Just as compelling are the reasons to say “Yes” to heading for the hills to a
second home or retirement. “It’s a breath of fresh air,” waxes one happy camper.
“It’s the stars,” says another. “It’s 20 more yards on your driver,” sums up a
veteran golfer who’s chosen a cool, dry summer clime in which to spend the best
parts of all four seasons teeing it up with family and friends amid the natural
wonders often just out your front door.
Balsam Mountain Preserve
Sylva, N.C.,
866-542-3546
BalsamMountainPreserve.com
Balsam
Mountain Preserve is a 4,400-acre
low-density community near the North Carolina mountain towns of Sylva and
Waynesville and only 40 minutes from Asheville. With 3,000 of its acres protected by
conservation easements and only 354 homesites, Balsam Mountain aims to live up
to the “Preserve” in its name. One amenity is a Nature Center staffed naturalists, who maintain a
busy schedule of programs, from guided hikes and mountain bike rides along 50
miles of trails, to activities such as a search for nesting yellow-billed
sapsuckers. There’s also catch-and-release fishing for native brook trout in the
property’s 38 miles of streams, and top-notch stables and miles of old logging
roads rising to 5,500 feet.
In
deciding on a golf-course partner, developers Chaffin/Light Associates, turned
to Arnold Palmer, whose firm is known for creating courses that connect golfers
to the land. Beginning its second year of play, the 6,750-yard Arnold Palmer
Signature Course has 11 different water challenges for golfers, from trickling
creeks to flowing streams. Elevation changes from 3,200 to 3,700 feet make every
round an enjoyable journey, while wide and ample fairways make the course
playable for golfers of all experience levels.
Balsam Mountain’s commitment to sustainability
and stylish luxury extends to its residential options, like its new Portfolio of
Homes. Situated on high ridges overlooking virgin forests and spectacular
mountain vistas, six homesites have been custom designed in partnership with
Platt Architecture, designer of HGTV's 2006 Dream Home, for a specific homestead
to ensure the best utilization of available terrain and maximized views.
For
those desiring less maintenance and responsibility, The Boarding House offers
fractional ownership with full community privileges. Only 40
partnerships are available for these 10 mountaintop cabins, which share a
central gathering place, with a dining hall, rustic living room with large stone
fireplace and lounge.
Bright’s Creek Golf Club
Mill
Spring, N.C., 866-302-7335
GolfatBrightsCreek.com
Nestled against North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Bright’s Creek sits amid 5,000 acres of inspired land, with waterfalls, rivers and soaring mountain peaks providing a natural backdrop to one of the country’s most luxurious private communities. Since opening in 2003, more than 200 families have come together to call Bright’s Creek home.
Here friends enjoy a daily blend of first-class amenities, from championship golf to a state-of-the-art equestrian center. At Bright’s Creek, golf is a true passion. The 200-plus members tee it up on a Tom Fazio-designed layout that’s been called one of the best new courses in the country. And with plans underway to make Bright’s Creek the world’s only club to offer three Fazio courses, it’s
no wonder that the club was selected to host the 2008 BMW Charity Pro-Am.
Beyond golf, horse lovers appreciate the expert equine facilities and available professional training. The planned fishing and shooting club takes advantage of the trout-stocked Green River and the thousands of acres of nearby protected hunting lands. Extensive hiking trails and a planned swim and tennis center will help complete this natural playground. Nearby, you’ll find both Lake Lure and Lake Adger, the quaint Main Street of Greenville, South Carolina, and the internationally recognized shops, restaurants and acclaimed theaters of Asheville, North Carolina.
Several lifestyle options are available at Bright’s Creek. Homesites from one acre to more than five sit above the golf course, affording dramatic views. “Living here in North Carolina since 1999 and touring all around the Blue Ridge Mountains on weekends, I thought I’d seen everything until I drove into this valley,” says owner Jim Rash. “It took my breath away.”
Golf villas offer a luxurious, low-maintenance lifestyle, while the just-completed Lodge at Bright’s Creek provides members unique, overnight accommodations and exceptional service. Homesites begin at $175,000 and custom homes from $900,000. And all residents enjoy living in one of the few fiber-to-home developments in the country.
