House-Swapping for Golf and GCA

[Adam_F_Collins]

Have any of you house-swapped or considered doing so with a person in another part of the world in an effort to see more great golf?

I was thinking that it might be a good thing to think about among the GCA.com members.

I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I have a 3 bedroom upstairs flat in downtown Halifax. Halifax has a number of interesting courses in the area, and there are many others within an afternoon's drive. Thompson's Highlands Links, Green Gables and Digby Pines are at the top of the list.

These are the kinds of things I begin to think about when I'm trapped in the dead of winter.

[Shane Sullivan]

I would certainly consider a house swap.  

I live in Beijing in a three bedroom apartment very centrally located.  There are a couple of interesting courses nearby like Huatang and Pine Valley.  (There are also a couple of fairly impressive places like the Imperial Palace and the Great Wall nearby!)

If there is a tournament on Beijing is a good place to watch golf because not too many people head out - the only real con is that because golf is so new in China the spectator etiquette is pretty much non-existant.

The season runs from the beginning of March to the end of November.  It is generally pretty dry and only once was I rained off last year.  There is only one course open during winter - Beijing gets very little snow.

Sitting inside, contemplating the cold that is outside, and watching the Mercedes . . . . a house swap sounds great!

[Dan King]

I gotta say Nova Scotia sounds like one of the coolest places I've never given any thought of going to until now. I'd be interested.

I give you two choices.

I have a five-bedroom house in Los Gatos, California. It's only three blocks from a nice shopping area along Santa Cruz Blvd. Cute little shops, antiquing, a small movie theater and lots of excellent fine and casual dining. During the summer there is free live music just about every night in parks all within an easy walk.

It is 20 minutes from Pasatiempo and De la Viega, an hour from SF (Olympic, SFGC, Lake Merced, Harding and Lincoln Park) and an hour the other way to Monterey (Pebble Beach, Cypress, MPCC, Spyglass, Spanish Bay, Pacific Grove.)

The other house is in Cayucos, on the central coast of California. And I mean on the central coast. It's on a 20 foot cliff above the beach with private stairs down to what is usually a very quite beach. The spring and summer surf is usually perfect for beginners while fall and winter are for the more experienced surfers. (wet suit generally needed in central and northern California.) It is 20 minutes from San Luis Obispo. This one I share with my sister and her family spends much of the summer there, so we'd have to work out a good time to go. My brother-in-law has lots of luck surf fishing right outside the house.

Most of the courses close to Cayucos are the no star in the Michelin Guide but can be fun and reasonably cheap. It is a couple hours from the Monterey courses and an hour and a half north of La Purisima and Sandpiper, with Valley Club of Montecito just a bit further. Maybe about a three hour drive to Rustic Canyon and a bit further to the L.A. courses.

Dan King

Every man who possibly can should force himself to a holiday of a full month in a year, whether he feels like taking it or not.
 --William James

[Sean Walsh]

My long term girlfriend/partner and I are travelling to europe later this year and intend to spend a year in Scotland.  We investigated the prospect of a normal house swap but decided the chances of someone wanting to swap with us for a full year were slim.

In the end we decided it would be a little too much hassle to rely on house swaps for a full year but I'm sure if we travelled for shorter periods in future a house swap would definitely come into the calculations.  

We, however, are not in the most desireable golf location.  1 hr North of Melbourne in a town of a few hundred.  1.5 hrs to the sandbelt, 2.5 to the Mornington Peninsula and Bellarine Peninsula.  Good access to the airport for those all important Barnbougle trips though (approx 45mins).

I think the advantage of a house swap between people wihin GCA is that there is an ongoing relationship (albeit over the internet).  As a result no effort is likely to be spared in making each others stay as comfortable as possible.  

In researching house swapping I know that one option was non-concurrent swapping.  So in effect we act as a B&B of sorts for you in the summer/sprin then you do the same for us in your summer time.  Allowing both parties to enjoy a break from their winters.

[Joe Hancock]

Dan,

Allow me to tempt you away from that Nova Scotia deal.

I have a house near Grand Rapids, Michigan. There's a nice Langford/ Moreau course within a half mile, a Rees Jones gem about 2 miles, and of course, 4 Mike DeVries courses within 2 hours driving.

To sweeten the deal, I am prepared to jump on this straight away, as the ground is open here now, with absolutely no waiting at any course. I could do this deal from, say, tomorrow until May or June....or longer, if you need that to help make up your mind.  

BTW, I would be willing to keep it an even up deal, even with all this great golf so close.

Joe

[Sean Walsh]

By the way Beijing and Nova scotia sound good.  I have a friend/distant cousin in Halifax.

Now if anyone can pony up with Chile my girlfriend will get very interested.

[Andrew Cunningham]

Joe,

No offense but Grand Rapids can't hold a candle to Halifax!  But I hear where you're coming from.  To all those living through another crappy winter up here Dan's California retreats sound like a dream come true.  I'd swap my house in the summer but you'd have to live with my wife and kids and despite the great golf within an hour's radius the post game chores would make you wish you never left home!

Loved Pasatiempo BTW.  Can't wait to go back and see the changes they've made.

[Dan King]

Joe Hancock writes:
I have a house near Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Isn't Michigan one of those red state places that we hear so much about out here on the left coast? I'd be scared of the roaming bands of Christian fundamentalists.

