NORTH CAROLINA GOLF COMMUNITIES
From coastal Cape Hatteras to the village of Owl Creek near the Tennessee border, North Carolina stretches east to west some 560 miles, making it the widest state east of the Mississippi.
Along the way, a golf enthusiast will find fairways and greens of the highest quality, not to mention 10 national parks, four national forests, 41 state parks and two National Seashore regions.
Focal points for North Carolina golf communities include:
- Sandhills – home to Pinehurst and a host of other top courses
- 322-mile Atlantic coastline
- Historic Asheville
- Cultural/commercial capitals of Raleigh-Durham and Charlotte
In the Tar Heel State’s famed Blue Ridge Mountains there are courses with natural waterfalls and dramatic outcroppings of ledge rock.
Most, if not all, the top course designers have carved their names into the North Carolina landscape—Tom Fazio went so far as to make a North Carolina golf community his primary residence.
North Carolina Atlantic Coast
Popular recreational options along the Atlantic start with fishing and water sports, but golfers have also discovered it as a choice destination for North Carolina golf communities.
The Brunswick Islands, sometimes referred to as “North Carolina’s Golf Coast,” features courses that stretch out along sandy beachfront or weave through marshes and maritime forests.
Wilmington, in southeastern North Carolina, is where you’ll find the state’s warmest weather. It lies between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean on the Cape Fear peninsula.
Nearby beach cities include:
- Carolina Beach
- Fort Fisher
- Kure Beach
- Wrightsville Beach
Piedmont Means Foothills
“Piedmont” translates to foothills, and is the designation for the state’s central region. The three largest Piedmont cities are Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem. Its climate is said to provide “best of all four seasons,” meaning relief from winter snowstorms and sticky summer heat.
Bridging the Piedmont and the Atlantic coast region is the famed Research Triangle of North Carolina, a metropolitan area anchored by the cities of Raleigh and Durham and the town of Chapel Hill.
It’s where you’ll find three major research universities: North Carolina State, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Raleigh-Durham International is considered one of the nation’s fastest-growing airports and is a focus city for Delta Air Lines. RDU is the state’s second-largest airport, behind Charlotte-Douglas International.
The Blue Ridge
The state’s alpine western region is capped by Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in the eastern U.S., with a summit elevation of 6,684 feet.
Located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway in a popular state park, it’s about a half hour’s drive from Asheville, home to the vast 19th-century Biltmore estate and its world-class art treasures.
North Carolina’s legislature has established a Certified Retirement Communities system that it updates regularly. The concept is to bring transparency and solid data to its descriptions of areas that rank as especially retirement-friendly.
According to lawmakers, a “strict assessment against measurable criteria” has been used to identify the areas —15 in total, statewide—that “provide the amenities, services and opportunities retirees need to enjoy active and productive lives.”
Favorable Tax Climate
According to analysts at The Tax Foundation, a well-respected non-profit think tank, North Carolina provides the 9th-best “tax climate” among all 50 U.S. states.
Among states in the region of the warm-weather region of the country—where fairway living is most common and desirable—only Florida and Nevada offer more advantageous tax treatment of their residents and businesses.
In addition, the state does not tax Social Security retirement benefits–good news for North Carolina golf communities and their residents.
Ocean Ridge Plantation
St. James Plantation
Sea Trail Plantation
Burlingame Country Club
Winding River Plantation