Flooding is a nasty word to many golf community owners, especially those who live in coastal areas.  But many happy homeowners live on properties that were the result of controlled flooding by the government in the name of hydroelectricity in the middle of last century.  Although power was the primary concern, the flooding also spawned thousands of homes and golf courses on manmade lakes.
    One such property is Lake Blackshear Plantation, which is set beside the 8,700-acre lake from which the community takes its name.  Blackshear is just a few miles from Interstate 75 in south central Georgia, near the town of Cordele, and it features all the customary amenities of a golfing community, such as pool, fitness center, and clubhouse. Boat related facilities are planned as well.  Homes are reasonably priced, as you would expect for a community that is a few hours from any major urban area; Atlanta is a good two hours up the interstate.  Villas start below $200,000, and single-family homes begin in the $200s.  Many properties on the golf course are still available.
    For the price of a high-end home, the golf course itself is available to those not content with a simple membership.  Golf Course Brokers, Inc. has the course listed at $1.75 million, which includes a 70-seat restaurant and 3,300 foot clubhouse.  That seems a reasonable price for a full-fledged course in the midst of a fair-sized community; with proper marketing and a quality operation, the course could attract most of its members from the neighborhood (the course is daily fee for now).  
    The Ray Jensen layout, which reaches 6,900 yards at the tips, winds its way across and around ponds and streams and is set on rolling land amid the ubiquitous loblolly pines of this part of Georgia.  Golf Digest gave the course a 4-star rating.

Reading the fine print

    A recent piece of legislation in Maryland is a good reminder for all of us counting on a certain level of amenities, including the golf course, in our next living situation.  Regulation H679 "would require that, in Prince George's County, a homebuilder that agrees to provide a community amenity to a community development must include specified information in the contract of sale."  The legislation also provides for penalties in the case of non-compliance.
    When shopping for a home in a golf course community, ask tough questions and read the fine print.  Buyers have a little more leverage than they have had in recent years, and you may be able to help the developer write your sales contract.