Five Top Golfing Destinations

Five Top Golfing Destinations State-of-the-art amenities for serious golfers are just the beginning at these luxury communities

There was a time when the term “golf community” meant just that: a cluster of luxury condos located in a warm and sunny locale with access to a private golf course year-round. But these days, even the most diehard devotees of the game are seeking variety and originality. Today, the top golf communities have many luxurious amenities: fitness centers, gourmet dining, hiking trails, fishing ponds, even bowling alleys and movie theaters. Many of these developments have courses designed by golf legends like Greg Norman, Jack Nicklaus, and Tom Weiskopf. Bluejack National in Montgomery, Texas, boasts the first course in the United States designed by Tiger Woods. Still, about 8.25% of the U.S. population—25 million Americans—play golf, so it’s no surprise that these state-of-the-art communities are attracting lots of attention from discerning buyers who are eager to hit the links. This week, Luxury Defined profiles five premier golf communities where golf is just one part of the appeal.

1. Carmel Valley Ranch Golf Course
Carmel, California
Carmel Valley Ranch sits on 500 pristine acres near the coast of Northern California. The Ranch’s 18-hole, par-70 course, designed by Pete Dye, is perched on an elevation above the valley, giving it a well-deserved reputation for spectacular views. Travel and Leisure has named the Carmel Valley Ranch Golf Course one of the Best in the US. Serious golfers will enjoy its tactical challenges, and any visitor will delight in the Valley’s unique microclimate, which gives the Ranch more than 300 days of sunshine every year. The Ranch is also home to an organic café offering plenty of healthy options for adults and children as well as happy hours, a Wine Dinner Series, and a traveling pizza oven as part of the Ranch Hands Kids Camp. The Ranch features tennis, a full fitness center, horseback riding, outdoor saltwater pool, spa, and four-acre sustainable pinot noir vineyard. Nature lovers will delight in visiting the chicken coop, bee apiary, and organic gardens. This three-bedroom home in Carmel Valley, California, designed by Alan Turpen, offers panoramic views of the golf course, the city skyline in the distance, and nearby mountains from its location nestled right next to the course’s 10th green.
“Das Clum House” is an exquisite custom estate located alongside the 10th green of Carmel Valley Ranch Golf Course inside the Carmel Valley Ranch Estates gate. With 180-degree panoramic views of the golf course, mountains, and city lights to the west, this home is replete with top-of-the-line custom finishes, oak floors, French doors, and built-in custom cabinetry and stone work.
2. Casa De Campo
La Romana, Dominican Republic
Casa De Campo is one of the Caribbean’s most spectacular resorts, and it’s not just a haven for swimmers and golfers. Set on 7,000 coastal acres in La Romana, Casa De Campo is home to a large marina, three championship golf courses including one designed by Pete Dye that’s known as “Teeth of the Dog,” plus tennis and polo facilities as well as Beach Club dining by Le Cirque. There’s plenty to explore: the Dominican Republic is home to outstanding natural beauty and culture, including the oldest city in the New World. The resort organizes excursions to historic sites, or guests can explore the local shops, take the entire family horseback riding, or swim in the crystal clear Caribbean waters. The food is an attraction in its own right: enjoy the creations of head chef Anthony Masas, who honed his skills at multiple Michelin-starred restaurants around the world before coming to Casa De Campo. At nearly 35,000 square feet, the Punta Minitas estate is one of the resort’s crown jewels. With a grand salon with 20-foot-high ceilings that opens onto the beach, this secluded oasis boasts glamour and beauty enhanced by its lush landscaped grounds, gazebos, private dock, pools, and fountains.

Punta Minitas is a sumptuous seven-bedroom estate at Casa De Campo with a private beach and luxurious interior. With easy access to the resort’s three championship golf courses plus tennis and polo, it’s ideally situated for serious sports enthusiasts and nature-lovers alike.
3. Wentworth Club
Surrey, England
Just an hour from central London, the Wentworth Club in Surrey offers one of the finest golf courses in the world. Featuring an active social calendar and elegant dining options as well as tennis and fitness facilities and a castellated Gothic-style clubhouse, the Wentworth combines 19th-century grandeur with state-of-the-art amenities. The Wentworth offers three 18-hole golf courses, a 9-hole par-3 executive course, practice areas, a TaylorMade Performance Lab, and meeting and reception areas that can accommodate up to 300 guests. Overlooking the 17th green, this five-bedroom, 8,000-square-foot home on Chestnut Avenue, known as Greenside, is an elegant perch for a serious golfer.

This Neoclassical-style home has a stately library, spa, pool, and sauna, offering the ideal mix of activities and total relaxation in a stylish interior.
4. Plantation Golf Course
Kapalua, Hawaii
The Kapalua Golf resort on the Hawaiian island of Maui is breathtakingly beautiful: the lush tropical surroundings, clear blue skies and waters, and nearby rainforest and coral reefs make it a true natural sanctuary. The resort’s two golf courses are renowned for their challenging designs: The Plantation Course and the Bay Course have both been named the best in Hawaii by Golf Digest magazine. The Plantation Course hosts the PGA Tour’s Hyundai Tournament of Champions, and the Bay Course has hosted numerous professional tournaments. Plantation Restaurant offers seasonal fare, and Maui’s renowned D.T. Fleming Beach Park is right across the street. This seven-bedroom estate located on the 16th fairway of the Plantation course puts golfers in the center of the action.
Completed in 2008 and situated on 2.13 spectacular acres, this home has more than 6,000 square feet of living space and is offered fully furnished. A separate one-bedroom Ohana (guest house) provides staff or guest quarters. A pool, spa, personal putting green, and easy beach access are just a few of the amenities this spacious tropical home has to offer.
5. Bay Colony Golf Club
Naples, Florida
The Bay Colony Golf Club in Naples, Florida is located inside a secluded community of 75 estates designed around an exquisite 280-acre nature preserve and a beautiful, meandering golf course. The well-appointed clubhouse offers award-winning cuisine, and the Club has two private tennis courts, a fitness center, and beach access as well. Members of the Club also have access to a no-tee time championship course for relaxing games that aren’t rushed. Enjoy the natural flora of the Cocohatchee Strand Nature Preserve while you play. The 18-hole course, designed by Robert von Hagge, offers five tee positions so golfers with different levels of experience can test their skills. While the Bay Colony Golf Club has hosted the Senior PGA Classic in the past, today it’s for members only. This grand residence in the Bay Colony community offers access to all the Club’s amenities as well as a spacious and classic interior.

Featuring exclusive access to one of South Florida’s best golfing communities, this luxurious estate with vast manicured gardens offers all the amenities of the Bay Colony Golf Club, plus privacy and seclusion.