The GOLF HOME GURU’s “Top 25 SWFL Golf Communities”

As I start my 16^th year of specializing in Southwest Florida golf community residential real estate sales, the question that I get asked most frequently continues to be… “What is the best private golf community in Southwest Florida?” But with over 100 different golf communities and over 150 golf courses in the area, it’s not feasible to select just one community. In addition, the golfers/golf home buyers that gravitate to SWFL have a very diverse list of needs, wants, and preferences that can’t be satisfied by just one golf community. So, 7-8 years ago I decided to develop a “Top 25 Southwest Florida Golf Communities” list that would enable my tens of thousands of annual website (GolfHomeGuru.com) visitors—most of whom use this website as their primary source of information regarding SWFL golf community and housing alternatives—to narrow down our broad assortment of private golf communities, and focus on the handful-or-so that come the closest to satisfying their personal budgets, golfing habits and ability, and family lifestyle. The goal was to make their final selection of an ideal private golf community a lot easier and quicker.

The exclusive “GURU Top 25” list has been fine-tuned over time, and it’s now the #1 most frequently visited individual page on my website, which so far this year has experienced over a half million total page visits. The list is based on 15-years of experience of showing and comparing properties in almost 90 different golf communities…and ultimately selling in almost 60 of these communities. It’s updated annually, and it primarily consists of the communities that are most often chosen by my buyers, reflecting their appreciation of the housing offers and pricing, and the amenities offerings and improvements that are available in these individual communities.

The following is the 2020 “GURU Top 25” list, with the individual communities listed in alphabetical within each category. Go to GolfHomeGuru.com for a plethora of additional details and specifics regarding each community. The website also includes a list of “Honorable Mention” golf communities for each category.

TOP 5 “BUNDLED” PRIVATE GOLF COMMUNITIES (A Golf and/or Social Membership is included in the price of the home you buy in these private communities, and you pay no membership initiation fee)

Bonita National (Bonita Springs) –18 holes; Golf course designer, Gordon Lewis

Esplanade (Naples)—18-holes; Chris Wilczyski

Heritage Bay (Naples)—27-holes; Gordon Lewis

Naples Lakes (Naples)—18-holes; Arnold Palmer “Signature” course

Pelican Sound (Estero)—27-holes; Chip Powell

TOP 5 “AFFORDABLE PRICED” PRIVATE GOLF COMMUNITIES (Golf Membership initiation fees between $5,000-$39,999)

Gateway (Ft. Myers) –$8,000 initiation fee; 18-holes; Tom Fazio

Greyhawk at Golf Club of the Everglades (Naples)–$39,000 (couple); 18-holes; Rees Jones

Pelican Preserve (Ft. Myers) –$6,500; 27-holes; Chip Powell

Quail Creek (Naples)–$25,000; 36-holes; Arthur Hills

Verandah (Ft. Myers) –$22,500; 36-holes; Jack Nicklaus & Robert Cupp

TOP 5 “MEDIUM PRICED” PRIVATE GOLF COMMUNITIES (Golf Membership initiation fees between $40,000-$49,999)

Kensington (Naples)–$45,000; 18-holes; Robert Trent Jones

Pelican Landing/Pelican Nest (Bonita Springs) –$42,000; 36-holes; Arthur Hills

Vineyards (Naples)–$40,000; 36-holes; Mark McCumber

The Quarry (Naples)–$45,000; 18-holes; Michael Hurdzan & Dana Fry

TwinEagles (Naples)–$40,000; 36-holes: Jack Nicklaus & Steve Smyers

TOP 5 “PREMIMUM PRICED” PRIVATE GOLF COMMUNITIES (Golf Membership initiation fees between $50,000-$79,999)

Fiddler’s Creek (Naples)–$50,000; 18-holes; Arthur Hills

Fiddlesticks (Ft. Myers) –$50,000; 36-holes; Ron Garl

Gulf Harbour (Ft. Myers) –$60,000; 18-holes; Chip Powell

Miromar Lakes (Ft. Myers/Miromar Lakes) –$64,000; 18-holes: Arthur Hills

Palmira (Bonita Springs) –$50,000; 27-holes; Gordon Lewis

TOP 5 “ELITE PRICED” PRIVATE GOLF COMMUNITIES (Golf Membership initiation fees between $80,000-$200,000)

Bonita Bay (Bonita Springs) — $95,000; 90-holes; Arthur Hills & Tom Fazio

Grey Oaks (Naples)–$160,000; 54-holes: Robert Cupp

Mediterra (Naples)–$150,000; 36-holes; Tom Fazio

Pelican Bay (Naples)–$130,000; 27-holes; Arthur Hills

Quail West (Naples)–$120,000; 36-holes; Arthur Hills

Every year I get 2-3 phone calls from local golf community General Managers, BOD members, or Membership Directors asking why they aren’t on the “GURU Top 25” list…and what they need to do to get on it? If their community has some obvious deficits that are impending their attractiveness to my clients—such as overly-high mandatory membership fees; missing key amenities, such as outdoor dining, pickle ball, bocce’ ball; outdated facilities; a high population of homes that need updating inside; etc.—I graciously provide them with this feedback. However, the reality is that most of these communities don’t have glaring defects…and some even have unrecognized or under-appreciated advantages over communities on my list. That’s one of the reasons why I continue to show my clients homes in ALL communities that appear to best fit their parameters, regardless of whether they’re on my list or not. It’s also why I update/revise my list each year. SWFL is blessed with some of the best overall golf/social communities and best golf courses in the nation, and what doesn’t appeal to one of my clients may be another client’s favorite feature. The 2020 list, for instance, contains seven golf communities that weren’t on it a year ago and another 4-5 were added this year to the “Honorable Mention” lists, predominantly due to my clients’ recognition and appreciation of their key advantages…and my clients’ subsequent desire to buy a home in these communities. My advice is to use my list as a tool to narrow down your search due diligence, but don’t definitively rule out the other applicable golf communities until we have a chance to personally discuss whether they might work for you.