Florida is the third most populous state and, because of its year-round warm climate, contains the most golf communities of all. Indeed, The Villages, a huge retirement community in the north central part of the state, can boast of 35 separate golf courses alone. During the early years of the recession that began in late 2007, Florida real estate prices crashed, with homes in many golf communities losing between 30% and 50% of their value. But now, prices have rebounded to near pre-recession levels in the most popular areas of the state, including Naples, Sarasota and Jacksonville. Because summers can be too hot for many, Florida golf communities are a magnet for second-home owners who are tired of cold winters, still enjoy spring and summer in the North and appreciate the lack of an income tax in the state. Many "snowbirds" stay in Florida for six months and a day to take best advantage of the tax situation.
Long Point is the best course on Amelia Island, the locals say. And we would agree after playing it yesterday, the third we played during our short visit. Tom Fazio's layout threads its way through the...
"Jeez," was my first impression when I looked at the scorecard for the Ocean Links course and saw it played just 6,100 yards from the tips (and had six par 3s). "Where are the windmills and the...
Golf Course Review: Oak Marsh, Amelia Island There are days when every muscle locks up, every putt reads wrong, all the breaks uniformly go against you, every fairway lie seems to be a bad one, and...
Par 3s at Queen's Harbour aren't long, but don't be short. Golf is not first in the club's name, but the course at Queen's Harbour Yacht and Golf Club is very good. The Mark McCumber layout has its...
Bill Straub and Bob Genovese were my hosts yesterday at North Hampton Golf Club, just outside of Jacksonville, FL. They treated me royally, even conceding me a three-foot putt at one point. They had...
Business 2.0, one of the few magazines dedicated to the internet that stuck after the dot com bust, has published a list of cities where they think bargains can be had in real estate. As longtime...