By no means are private golf country clubs out. But private golf residential communities are definitely hot these days. Instead of just joining a golf club, golfers commit fully and buy a property around the course – as well as a pricey golf membership. Then they’re part of the exclusive community that typically is only open to people who own a parcel there.
While roughly 4,000 of the 15,000 U.S. golf courses are private, there are no specific figures about how many of those are the private communities. However, private golf residence communities are experiencing a significant resurgence and transformation. According to the National Golf Foundation, private club memberships have blossomed by nearly 50 percent since 2019. And more than half of all new course construction and active planning projects are for private facilities.
Who’s buying into the private golf residential communities? The trend is shifting away from traditional retiree-only demographics toward younger working professionals, remote workers, and young families. And to accommodate all ages, residential clubs are heavily investing in wellness facilities, pickleball and padel courts, state-of-the-art golf simulators, resort-style pools, kids clubs, and fine dining — in addition to great golf.
Having visited several such properties recently, the appeal is obvious. While admittedly a bit privileged for my tastes, the experience is top-tier. Because many members live on-site only part-time – for many, this is a third, fourth, or fifth home – the courses see light traffic. The result? Pristine conditions and remarkably fast rounds.
Most recently, I went to the 1,576-acre Clear Creek Tahoe in Carson City, Nev. – located near Lake Tahoe. Its Bill Coores-Ben Crenshaw golf course is nothing short of visually stunning. Crafted into hills and mountains, the 18-year-old course meanders up and down, with generous fairways and multi-tiered greens. It’s ranked by Golfweek as the state’s top private course. Clear Creek will max out at 350 members. Only members can play the course, as well as invited guests.
What the club offers extends well beyond golf, according to John Kunkel, managing partner. “There are a number of high-end golf communities to choose from, and a lot of our buyers are trying to locate to a region first, and then they hone in on the other particulars. They might be shopping Park City for skiing, or Wyoming or Montana. Generally, we’re grouped in regions in the Western U.S., and the common thread is not just high-end golf experiences, but outdoor activities. There are other clubs within our immediate area that aspire to do things differently. We want this to be a very open and inviting community where people really enjoy being here. For us, it’s a decompression zone. You can relax. Our community is removed, but not remote.”
The club did see a huge influx of buyers during Covid, as did much of the golf industry. “It has continued to grow every year,” says Kunkel “Yet we don’t have tee time compression, even with seasonal play — our peak times are July 4 through Labor Day.” Social members can use all of the amenities with exception to the golf course, the practice facility, and the golf simulators. For members, Clear Creek has a plethora of activities for members, including fly fishing, a lake club on South Lake Tahoe, kids clubs, water activities, and plenty more. But golf remains its centerpiece.
Spending three days experiencing Clear Creek provided a firsthand look at why this model is thriving. It’s an undeniably upscale way to play—and live. To paraphrase Ferris Bueller: If you have the means, I highly recommend it.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com