Best "real-estate model" courses?

[MCirba]

Merion East.


Mic drop.

[Sean_A]

Merion East.


Mic drop.

Merion was built to sell houses?


I am surprised by the mention of several other courses as well.


I think Yeamans Hall was a housing estate course by design. Although most of the houses weren’t built.

Ciao

[MCirba]

Merion East.


Mic drop.

Merion was built to sell houses?


I am surprised by the mention of several other courses as well.

Sean,


For the most part, they were mansions and large estates, but yes, moving the golf course to Ardmore in 1910-12 was basically part of a large land scheme where having proximity to the golf course was a primary driver of adjacent Real Estate land sales where members could get the jump on the market knowing what was planned.   The Real Estate company let the club secure 117 acres (they later purchased 120.3 acres), "or whatever would be needed for the golf course" of the 340 or so acres they held with the idea that once the course was routed that boundaries between the course and the development would be permanently established, mostly along what is today "Golf House Road".   


Most of that was learned over the past 20 years courtesy of a number of former GCA members who dug deep into old club archival and newspaper information.   

[Tim Martin]

Merion East.


Mic drop.

Merion was built to sell houses?


I am surprised by the mention of several other courses as well.

Sean,


For the most part, they were mansions and large estates, but yes, moving the golf course to Ardmore in 1910-12 was basically part of a large land scheme where having proximity to the golf course was a primary driver of adjacent Real Estate land sales where members could get the jump on the market knowing what was planned.   The Real Estate company let the club secure 117 acres (they later purchased 120.3 acres), "or whatever would be needed for the golf course" of the 340 or so acres they held with the idea that once the course was routed that boundaries between the course and the development would be permanently established, mostly along what is today "Golf House Road".   


Most of that was learned over the past 20 years courtesy of a number of former GCA members who dug deep into old club archival and newspaper information.   

Mike-The homes and neighborhood on Golf House Rd closely resemble those on Biltmore Ave and the area around Westchester CC in Rye, NY. The 1920’s Tudor style homes are prevalent in both spots.

[David Kelly]

From the Pasatiempo Homeowners Association website:


In 1927 Pasatiempo founder Marion Hollins envisioned a world class golf course surrounded by beautiful homes nestled in a portion of Rancho Carbonero, an 1838 Mexican Land Grant. With expert technical assistance from famed golf course architect Alister MacKenzie, Pasatiempo Golf Club opened in September 1929.


In the late 20’s and early 30’s homes began to appear around the golf course. Architect William Wurster was prominently involved in the development of Pasatiempo Estates.  Several “Wurster homes” remain today, including Hollins’ own residence and that of MacKenzie.


Today, our private community of graceful homes, wooded lands, curving roads and access to a world famous golf course is home to over 300 families in Santa Cruz County.

[Tom_Doak]

So has this thread devolved into “the best golf courses where housing and not golf was the priority “?


If so, the answers are mostly the places where the architect got the developer to make significant trade-offs, or where the developer had so much wealth he could afford to limit development, as at Tara Iti and (to a lesser degree) Te Arai.


If it’s an actual for-profit development company doing the course, forget about it, the real estate will trump the golf in the end.

[mike_beene]

While I Know this isn’t the original question and probably flawed—a course feels like a housing course when several holes have houses on both sides of the fairway. Pebble probably crosses that line.

[Keith Phillips]

Tarrant laid out not only St. George's Hill, but also the Wentworth Estate. Classic stately homes now interspersed with McMansions, with three 18s and a fun 9-hole par 3.  Lived there for two years and loved it.  The West isn't in its finest form currently, but I suspect it will be properly restored at some point.  The East is the charmer.

[Ben Malach]

Cabot is doing well for themselves

[Chris Hughes]

Merion East.


Mic drop.

Merion was built to sell houses?


I am surprised by the mention of several other courses as well.

Sean,


For the most part, they were mansions and large estates, but yes, moving the golf course to Ardmore in 1910-12 was basically part of a large land scheme where having proximity to the golf course was a primary driver of adjacent Real Estate land sales where members could get the jump on the market knowing what was planned.   The Real Estate company let the club secure 117 acres (they later purchased 120.3 acres), "or whatever would be needed for the golf course" of the 340 or so acres they held with the idea that once the course was routed that boundaries between the course and the development would be permanently established, mostly along what is today "Golf House Road".   


Most of that was learned over the past 20 years courtesy of a number of former GCA members who dug deep into old club archival and newspaper information.   

That is cool!!

[Chris Hughes]

While I Know this isn’t the original question and probably flawed—a course feels like a housing course when several holes have houses on both sides of the fairway. Pebble probably crosses that line.

Interesting observation.


In the opening post I mentioned Bay Hill and that's mostly due to a personal connection...


...but to your point, I can only think of two holes there with homes on both sides -- that would be #10 and #15. 

[Tim Gavrich]

Both courses at Lakewood National do a great job of providing interesting golf that goes a long way towards distracting the golfer from being bummed out about the sheer volume of homes bordering the holes. It's a shame that most developers have so little respect for the legacy of their golf development projects that they insist on just stacking canyons of homes around their courses, when there are plenty of other ways to do it and create a better (and walkable!) course while still selling lots of lots.


In terms of genuine interplay between homes and golf, low density is key, which is why places in SC like Brays Island and Old Tabby would be up there for me. Part of Harbour Town's genius is how easy a walk it is + how it keeps the homes mostly at arm's length.

[Mike Wagner]

Classic: Broadmoor GC (Seattle)
Modern: Clear Creek

[Dan Gallaway]

Classic: Broadmoor GC (Seattle)
Modern: Clear Creek

Two that came to my mind as residential, not spectacular courses that happen to have houses.

[Ian Andrew]

Capilano in North Vancouver.
It's a housing development first and foremost with a core golf course as part of the project.

[archie_struthers]

. I think courses with no houses in view are the best. Some of the Hilton Head course have it right. Core golf ...real estate community surrounding but in envelope

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