by Michele Newbern Gillis
Staff Writer
Taking advantage of the view is the main objective of most builders when building a home on a golf course.
“Normally when we build on a golf course, and this could apply to any piece of property that has a view, we try to build it where most of the rooms take advantage of the view,” said Tim Whitehurst, president of Whitehurst Builders. “We do that by angling rooms a certain way and providing lots of windows, patio doors or sliding glass doors.”
When positioning the home on a lot, Whitehurst said that they usually try to get as close to the back of the lot as possible without crowding the golf course.
“We want to be as close to the golf course as we can because you want to get the best view you can, but not compromise your privacy,” said Whitehurst. “The only other thing about building on a golf course depends where on a hole your lot is positioned.”
Whitehurst said if you are closer to the green, you are going to want to be a little further back than if you are on a fairway — people are generally on the green longer than they are on the fairway.
“Also, if you are closer to the green you may not have have all those crazy angled rooms because you don’t have to angle the rooms to take advantage of the view,” said Whitehurst.
Some builders say that living on a golf course gives the homeowner piece of mind.
“I think one of the big advantages of a golf course lot is that obviously if you have a golf course in the back yard, you know what’s there and that nothing else will be built behind your house,” said Steve Edmonds, president of The Edmonds Company. “It gives you privacy because you may have golfers back there, but you won’t have neighbors or commercial businesses.”
Other issues when dealing with lots on a golf course come in the form of size, shape and water.
“A lot of the time you have to deal with narrow and deep lots because developers often aim to maximize the number of lots that back up to the golf course,” said Paul Stern, president of Arthur Rutenberg Homes in Queen’s Harbour. “You often have to pay a lot of attention to drainage patterns of your lot as well as insuring that the house is sited correctly to maximize the views.”
Stern also said the homes tend to be closer to the back of the lot so they are closer to the golf course.
Edmonds said that typically the community has a architecturual review board which determines location of the homes so you don’t have one up and one back.
Stern said that builders want to make sure the views out the back of the house are as pleasant as possible.
“People who buy golf course lots want to see the golf course,” said Stern. “You want to make sure the house is oriented to have nice long golf course views.”
Edmonds agrees.
“The view, the rolling terrain and the landscaping are a huge benefit as well,” said Edmonds. “You build them differently by the way you angle them on the lot to get a view of the lakes and the golf course.”
According to Whitehurst, not only is the construction of a home different on a golf course, but a golf course lot could cost 30 percent more than a non-golf course lot.
“They are typically more expensive because of the amenities that go along with it,” said Edmonds. “Because it is a golf course community, it is typically more upscale. With the view and privacy, you can can demand more money for it.”
Even though the back of the home faces a golf course, pools are still built in the back yard.
“Typically they will screen them in and try to landscape around them to provide some type of privacy to those using the pool,” said Whitehurst. “We build the house up higher than the elevation of the pool, so the pool doesn’t affect the homeowner’s view of the golf course.”
Edmonds said most pools are built with a screened-in porch around them.
“You can’t put a privacy fence in the back yard, which you wouldn’t want to anyway because that would defeat the whole purpose of living on a golf course,” said Edmonds.
Landscaping is also affected.
“Usually, they limit what type of landscaping you can do close to the course,” said Whitehurst.
But, Edmonds said, typically it is an upscale neighborhood so you will have upscale landscaping.
Stern said his company doesn’t place plant material along the rear property line.
On golf courses, golf balls fly. Whitehurst said the people build their homes on the golf course at their own risk.
“We have had problems with golf balls hitting the houses,” said Whitehurst. “You set the expectations with the homeowner when they buy — they may or may not lose a window. We don’t put in special glass to protect against golf balls. Glass is inexpensive enough that it can be replaced fairly easily. If a golfer hits your house, as a courtesy the golfer should volunteer to pay for whatever he/she has damaged.”