reports that its Fred Couples’ Signature 18-hole golf course is now open seven days a week. The bar and grill are open through the week, as well.... Branson Creek, MO continues to add direct air service, with AirTran now offering daily roundtrip non-stop flights into Branson Airport from Mitchell International in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.... At Kingsmill on the James, VA, The Mill is now open—a full-service bakery and coffee shop for Kingsmill residents and inn guests,  featuring one of the area's most creative selections of freshly-baked breads.

Ross Bridge, AL plays host to $1.7 million Regions Charity Classic on the Champions Tour which begins tomorrow....Chris Anderson and Michael Clark II are tied atop the leaderboard at nine-under par after the first round of the BMW Charity Pro-Am being hosted this weekend by The Carolina Country Club, SC and Bright’s Creek Golf Club, NC....

Rio Grande Club, CO was named a Top 15 Golf & Fly Fishing Destinations for 2009 by Wild on the Fly magazine....

Black Bull, MT announces that five golf course lots (half-acre+ in size) at the community include a free golf membership (valued at $33,000); prices range from $295,000 to $395,000....The Resort on Eagle Mountain Lake, TX is offering a free one-year golf membership to any buyer who closes on a home during the month of May....

Branson Creek, MO, is the latest community to celebrate its selection to GolfCourseHome's
2009 Best of the Best Rankings list with a press release.

Once & Future Pro Champs to Compete at Ross Bridge, Carolina CC and Bright's Creek

Ross Bridge, AL will host the Champions Tour.

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!

Meanwhile, on the Nationwide Tour, up-and-coming PGA Tour competitors join celebrities such as Dennis Quaid, Greg Kinnear, Wayne Gretzky and Joe Mantegna in BMW Charity Pro-Am, hosted by The Carolina Country Club, SC and Bright’s Creek Golf Club, NC. 

New Series on Vacation Resort Communites Features Ross Bridge, Suncadia & Others

Palmetto Bluff, SC is a 20,000 acre retreat.

Today we begin a new series, Vacation Resort Communities--golf and waterview communities that offer a resort vacation experience that will turn your property visit into a full-fledged vacation. Such communities often have a resort hotel on-site and complete resort amenities available to the whole family. Watch for future installments over the next several months.

VACATION RESORT COMMUNITIES, PART I

> ** Palmetto Bluff, SC sits on vast Lowcountry riverfront tract that was once a private hunting camp. Its May River Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus Signature course, is on Golfweek magazine’s prestigious list of America's Top 100 Modern Courses. Why else would a house-hunter savor their visit to Palmetto Bluff?

* The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, in the Village center, is an award-winning Auberge Resort
* The Sports Campus includes tennis, croquet, bocce and other lawn sports
* The Spa at Palmetto Bluff offers expert services among lush gardens

Yacht charters, beach excursions, history tours, on-property equestrian or an easy paddle down the wide May River in your kayak make a fine day. Dinner in the River House puts an excellent capper on it. Click here for more information about Palmetto Bluff!

> ** Reynolds Plantation, GA, for all its 99 holes of championship golf, was just a wonderful place to call home until the graceful and deluxe Ritz-Carlton Lodge was built there. Named among the World's 500 Best Hotels by Travel + Leisure in 2008,  The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation offers:

* 251 well-appointed guest rooms and suites, with resort and lake views
* 6 two and three bedroom golf cottages
* 35 acres of picturesque shoreline property on Lake Oconee
* A 26,000 square-feet, full-service spa and fitness center

Only 75 miles from Atlanta, it’s a lakeside wonder known for its fishing, fitness, golf and great service throughout. Click here for more information about Reynolds Plantation!

> Ross Bridge, AL is home to the Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa. A community both livable and lavish, its resort has a 12,000-sq.-ft. European spa and the world’s third-longest golf course. If you’re planning a stay-and-play visit, set aside time for

* Swimming in the resort pool (with Dive-In movies at night)
* Visiting historic Ross Park
* Playing 18 holes on a Robert Trent Jones layout that hosts the PGA Champions Tour

Resort dining comes in both casual and sophisticated settings. On the residential side are award-winning Ross Bridge single-family homes and townhomes, from the mid-$200,000s to more than $1 million. Click here for more information about Ross Bridge!

