courses with houses that are NOT obtrusive?

[Tony Ristola]

Long Cove.

[Carlyle Rood]

I grew up on one: Atlanta Country Club.


18th Hole
Homes line the left side of the photo


Homes along both sides of the fairway

Willard Byrd (a landscape architect, as well as a golf course architect) never terminated a hole with a home.  Usually homes only line one side of the fairway.  Rarely are homes visible from the line of play.

Until a new clubhouse was constructed in the 1980s, even the 9th and 18th holes didn't terminate with the clubhouse!

There is one notable exception.  A developer purchased a home adjacent to the 15th green, knocked it down, and then built an enormous mansion in its place.

This is it on the right:



Don't see it?  You would from the green.  Fortunately, Byrd's brilliant master planning ensured this eyesore wouldn't be part of your line of sight when playing to the green.

The rest of the holes may be seen here:

http://www.golfarch.com/ACC/

[SPDB]

For communities with golf and housing, Yeamans Hall.

[Carlyle Rood]

Following my line about terminating a hole with a home, here are some notable courses that fail in this regard.  All of these holes suffer aesthetically because of it--many despite tremendously picturesque surroundings.


Road Hole, St. Andrews (Old)
Imagine if the building on the left extended to the right.  It might actually benefit from the borrowed scenery.  I wish they had a valet.  Perhaps he would park the cars elsewhere.



4th Hole, Spyglass Hills
This is one of the rare holes that look more beautiful BACKWARDS, however.  In fact, it's always presented looking from green to tee in all the literature.



6th Hole, Pasatiempo
This is a course with harmonious homes throughout.  This one isn't.




8th Hole, Pebble Beach
This remarkable site ignores some tremendous borrowed scenery and embraces mediocre views throughout.  I imagine the views of the course and ocean FROM these homes must be spectacular, however.



13th Hole, Sunningdale
It helps that this home is further away.

[Steve Lapper]

LACC North has very very big homes that seem altogether normal right there along the holes. The most famous of them all, the Playboy Mansion can't even be seen right up against the 14th.

Same almost might be said for Bel-Air, save for the fact that they are frigging huge and ring almost the enitre course.

[Mike McGuire]

I was surprised at how many houses/condos  were on  Harbour Town. You don't see them on TV. They didn't seem to intrude.

I only played it once, a long time ago, and that was before i started following this site - so.....

[mike_beene]

I played Oak Tree the other day and was surprised by the number of houses on the back nine.Other than 10 and 11 really not bad.I was prepared not to like the course,but I left thinking it was good,especially around the greens.

[Scott_Burroughs]

There are very few homes that can be seen at Olympia
Fields, but this one is infamous, to the right of the par 3 14th
of the South course:  Hip-Hop mogul R. Kelly's 20,000 sq ft mansion.

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

Quite a few great courses have been mentioned about houses not being so obtrusive.   No course does this better than Rancho Santa Fe CC.  The houses were built after Max Behr routed the course.  I know because my parents live across from the 5th hole and have a very limited view of that hole, not to mention any other part of the course.  This is a great course waiting to be renovated---if only I had any influence in this community of ignorant, but wealthy fools!

[Jesse Jones]

TPC Rivers Bend  Maineville, Ohio

[Ian Andrew]

The best planned golf community I have ever seen is the Country Club of North Carolina. The courses are lined with homes, yet there is no out of bounds. This is what happens when the set backs are the right distances.

[Dan Moore]

Springs Course in Spring Green, Wisconsin by Trent Jones.  The course is built near the Wisconsin River and Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesen.  An attractive prairie inspired house is on the hill to the far right.  There are maybe a half dozen homes on the course mostly set on the hill away from the course and a resort hotel.  Photo was taken last Thursday from the tee of the 175 yd 11th which I parred twice that day.  

[Jim Nugent]

There are very few homes that can be seen at Olympia
Fields, but this one is infamous, to the right of the par 3 14th
of the South course:  Hip-Hop mogul R. Kelly's 20,000 sq ft mansion.

Why infamous?  

[Scott_Burroughs]

There are very few homes that can be seen at Olympia
Fields, but this one is infamous, to the right of the par 3 14th
of the South course:  Hip-Hop mogul R. Kelly's 20,000 sq ft mansion.

Why infamous?  

Well, R. Kelly is infamous, with all of his child pornography charges.  Don't know how much of this was conducted in his OF house above.

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