Enthusiasts are elevating their homes—and their game—with luxe on-site golfing features that allow them to practice in privacy, says Emma Reynolds
For golf enthusiasts, living in a golf-focused community or close to a world-class course may not be enough. Increasingly, luxury homeowners are prioritizing convenience and exclusivity by integrating golf features directly into their own properties. From impeccably landscaped putting and chipping greens to state-of-the-art golf simulator rooms, these amenities offer unmatched access to the game, while providing hours of entertainment. In some cases, owners even commission custom golf holes, ensuring a quick practice session is just steps away.
Spring signals the beginning of peak golf season, highlighted by the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia each April, followed by the PGA Championship in May, the U.S. Open in June and The Open (often known as the British Open) in July. Whether you’re a novice, club regular or professional, practice at home can pay off before you hit the course with colleagues or friends. Best of all? You don’t need sprawling acreage to install these game-enhancing facilities.
In Westlake, Texas, a suburb of Dallas-Forth Worth, a custom-built home currently listed for sale has a private putting green in the corner of the property, which sits on just 1.2 acres. Built in 2020, this 13,600-square-foot home has other amenities, too, including a two-story office, media room, two outdoor pools divided by a fire pit and waterfall, hot tub, and a separate apartment.
Golfers looking for more space might consider this estate in Old Westbury, New York, set in nearly seven lush acres along Long Island’s famed Gold Coast—the iconic setting for F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.” Brimming with luxury features, the estate offers a par-three golf hole with sand traps, surrounded by towering trees that evoke the feel of a private course, as well as a golf simulator. In fact, sports lovers are spoiled for choice, as there’s also an outdoor tennis pavilion, indoor basketball court, gym and two-lane bowling alley.
This diverse range of amenities is par for the course these days, with more luxury homes evolving into mini resorts that can satisfy many passions and pastimes under one roof.
“In the past few years, more people are living with different generations of their family and want to encompass a range of interests when it comes to amenities so everyone can easily live, work and play in one place,” says Ann Newton Cane of Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty. “Not just that, but clients are looking for absolute privacy.”
Cane is currently listing a secluded property in Happy Valley, California, in the East Bay of San Francisco, which has some beautifully landscaped golfing features. Situated on nearly 11 acres, the home was built by a golf-loving family originally from Colorado, and the hillside estate is framed by mature oaks, a babbling brook, century-old heritage olive trees and lavender fields.
“My client who custom-built the home is extremely into golf,” Cane says. “The backyard has a putting green and also a chipping green, which I’ve never seen in a private home before. It’s very fun because you can chip onto the putting green across the backyard.”
Other homeowners want the best of both worlds, pairing at-home golf facilities with membership of an exclusive golf community. In Heber City, Utah, 15 minutes from the famed Deer Valley Ski Resort, a 20,900-square-foot home within the Red Ledges community has a golf simulator room and outdoor putting green, ideal for a quick warm-up before teeing off at the club. Red Ledges has a Jack Nicklaus-designed course for the most passionate aficionados, meaning there’s endless opportunity to play golf both at home and in the neighbourhood.
Golfing in the Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands offer an exceptional golfing lifestyle with two standout courses on Grand Cayman. The North Sound Golf Club is the only 18-hole championship course on the island, featuring ocean views, a par-71 layout, and excellent practice facilities. The nearby, Blue Tip Course at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, was designed by Greg Norman, and delivers a world-class nine-hole experience along a scenic lagoon.
For golf enthusiasts looking to live near the action, Turnberry East #4 is ideally situated. This stylish three-bedroom townhome in the Seven Mile Beach Corridor offers easy access to both courses, canal-front boat docking, and walking distance to restaurants and the beach—blending golf, leisure, and luxury in one incredible location.
POSTED WITH PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT SOTHEBY’S. Click to read original article.