Dan King

John Ashcroft went on to say that our way of life is being threatened by a group of radical religious fanatics who are armed and dangerous. And then he called for prayer in the schools and an end to gun control.
 --Jay Leno

[Jeff_Mingay]

Joe,

I'd only take your house if you stuck around as the butler during my visit  

[Joe Hancock]

Dan,

As a Christian, I can say that the exhibited rudeness in and around GR, bible belt of the Midwest, will make anyone feel at home. If you walk around with a smile on your face, the locals will know you're up to no good.

Jeff,

You might want to make a visit first, to make sure my housekeeping skills are sufficient. I do, however, cook with a lot of fresh (as possible) garlic and keep an ample supply of wine on (in?) hand. Let me know when you'll be here.

Joe

[Don Dinkmeyer]

i have a house.cottage in Arcadia, Michigan. ABluffs is 3 minutes away and there's a lot of other good courses around - Treetops is a few hours away.

Northern Michigan has a huge number of courses for a seasonal locale!

[Stan Dodd]

I have house swapped.  My first trip to Scotland was a house swap.  We did a three week swap, even exchanging cars.  It went off with out a hitch and would do it again in a heartbeat.

I have a 2 bed/ 2 bath house in Pacific Grove, CA to throw into the mix. Walking distance to beach, Monterey Bay Aquarium/Cannery Row, restaurants, one mile from the 17 Mile Drive and golf heaven. Month of July works best for me.

Cheers
Stan

[Adam_F_Collins]

Dan, I feel warmer already! I'll give it some serious thought. I need to visit Bob Huntley and Tommy Naccarato out there, too.

I have no solid plans as of yet, but I thought that it would be a great idea to get this thread started and to get people thinking. If interested parties post their location and what kind/size home they have, it can grow from there.

I like the idea of people who have some kind of existing relationship doing something like this. It makes it more comfortable. Plus we have an established common-ground of interests which it can all stem from.

In some cases, it may be possible to swap cars with homes. (this is something my in-laws did when they swapped between Halifax and London, and it worked wonderfully). What I like is that it gives a traveller a place within the 'real' cluture of the location their visiting - getting you outside the "tourist infrastructure". With this group, we can probably even set up people for you to play with or contact who are also golf-obsessed. (if that's of any added interest)

Keep 'em coming.

[cary lichtenstein]

If we're going to start swapping houses and cars, how far behind can wife swapping be???

[Adam_F_Collins]

Well, I guess it depends on wether she wants to go along on the trip, or stay at home...

[Dan King]

Adam_Foster_Collins writes:
I need to visit Bob Huntley and Tommy Naccarato out there, too.

The Los Gatos house is close to Mr. Huntley, but Cayucos is between the two of them. I've tried to get Tommy to come up to Cayucos for some wine tasting around Paso Robles and some beach golf, but not much luck so far. If you have better luck I'll have to no choice but to take it personal.

In some cases, it may be possible to swap cars with homes.

Once again I have two choices. A Prius that can save you a few bob on gas or an early model Miata which can be fun for driving down Highway 1 to Cayucos.

Choices with everything else, but not even one wife I can leave behind/ But I do know the names and numbers of a variety of excellent ladies of the evening.

cary lichtenstein writes:
If we're going to start swapping houses and cars, how far behind can wife swapping be???

The big question is then to which network do we sell the TV rights?

Dan King

And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
And you may find yourself in another part of the world
And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful Wife
And you may ask yourself-well...how did I get here?

And you may ask yourself
How do I work this?
And you may ask yourself
Where is that large automobile?
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful house!
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful wife!
 --David Byrne

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

If we're going to start swapping houses and cars, how far behind can wife swapping be???

My long term girlfriend/partner and I are travelling to europe later this year and intend to spend a year in Scotland.  We investigated the prospect of a normal house swap but decided the chances of someone wanting to swap with us for a full year were slim.

Cary, when I first started reading Sean's post I thought maybe that was where he was heading.

[Lloyd_Cole]

If we're going to start swapping houses and cars, how far behind can wife swapping be???

Yes, Cary, you beat us to it. I was too sober last night to suggest that if it involved leaving car keys in a communal ashtray at the local pub, you could count me in, too..

[Adam_F_Collins]

Okay boys, let's get past the wife-swapping thing.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a list here of GCA people that are open to doing a house swap for the primary purpose of getting to more of the courses we're interested in seeing?

[Chris Pike]

For those who haven't been, you owe it to yourself to visit Nova Scotia.  Great people, great seafood, and great golf!  Be sure and drive the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton and schedule more than one round at Highlands Links.  

[Andy Troeger]

Wouldn't it be nice to have a list here of GCA people that are open to doing a house swap for the primary purpose of getting to more of the courses we're interested in seeing?

For what its worth, Adam, I love the idea. Alas, at the current time I have no house to swap!

[Evan Fleisher]

Wouldn't it be nice to have a list here of GCA people that are open to doing a house swap for the primary purpose of getting to more of the courses we're interested in seeing?

For what its worth, Adam, I love the idea. Alas, at the current time I have no house to swap!

...and I doubt anybody would be willing to swap for a 5-bedroom jobby on the Eastern edge of Iowa...unless they possibly would like a quick dip in the mighty, muddy Mississippi!