> ** Barefoot Resort and Golf, SC is known as a lively, upscale and charming resort community along the Grand Strand. It’s a destination where something new is often happening, including the recently opened Nick Bradley Golf School and the Barefoot Resort Yacht Club. Come to check out the community and while you’re there enjoy:

* Golf school complex includes a wood-fired pizza sports bar and grill
* Yacht club is located on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway
* Four world-class championship golf courses
* 2,300 acres of scenic landscape for hiking and biking

Courses are by Greg Norman, Pete Dye, Davis Love III and Tom Fazio. Together they’ve won awards too numerous to mention. Click here for more information about Barefoot Resort!

> ** Suncadia, WA is a new and intriguing getaway in a high desert region of the great Pacific Northwest. Overlooking its delightful Prospector golf course is the intimate Inn at Suncadia, a boutique hotel with 14 guestrooms and four suites, all luxuriously appointed.

* Suncadia Village is a stimulating venue of cafés, gift shops and artisan galleries
* Hiking and climbing trails in national forest land is virtually unlimited
* The Prospector golf course is a Palmer design carved through pine and fir

Sophisticated Western-lodge architecture distinguishes the Inn at Suncadia. Dining options at The Inn include such mining-themed venues as the Gas Lamp Grille, the Canary Lounge and the Lunch Bucket sandwich shop. Click here for more information about Suncadia!

** = 2009 GolfCourseHome 'Best of the Best' Community

The Landings Holds Benefit Tournament, Colony at the Grand Hotel Earns Award

Dataw Island, SC is located just outside Beaufort.

Dataw Island, SC will hold a Scotch and Cigar Tasting event in the Tabby Room & Veranda of its grand clubhouse on Wednesday, May 13 beginning at 5:30 pm.  Guests will enjoy a tasting of four varieties of Glenmorange Single Malt scotches. A representative of Southern Wine and Spirits of South Carolina will be on hand to assist. Each attendee will receive three short cigar samples, as well, plus one full-size cigar. Cost is $25 per person, including hors d'oeuvres. Click here for more information about Dataw Island!

The Landings on Skidaway Island, GA is holding an Audubon Golf Tournament fundraiser on May 11, sponsored by he community’s Audubon Committee. Funds are used to preserve and create habitat for birds and other small animals in this 6,500-acre community. All six Landings golf courses are Audubon Sanctuary Certified. Click here for more information about The Landings! 

Colony at the Grand, AL reports new accolades for the community’s on-site lodging, the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa. It made the No. 4 spot on the Favorite Hotels for 2008 rankings in the annual "Readers' Choice" Awards from Southern Living magazine. Also, the hotel's main dining room was honored for its wine program by Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here for more information about Colony at the Grand!

NEWS SHORTS

The Cliffs at Glassy, SC is holding its Annual Safe Harbor 5k Run/2k Walk this Saturday, May 9 at 8 am....Hampton Hall, SC has a Cinco de Mayo celebration going on in its Tavern Bar all this week, with Margarita specials and free chips and salsa.... The Resort on Eagle Mountain Lake, TX is offering a free one-year golf membership to any buyer who closes on a home during the month of May....The Owners Club at Hilton Head, SC has extended its deadline for closing on special-price fractional home purchase of $39,900 to June 10. …The LPGA's Michelob Ultra Open began yesterday at Kingsmill on the James, and continues through Sunday...The Bay Club, MA is hosting an Open House and Golf Demo Day this Saturday, May 9.at the club’s driving range from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

DISCOVERY TOURS - STAY 'n PLAY

Juliette Falls, FL says, “Don’t Just Play—Play and Stay,” available for just $299 pp, per night, a huge savings off the regular $700 cost...Galingayle, GA is offering a Discovery Stay for two nights at the James Madison Inn and a private tour of the Galingayle property and homesites....

Bay Club Schedules Summer Events, Goose Pond Island Holds Fishing Event, & More

Renaissance, FL - luxury homes, private club amenities.

