Help me find a "golf" city to call home...

[Azprobe]

Phoenix is definitely playable in the summer. You get used to it, don't really think about it... there really is a difference between "dry" heat and heat from say Florida or out east somewhere.

[Iowa Hawkeye]

I'll add another vote for Phoenix

[senorchipotle]

move to TEXAS. i like houston, but it's usually too hot for northerners. so i'd say either dallas or austin. austin being the first choice. but the most beautiful courses are in the east, around tyler. that's where i grew up, we've got big rolling hills and giant pine trees. on any given day playing the course i grew up on, with the azaleas blooming and the wind sweeping through the pines, you'd swear you were playing augusta national.

another thing, we don't have any state taxes, either.

[d373rm1ned]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I'm going to go through and try to comment on each post.

Pinehurst, NC (or Winston Salem/Greensboro, Raleigh, or Charlotte)

I've almost entirely eliminated NC from my list b/c I know that there are several days that are going to be too cold for golf. I know a month or two away from golf is alright but I would prefer a place where I have the option year round. Charleston/Columbia SC sound like great options but I'll have to look into them more. Anyone have any additional comments comparing these two? Central FL would be AWESOME but I'm afraid living cost will be a little much for a new grad with a ton of loans to pay off. I'm

extremely interested in the Texas area. Seems like it fits what I'm looking for the most - lower cost of living, warm weather, good but not overly priced great courses, lots of sports teams, etc. I feel Cali is pretty much out of the question due to high living costs and over populated areas.

Well, I live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and I play year round. It gets hot as f*&^ in the summer, but it doesn't rain much so you don't have to worry about that. I think there are around 140 or so courses here in the metro area so theres plenty of places to play.

Just curious, which part of Texas would you recommend? I know you mentioned DFW but I've heard great things about Austin and Houston. I don't mind hot, humid summers but not sure if there would be much of a difference between the towns I mentioned?

I recommend somewhere near Atlanta. Here's why.

I've always loved the GA area. I was pretty interested in the Savana, GA area. Atlanta looks like a great option but it seems like they have quite a few cold days throughout the winter.

I think another good option is Columbia, SC. It's not a huge metro by any means but it has everything you're looking for. There are a lot of nice courses in the area and many are very reasonably priced. Plus Myrtle Beach is not far away (around 100 courses). Add to that Santee, SC, Charlotte and Pinehurst are all within a reasonable driver for weekend/vacation day golf. Columbia has good weather, but is not so close to coast that you get all the bad weather, plus it's easy to get to just about anyplace on East Coast due to the Interstates.

I'll have to look more into Columbia.

I have lived in both Pinehurst and Charleston and they are both incredible.

Is the cost of living in Charleston really that much? Compared to Central FL?

[d373rm1ned]

Any place other than Ohio. Don't get me wrong, it is great for 9 months out of the year. If I had my choice, I would live here in the spring-fall but head south for the winter. At least my company has plants in south Alabama and right across the border in Mexico which allows me to get a few rounds in during the winter months, but bermuda greens and fairways drive me insane.

I'm pretty interested in Alabama. Seems like they have a lot to offer with the RTJ trail.

If it wasn't for weather I would suggest Ohio, but you can only golf for 7-9 months :(

Coming from Illinois, I can't imagine Ohio being much of a change lol.

Sounds like I'm pitching my home town, but you just described the Central Florida/Orlando perfectly.

Nice looking community. Only thing that worries me is the cost of living if it is still that high and the humidity.

I work there often (next week as a matter of fact) and this place is absolutely brutal in the summer to the point I can't even get the natives out to play golf; humidity is very high and the area doesn't get any relief from a coastal breeze. Winter time gets an occasional ice storm. I played there a couple of weeks ago and the greens had not yet recovered from a burn out last summer. I would try to get closer to the coast; MB, Charleston, Savannah, and southward.

Thanks for the info.

No Phoenix love? Golf year round, moderately large city with professional sports teams (well, can the Diamondbacks be considered professional sports?) ... cheap housing these days...

Never been to Arizona so I cannot comment but I've heard mixed feelings. Can't really see myself golfing too much in 110 degree heat but then again if I would move to Texas/Central FL it would be 100 and 90% humidity.

i would recommend the Scottsdale/Phoenix area as well. yeah it gets hot there, but its not humid like it is in the Orlando area during the summer. It gets so hot and humid in Central Florida during the mid summer months that its hard to breath, lol. i end up playing 18 holes with a cold towel wrapped around my neck between shots for most of the round. but, you can definitely golf year round for sure. if you can take the heat and humidity, central Florida is great. if you dont like the humidity, Scottsdale/Phoenix is a great place to play year round. personally i think it gets too cold up in the NC/SC areas during the winter (for me anyway)

I'm starting to think SC is a little far north also. I really want some place that ice/snow is more rare than a Bigfoot sighting.

I live in Ft. Lauderdale now, and I wouldn't recommend here or the Miami area. I wouldn't recommend Southwest Florida either. I would however tell you to consider West Palm Beach. Young population, plenty of medical jobs, and tons of good golf and pretty ladies, and of course the beach.

Thanks. AL and TX are sounding awesome. I like how Austin is centrally located between all of Texas' major sports cities. Alabama is a little more laid back like I'm used to and really want to learn more about it. Have any cities that you would recommend?

[d373rm1ned]

Finding my "retirement area" was pretty simple -- I looked all over, but really already knew where I wanted to be:

Thanks for the input.

