Golf Communities & Property
Wouldn’t you love to live right on the golf course? The beautiful scenery, manicured lawns, well-maintained tree clusters, and often, stunning views, make it an ideal spot for golf-lovers to live.
In the USA, golf communities are a new way of living. Safe, gated communities provide high-class amenities for their homeowners, including access to the on-site golf course, practice facilities, and a clubhouse.
The UK is yet to get deep into the trend of golf communities. Despite having 1800+ incredible golf courses throughout the country, the idea of building homes on or around them and creating a community based on the laid-back lifestyle of the sport has yet to really take off.
The rest of Europe has taken on the challenge of creating golf course-based communities. We’ll have a look at some of the few golf communities in the UK and some in our nearby neighbouring countries.
Golf Communities in the UK
Wiltshire Leisure Village
Wiltshire Leisure Village is the brainchild of Jennifer and Eddy Shah. In 2001, they bought the Wiltshire Golf Club, a 140-acre piece of land with an 18-hole golf course on it. Six years down the line, they added another 100 acres and expanded to a 27-hole golf course with close to 50 eco-friendly homes built around it.
A golf course costs plenty to maintain, which is why the decision to build eco-friendly homes on this golf estate was an excellent one. Residents can live a life of luxury, activity, and beauty while being close to (and nice too) nature.
With the addition of 30 homes specifically for retirement purposes, the decision was made to label Wiltshire Leisure Village as a retirement village. As well as the golfing facilities, the residents of the village are spoiled for amenities, making it a wonderful place to retire.
Amenities include a Techno-Gym, a full-sized indoor pool, a spa, steam room, and sauna, aerobics centre, and access to the golf course and driving range.
St. George’s Hill
St. George’s Hill is a private gated community in Surrey. Over 400 houses occupy the 964-acre estate, with an average home sale price beginning at £4,000,000. Some properties have been sold for over £15,000,000, giving a small indication of the luxury and prestige of the area.
A 27-hole golf course is available for residents to play. The first and second nine were built in the 1920s, a century ago. The last nine was added in 1987, rounding out the course and offering a challenge for golfers of all levels.
The estate places emphasis on an active lifestyle and includes a variety of other sporting facilities. Residents can make use of over 30 tennis courts (grass, artificial grass, indoor, floodlit), 4 squash courts, a 20-metre swimming pool, gym, studio, spa, and sauna.
Notable residents include golfer Nick Faldo, footballer and coach John Terry, race-car driver Jensen Button, and two of the Beatles (John and Ringo)!
Wentworth Estate
Wentworth is an estate of private homes that overlaps with the prestigious Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey, which has hosted pro golfers like Rory McIlroy. It’s not necessarily a golf estate in the classic sense. You won’t find a website, a community forum, or anything indicating that there’s a “community” in the sense of your typical golf community estate.
But it’s a home estate that’s closely intertwined with the golf club. In fact, some of the properties within the estate can only be accessed from inside the club itself. We’ve added it to this list for that reason.
The Wentworth Estate spans 1750 acres. It’s almost a county on its own, with roads, private residences, open spaces, shops, restaurants, and a variety of other amenities for the residents to enjoy.
It’s a high-class area, with current residents including golfers Ernie Els and Thomas Bjørn, cricketer Kevin Petersen, and a number of prominent businessmen. In the past, celebs have also called it home, including Sir Elton John, Sir Cliff Richard, and Sir Bruce Forsyth.
Golf Communities in Europe
Various countries in Europe have developed USA-style golf communities. Here are three of those that you should consider visiting if you’re planning a vacation to these countries!
France: Terre Blanche Golf Resort
You can buy a deluxe villa or a piece of land to build your own home on the Terre Blanche Golf Resort, affording you full membership to the on-site golf club, which houses two golf courses.
Other golf features include a European Tour Performance Institute and a Biomecaswing Center. Grab your best golf clubs and learn a thing or two!
Three neighbourhoods, each with their own charm, offer plenty of choice for your ideal spot. There are stunning views all-round, and you can benefit from services like property maintenance and even home catering services.
On top of that, the resort makes every effort to be as eco-friendly as possible.
Portugal: Quinta Do Lago Golf Resort
This community is located in a protected natural wetland nature reserve. You can already imagine the stunning scenery and amazing views!
Vacation-style villas are available for purchase, each kitted out with the top luxuries like swimming pools, open-plan designs, and modern contemporary architecture.
Ideal for active families or couples, this golf resort offers three world-class golf courses, the Paul McGinley Golf Academy, and a TaylorMade Performance Center – the only one in southern Europe.
Aside from golf, residents can take advantage of the gym, tennis centre, hiking trails, water activities at the on-site lake, and numerous restaurants.
Spain: PGA Catalunya Resort
Not only are the custom villas in this golf estate stunningly designed and completely luxurious, they’re also created in such a way that they fit right into the natural surroundings.
There’s something for everyone here; spacious family homes, smaller apartments perfect for couples, or compact “wellness homes”, for those who want a holistic living experience.
When you buy property here, you’ll become part of the Residents’ Club – an exclusive club that affords you luxuries such as golf, tennis, watersports, gym facilities, beauty treatments, and even a dedicated children’s pool.
Conclusion
Golf communities are an up-and-comer in Europe. While they haven’t yet taken off in the UK, the potential is there for private, gated golf communities to become a safe, luxurious way of life in the coming years.
There’s no need to dress up in your best golf shirt or spiked shoes when you live right on the course. You can experience all the beauty of nature from your own backyard, along with the sense of community, luxury, and safety that these kinds of estates have to offer.
Bio:
Author: Jordan Fuller
Mr Fuller has been playing golf his whole life and has travelled all over his home country, USA, to play. John Marshall is a golf mentor and coach. They share their knowledge and passion for the game with amateur golfers on Golf Influence.
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