Renaissance, FL is set for its 2009 Masters Pro-Am Challenge during this Masters Week, April 9-12. This event has a nominal entry fee and pairs the player’s Saturday 18-hole net score with the 36-hole weekend score of a chosen Masters pro to create a 54-hole total. It all starts on Friday with 6 p.m. Pick Your Pro party in the Men’s Card Room at the clubhouse. Click here for more information about Renaissance!

The Bay Club, MA has begun signups for summer activities at the community, including Club Seahorse 2009. Residents were invited to enroll their child or grandchild in the popular program, which schedules daily swimming, tennis and golf. Club Seahorse also offers arts and crafts, games and outdoor sports for children ages 4 to 10 years old. Click here for more information about The Bay Club!

Verano, FL projects updates include last weekend's opening of the new Interstate-95 exchange at Crosstown Parkway in Port St Lucie, which will mean faster trips from Verano to shopping and beaches. Also last weekend,  Kolter announced its new sales center and designer-decorated model home were opening. In addition, construction is underway on the initial phase of the 30,000-square-foot clubhouse. Click here for more information about Verano!

Reynolds Plantation, GA has upgraded its Kingdom at Reynolds Plantation golf installation. Designed to allow average golfers inside the private world of the touring pro, the Kingdom will soon include a real tour trailer. Starting this month, the custom-designed tour trailer that has served TaylorMade-adidas Golf Tour Staff professionals for the past six years will be parked permanently at the Kingdom at Reynolds Plantation. Click here for more information about Reynolds Plantation!

Goose Pond Island, AL is reporting the results of a successful high-profile pro fishing event on Lake Guntersville, where the community is located. The winner of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour Chevy Open caught a final-round total of eight largemouth bass weighing just over 38 pounds (almost five pounds per fish), winning the tournament’s $200,000 first prize. Click here for more information about Goose Pond Island!

NEWS SHORTS

The 'Top 5 Design Trends in Master-Planned Communities' that are going to affect how you live are showing up in many of today's communities. Read what to look for on the GCH Blog...See the article press release....Follow GolfCourseHome on Twitter! 

Both Juliette Falls, FL, and Amelia Island Plantation, FL, are now featured on www.ClubWeddingWeceptions.net ... The Bay Club, MA has reduced initial golf membership payment from $120,000 to $75,000... Follow three years of the 'Dream 18: Great Residential Golf Holes' here....

Hammock Dunes Private Community, FL announces its newest-to-market home. This luxury residence is set on 1.75 acres with 145 feet of Intracoastal Waterway frontage and its own dock; price: $2.195 million....Check out the Calendar of Pro Events listing where & when you can see major golf events at communities this spring. First one is the PGA Tour's Verizon Heritage held at Sea Pines, SC, the week after the Masters, April 16-19...

These Golf Communities Will Host Future & Present PGA Tour Champions & Events

Sea Pines, Hilton Head, SC: Cherished stop for the PGA Tour.

An added bonus to living at a community with a championship golf course is the opportunity to watch future and current champions right out your back door as they compete in professional tour events. The number of properties endorsed by the PGA, LPGA, Champions and Nationwide Tours (along with the USGA and leading amateur tournament groups) is extensive and many of them are featured on GolfCourseHome.

In addition to the chance to present competition on a world-class golf course, pro tour organizers are attracted by the well-organized professional staff at these communities and the welcoming spirit residents display.

If you are investigating golf communities as a future home for vacation, retirement or investment, use these events as a good reason to come by and see the community at its very best. Then, when the cheering stops, you can return for a more intimate visit that shows you the community as an everyday setting for country club living. Here’s the schedule for 2009.