Look at Lexington, Kentucky. I moved from Michigan for similiar reasons. Golf is plentiful, has variety, and is cheap. Cost of living is very good down here. Lexington is a moderate sized city and has a pretty good feel. Do not confuse it for a big city though. You have U of K and Cincinnatti is an hour away. The weather is quite good. There is not a month you cannot golf, although December and January will be a bit more spotty. Gives you a small break though and if you can handle golfing in marginal weather you will have no problem. Not perfect, but a pretty darn good place for a golfer. One big benefit is Lexington is off I75. 5 hours on the highway get you close to Chicago, in Detroit, outside of Atlanta and many other places. It is about as centrally located as you can get. Good luck!

KY seems a little far north for what I'm looking for. Never been there so I cannot comment but Lexington seems like a nice choice.

move to TEXAS. i like houston, but it's usually too hot for northerners. so i'd say either dallas or austin. austin being the first choice. but the most beautiful courses are in the east, around tyler. that's where i grew up, we've got big rolling hills and giant pine trees. on any given day playing the course i grew up on, with the azaleas blooming and the wind sweeping through the pines, you'd swear you were playing augusta national.

Austin is getting several votes and hopefully for good reason. I'll have to do a little more research on it.

[MPforthewin]

I personally don't like Houston, not to say there isn't great golf but I just don't like it. Austin is beautiful with great golf, anyone would love it there. DFW is alright but I grew up on the beach so its a little inland for me. We do have a shiiite load of golf courses here though from the cheap to very expensive. Tomorrow will be a high of 99 with 100 on Sat here and that will get hotter towards August so you need to consider that.

Also you mentioned sports teams, I think I'm safe to say we have the most sports teams in one place out of all other options.

Houses are very reasonably priced and the cost of living is pretty good. No state income tax and you can carry a concealed weapon if you have a license.

2 major PGA events in 2 weeks and lots of Pros live here

So Yeah all in all its a pretty ok place to live. I just miss the beach and TPC Sawgrass

[Guest]

Thought i would chime in since i have lived in a few different places..

There really are only 2 places i would move. Central florida (Orlando/Tampa) and las vegas.

Vegas doesnt have as many courses as tampa/orlando. But the ones they do have are top noptch. Living there is cheaper than other places right now, its the emptiest city in america thanks the the recent recession. Weather is usually not much of a problem except for rare occasions.

If you move to central florida, i would reccomend tampa over orlando. There only an hour apart driving wise and tampa has a little more to offer.

As for courses here in tampa, take your pick..

TPC Tampa
Fox Hollow
Eagles
Westchase
Cheval
Heritage Harbour
Old memorial (if you have $75,000 for a membership)
(these are just the ones within 15 minutes from me)
+ Tons more..

If you do move to tampa, you would want to move live in the north wester area.

I would advise agains miami unless you have a lot of money.

[Three Putt]

Orlando has a ton of courses

The Tampa Bay area has plenty of good courses and a ton of "average" courses that won't kill your wallet.

[jorruss]

Orlando/Tampa area has some of the best courses in the country, and hundreds of other great courses. I've lived here since 1997 and haven't begun to play every course. There are also plenty of really solid players and lots of golf retail stores, such as Edwin Watts, Golfsmith, Golf Galaxy, etc. Orlando is a golf mecca.

[ElWagonne]

I'd put in another vote for DFW here. It's got everything you'd want....plenty of women, good nightlife, variety of different golf courses, every golf store you can think of, and with events like the All Star game, Super Bowl, and Final Four coming out here within the next 5 years, there will be plenty to get into.

[Philip9210]

Greenville, SC There are at least 7 golf courses within 15-25 miles of where I live and about 3 within 10mins driving distance...there are alot of nice courses, and also a few cheaper courses that are still okay. Check it out!

[sam004]

For yr round golf, I'd say Phoenix. I've visited there several times and there seems to be alot of people from the Midwest, Ohio, Michigan Illinois. You may feel a little more like you're closer to home if you meet some of the people. It also felt like So Cal or FL at times, in that alot of people are not 'from' there.

I'd rather have 100-110 degrees and dry than 90-100 and humid.

Or as a last consideration, Chicago. over 200 courses in the area, mostly muni.
A lot of good value golf and high end if you want it. Close to enough to several fine
golf destinations in WI. Several golf practice domes in the area and a few simulators for the cold months. And you can always pick up the Wii w/ EA sports golf to work on your swing in the off months. Or you can always get in a few golf vacations in the winter.

And you would be close enough to home to visit once in a while [or do you're laundry :) ]
Wages are decent and plenty of jobs.

[chet231]

I recommend the scottsdale area it has plenty of golf courses, year round golf, great rates in the summer. It gets hot but not unbarable and some of the nicer courses have air conditioned golf carts haha. The housing is cheap and there is a great night life in old town scottsdale.

[JSwiney10]

Look at Lexington, Kentucky. I moved from Michigan for similiar reasons. Golf is plentiful, has variety, and is cheap. Cost of living is very good down here. Lexington is a moderate sized city and has a pretty good feel. Do not confuse it for a big city though. You have U of K and Cincinnatti is an hour away. The weather is quite good. There is not a month you cannot golf, although December and January will be a bit more spotty. Gives you a small break though and if you can handle golfing in marginal weather you will have no problem. Not perfect, but a pretty darn good place for a golfer. One big benefit is Lexington is off I75. 5 hours on the highway get you close to Chicago, in Detroit, outside of Atlanta and many other places. It is about as centrally located as you can get. Good luck!

I agree! Lexington has everything to offer you're looking for although i do have to say, spring can be quiet rainy and winters get too cold for my blood. But im still a high school student so i will just enjoy what the state has to offer until i graduate college.

[Jax]

Looking for warm weather
Summers arnt bad in Vegas if you play around 4-5 its like 90 or so
Winters are around 60 and great courses