I've had the privilege of visiting many of the world's finest private clubs and resort communities during my 15 years as a golf and resort-style real estate specialist. My global travels have given me unparalleled insights and access to the best of master-planned golf and resort growth, from the exclusive Ke'olu Course at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on the Big Island of Hawaii to Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago mansion in Palm Beach to Tavistock Group's ultra-private Isleworth and Lake Nona golf and country clubs in Orlando. properties qatar
In some circumstances, even my own family has been given a taste of the good life. One unforgettable trip to Park City last summer, when I visited Promontory, one of the world's best family-friendly private club societies (read more below).
The following are a few exciting new and reimagined private club and resort-style real estate communities to keep an eye on this year and learn more about firsthand.
Montgomery, Texas's Bluejack National
Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer of all time, has returned. That is, back at Bluejack National. After a previously proposed golf project at the huge Cliffs Communities near Asheville, N.C., stalled due to the financial crisis, America will finally get the first Tiger Woods-designed golf course.
The new Bluejack National 18-hole championship course, which is part of a 755-acre private club community northwest of Houston, is currently under construction. Michael Abbott and Casey Paulson, partners at Beacon Land Development, are two of the industry's most known private club operators, having previously worked at Discovery Land Company's ultra-exclusive private communities such as Kukio on the Big Island of Hawaii, the Madison Club in Palm Springs, and Vacquero in Dallas.
Woods' golf course is currently being grassed and is set to open this fall. Bluejack National, which is located at the former site of Blaketree National Golf Club, is being developed by Beacon Land in collaboration with Lantern Asset Management of Dallas.
In a promotional video for Bluejack National, Woods says, "When I first came here, I was utterly shocked." "Texas, in my opinion, is smooth. I really didn't expect this to happen so close to a big city like Houston."
In addition to Tiger Woods Design, Beacon is collaborating on the master-planned private golf and residential community with Beau Welling Design, Nick Fullerton Architects, Jones and Carter Engineering, and Medalist Golf course developer/builder. Beacon Land is currently taking reservations, with a total of 386 private residents and 550 memberships available.
Bluejack residents and members will have access to a championship golf course as well as a family-friendly alternative short course, as well as other world-class facilities such as tennis, gym, fitness center, dining, corporate entertainment options, and a variety of indoor and outdoor family leisure activities. 35 acres of fishing lakes and nearly seven miles of beautiful hiking, biking, and running trails connect the facilities to the Bluejack National neighborhoods, among the outdoor pursuits.
On Winding Bay in Great Abaco, Bahamas, is the Abaco Club.
The Abaco Club was one of the few resort-style developments to survive the financial crisis, having been built by Peter de Savary in December 2004 during the Bahamas' resort-style construction boom. This high-end private sporting group is beginning a new chapter with Southworth Development after being partnered with the Ritz-Carlton destination club and finally being purchased by Marriott Vacation Worldwide Corporation in 2008.
Last December 11, Southworth Development, a globally known developer and manager of residential resort communities, revealed that it had purchased The Abaco Club on Winding Bay from Marriott Vacation Worldwide in an all-cash transaction, in collaboration with a group of club members and residents.
This is Southworth's second former Ritz Carlton-managed group purchase. The first was Creighton Farms, a Northern Virginia-based private Jack Nicklaus-designed golf club and residential community that Southworth purchased in 2009.
"In Southworth, we have found the ideal partner," said Michael McCormick, a spokesperson for the Abaco Club homeowner consortium. "We are certain that The Abaco Club on Winding Bay will become the pinnacle of barefoot luxury in The Bahamas, based on their track record of investing in and creating world-class communities. Southworth's 20-plus-year track record speaks for itself, and we're thrilled to be working with them to make an already exceptional location even more so."
The Abaco Club on Winding Bay, located in Great Abaco, is one of the world's great sporting clubs, with residences that equal the best in any island environment. About two miles of white sand beach; a highly acclaimed tropical links golf course that has consistently been ranked as one of the best courses in the Caribbean by Golfweek; tennis; a wide variety of water sports, including world-class bone fishing, deep-sea fishing, and boating off Abaco's famed shores and surrounding islands
Southworth is undertaking a multi-million dollar upgrade of its current buildings, which will begin immediately. A new state-of-the-art golf practice facility, as well as a new marina and boathouse, will be added.
"The Abaco Club has everything money can't buy," said Southworth Development President and CEO David Southworth. "It's a stunning location with a well-thought-out master plan and a dedicated membership. It's the ideal compliment to our other assets, and we're excited to take this world-class facility to even greater heights."
The 1-bedroom, 650-square-foot cabanas start at $375,000 and go up to $3-$4 million for ocean-view estate lots.
The Honourable Mr. The Bahamas' Prime Minister, Perry Christie, said: "Southworth Development is excited to be a part of The Abaco Club on Winding Bay, and we look forward to working with such a prestigious organization. Increased home construction, tourism, and employment will benefit Great Abaco and The Bahamas as a result of renewed interest and long-term investment in the property."