SOUTH CAROLINA

> Sea Pines, Hilton Head

April 16-19 - PGA TOUR Verizon Heritage

One of the original great golf communities in the U.S. remains a fitting home to one of the most cherished stops—by players and golf fans alike—on the entire PGA Tour. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the Verizon Heritage will tee off the week after the Masters, April 16-19, on the subtle Lowcountry contours of Harbour Town Golf Links, the most famous of the four championship courses at Sea Pines. Boo Weekley is the two-time defending champion of this event, which is always so well managed by the PGA Tour and the staff of the 5,200-acre community. Gallery the Verizon Heritage and you’ll get a chance to explore the deep-water Harbour Town Yacht Basin, South Beach Marina, 14 miles of paved biking and leisure trails plus elegant dining in a host of memorable settings. Click here for more information about Sea Pines!

GEORGIA

May 2 - 10 Tail $50,000 Pro Challenger Tennis Championship

The Landings on Skidaway Island, Savannah, GA will be hosting the 2009 Tail $50,000 Pro Challenger from May 2 - 10, 2009 at their Franklin Creek Tennis Center. This tournament will be the warm-up for the French Open and will give players an opportunity to prepare for play on the red clay courts of the Roland Garros Stadium. In addition to the professional matches, the week-long event will include a Kid's Day, Military Day, Seniors Day, and a ProAm with proceeds  being donated to Hospice Savannah. Click here for more information about The Landings!

VIRGINIA

> Kingsmill, Williamsburg

May 7-10 LPGA TOUR Michelob ULTRA Open

The LPGA Tour takes its show on the road to such far-off venues as Brazil, Thailand and Singapore during the early months of the season. For players and U.S. fans alike, arriving at Kingsmill in mid-spring (this year’s dates are May 7-10) offers a return not just to American soil but a wealth of early American history at Williamsburg. For the pros, it’s a chance to compete on the premier Kingsmill layout, the River Course, in the LPGA’s Michelob ULTRA Open. The resort community’s golf amenity also comprises the Plantation Course by Arnold Palmer and the classic parkland Woods Course by Tom Clark—plus Bray Links, a nine-hole par-3. Click here for more information about Kingsmill!

NORTH CAROLINA

> Bright’s Creek, Mill Spring

> Carolina Country Club, Spartanburg

May 14 -17  Nationwide Tour BMW Charity Pro-Am

Running from May 14 to May 17, the BMW Charity Pro-Am is one of the most important events on the 2009 Nationwide Tour calendar. When the tournament descends on 5,000-acre Bright’s Creek and the community’s Blue Ridge Mountain grandeur, it’s a backdrop befitting a prestigious sponsor and the important fundraising and public-relations aspects of the pro-am. For spectators, it’s a chance to see movers and shakers from throughout the Southeast in their golf element on a knockout of a Tom Fazio championship course. The Nationwide BMW Charity Pro-Am boasts an extremely large field of professionals and amateurs, which requires multiple courses. That’s why Bright’s Creek is one-third of a three-course rotation including The Carolina Country Club (see below) and a local private club, as well. Click here for more information about Bright’s Creek!

SOUTH CAROLINA

> The Carolina Country Club, Spartanburg

May 14 -17  Nationwide Tour BMW Charity Pro-Am

Designed by the acclaimed Southeastern architect Tom Jackson in 1984, The Carolina Country Club golf course is a handsome, tree-lined layout enhanced by lakes and streams. Co-hosting the BMW Charity Pro-Am golf tournament with Bright’s Creek (see above), it can throw a robust back-tee Slope rating of 139 at Nationwide Tour contestants. The club offers not just championship golf but 10 lighted tennis courts, a swim club, dining facilities, and a banquet hall. Ideal for evening events during golf competitions, the community’s Holly Hall is a 7,000-square-foot post-and-beam edifice with a cathedral ceiling and rich millwork throughout. Click here for more information about The Carolina Country Club!

ALABAMA

> Ross Bridge, Hoover

May 15-17 Senior PGA TOUR Regions Charity Classic

If you’re on a spring blossom tour through Alabama or playing your way down the famed Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, it’s well worth stopping at Ross Bridge and its top-tier resort amenities, including the Renaissance Ross Bridge hotel. You’ll be able to catch the senior golf action at the Regions Charity Classic, which takes place the weekend of May 15-17. The course setup crew from the Champions Tour has the option of stretching this RTJ-designed brute out near 8,000 yards, but even for a $1.7 million pro tournament they select a far tamer yardage. The defending champion is Andy Bean, who held off Loren Roberts for a one-stroke victory in last year’s event. Click here for more information about Ross Bridge!

