Are there any great courses on private estates today?

[Walter Bart]

 I was fortunate to play the Simon's course, Asherwood , a few years ago.
 Yes, it is very good, not great, but has some very interesting holes and the reverse aspect  was unique.
 
 I also played the par 3 course, with a few copy holes, including the #17 at Sawgrass.   

   A  gem of a little clubhouse,  a small parking lot, with wonderful landscaping, and virtually no one on the courses.  Is that true luxury?

[David Stamm]

The Lloyd estate in the '20's was a wonderful short course that was mistakenly attributed to MacKenzie, but was actually a Billy Bell design.

[Kevin_Reilly]

Nanea is strictly golf, no estate or housing, and is exclusive in that the only way to play is with a member.

You don't need to play with a member, but you need to have your game arranged by a member.

[Philip Spogard]

It is not a private estate as such but Capital GC in Melbourne is very exclusive. It only has one member I believe - the owner - who is also the owner of Melbourne Casino. I think they have around 0-10 golfers a day - I would imagine highrollers or other guests of the owner.

[Joel_Stewart]

I knew I was forgetting one. Kenny Rogers had an estate in the one caution light town of Colbert, GA.

Didn't Willie Nelson also have one in Texas?

Below is a picture of Sunnylands which is the Annenberg home in Rancho Mirage.  I understand it is now going to be a conference center, not sure of the staus of the golf course.

[Sam Morrow]

I knew I was forgetting one. Kenny Rogers had an estate in the one caution light town of Colbert, GA.

Didn't Willie Nelson also have one in Texas?

Below is a picture of Sunnylands which is the Annenberg home in Rancho Mirage.  I understand it is now going to be a conference center, not sure of the staus of the golf course.

http://www.pedernalesgolfclub.com/

[Steve_ Shaffer]

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,32391.0.html

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Otto Kahn's private golf course on his estate is now Cold Spring CC on Long Island:

http://www.newsday.com/community/guide/lihistory/ny-history-hs716a,0,7419844.story

http://www.coldspringcc.org/history.htm

[Will Haskett]

Brian, I played Simons course in September. I can't remember the number of tees and greens, but Smyers has 27 holes laid out.  It is good, not great. But the real genius comes in the last 9 holes where you play some holes backwards and find new bunkers that you do not see the first time around unless you look back down the initial hole. On the last nine, I  believe you may play across fairways to another fairway to the green.  Smyers also built Mel a par 3 course where it is said the greens are more undulating than Augusta's and as you travel Ditch Rd between 96th and 106th street in Carmel, IN you can see enormous undulations on the greens.

That course sneaks up on you when you're driving by. Actually, I've seen opportunities to play it creeping up more and more as auction events at charities, not to mention the regular VIPs that seem to have access to it in town.

Like Bob said, I've always heard that the "backward" configuration is the most unique part of the course. I remember working at a country club growing up and on staff days, we would create our own 18-hole course by hitting from one tee box to a different green. You would find all sorts of areas of the course you never knew existed. For that reason, I have always been intrigued about playing Asherwood. I just need to save up a boatload of money and buy an auction item, apparently.

[Tim_Cronin]

I know of the Floridian, Wayne H's place down in West Palm-ish area.

There is also the Cunio Estate in Vernon Hills, IL...the course is still there in their front lawn.

Pat, is that course White Deer Run, or was there something else first?

[Michael Latham]

 I played Birch Grove, (former home of Prime Minister Harold McMillan), once and it was, as the article describes, very special. Alas no more.
archive.theargus.co.uk/2004/12/24/106690.html

[Tony Petersen]

I've had the pleasure of playing Frog's Breath in Ontario. The owner was a member at Desert Mountain & invited a bunch of us up there... Absolutely AMAZING and the true definition of an "estate" course. It's right outside and it's F-U-N

http://www.carrickdesign.com/frogs%20breath.html

[cary lichtenstein]

There is one in Little Rock, Ark

[Bob Harris]

He has since moved, but the owner of Blue Bell CC had a layout with 4 greens, multiple tees and his signature shamrock bunker.