NORTH CAROLINA

> Wakefield Plantation, Raleigh

May 28-31 Nationwide Tour Rex Hospital Open

Just having the initials “TPC” in your club’s name doesn’t mean you host a tour stop. For the Tournament Players Club Wakefield Plantation, it’s a fitting honor to have hosted the Nationwide Tour since 2001, one year after the club’s 7,257-yard Hale Irwin-designed golf course opened. This year’s tournament, the 2009 Rex Hospital Open, takes place May 28-31. Wakefield Plantation is a dream locale for tournament organizers, players and gallery. It’s a 2,200-acre community with world-class golf, tennis, swimming, playgrounds and clubhouse activities. Plus, it’s conveniently located between the Carolina coast and the Blue Ridge Mountains. A short drive away is Research Triangle Park, RDU International Airport and downtown Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Durham. Click here for more information about Wakefield Plantation!

NEVADA

> Montreux, Reno

August 6-9 PGA Tour Legends Reno-Tahoe Open

In high summer, it’s a challenge for any golf event to find a venue free of oppressive heat and humidity. The PGA Tour responds to that challenge by detouring to the high Sierra for the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open. The host site is Montrêux, a private, gated golf community bordering Toiyabe National Forest in the Sierra Nevada mountain range near Lake Tahoe. It’s home to the only Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course in northern Nevada and it’s the layout you would have to tame this August 6-9 in order to join such noted past winners as Scott Verplank, John Cook and Steve Flesch in order to take the biggest share of the tournament’s $3,000,000 purse. Click here for more information about Montrêux!

VIRGINIA

> Homestead Preserve, Hot Springs

Sept. 12-17 Senior Women's Match Play

For as long as the U.S. Golf Association conducts its 13 annual championship events, it will gladly return to The Homestead and that grand old resort’s beloved Cascades Course. All the top senior-division players in women’s amateur golf will gather in Hot Springs for an intriguing week of match-play competition this Sept. 12-17. Many will stay around afterward to enjoy the Virginia mountain scenery, a premier resort spa, elegant dining and the iconic beauty of the property. Tournament-goers will enjoy the same luxuries, plus a chance to tour two residential opportunities, The Homestead Preserve and the Owners Club at the Homestead. Late summer, the customary time for the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, will also be ideal for enjoying and exploring this distinctive American place. Click here for more information about Homestead Preserve!

NORTH CAROLINA

> Rock Barn Golf and Spa, Conover

Sept 18-20 PGA TOUR Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn

The PGA Tour’s 50-and-up circuit makes a swing along the Eastern Seaboard after Labor Day, starting with the Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn (Sept 18-20, 2009). The community’s two 18-hole courses—one by Tom Jackson, one by Robert Trent Jones, Jr.—give Rock Barn superior flexibility in accommodating members as well as the Champions Tour field before and during the competitive rounds of the event. Along with the superior golf amenity, fans, players and officials get to appreciate the scenic valleys and hills that frame the property. Swing-weary Champions Tour players would be wise to stop in at the Rock Barn Spa for muscle-toning treatments that could provide the necessary edge. Click here for more information about Rock Barn!

SOUTH CAROLINA

> Daniel Island, Charleston

Oct. 22-25 Nationwide Tour Championship

A coveted title, first-place money of $180,000 and full eligibility on the PGA Tour for next season is on the line when the Nationwide Tour comes to Daniel Island for the season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship, held Oct. 22-25 this year. The 72-hole competition is played on the younger of two standout championship courses at Daniel Island, the Rees Jones-designed Ralston layout. Members and residents at this award-laden community with its 23 miles of rivers and creeks also enjoy the Tom Fazio-designed Beresford Creek course. The community is great for exploring, should you attend the Nationwide event. It’s a beautifully laid out property of traditional neighborhoods, club amenities, parks, shops, restaurants, schools, churches and more. Click here for more information about Daniel Island!