Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club, with 1,200 rolling acres and a full complement of amenities, fits nicely into this tranquil environment with its moderate winter climate. The private community seems to have something for everyone. There’s a championship golf course that includes eight well executed tribute holes, tennis, a spa and fitness center, a very active social calendar, and of course, horses. Golden Ocala has an established Equestrian Center that features a 20-stall barn, covered arena, miles of bridle trails and a well-trained full time staff. On the drawing board is an expanded facility to include additional barns, jumping ring, climate-controlled tack room and an Equestrian Clubhouse.

Last year, Golden Ocala opened a full service, resort-style 17,000-square-foot spa and fitness center that includes tennis courts, a sprawling zero entry pool with an extensive sun deck and a café serving up fresh, healthy fare. The pride of the community, though, is its two-story 77,000-square-foot clubhouse.  Both formal and casual dining are offered inside, while the expansive veranda serves as the perfect spot to take in the dramatic views of the gardens, lake and golf course.

A wide range of home styles, from attached villas to large estate homes, is available in several distinct neighborhoods with prices starting in the $600s. A maximum of 565 homes are planned inside the gates.

Golden Ocala offers a Discovery Stay Package that lets you come spend a few days and live like a member. You’ll stay in a beautifully appointed two-bedroom villa on the golf course, enjoy spa treatments, golf, and dinner. 

Grey Oaks Country Club, Naples
Naples. The very name conjures up tradition, luxury and culture. Its shops and restaurants are as renowned as its spectacular white sand beaches. Located just 10 minutes from downtown Naples, the private community of Grey Oaks Country Club enjoys the enviable position of having three golf courses in the heart of this premier destination city—an advantage that cannot be duplicated.

When you drive through the gates of Grey Oaks, one of the first things you will notice is its beautiful landscape. Owner Judy Sproul’s passion for landscaping in a native palette has ensured the community an enduring elegance for both the residential areas and the golf courses.

And if you are taken in by Naple’s enticing charms, as most are, Grey Oaks still has some homesites available in its Estuary at Grey Oaks neighborhood. The estate homesites in this private enclave are within the city limits of Naples and start in the $900s. But take note, this is the final phase of estate homesites in Grey Oaks.

If seasonal living is what you are looking for, you might also take a look at the gated community’s newest neighborhood, Traditions, The Golf Residences of Grey Oak. This neighborhood of maintenance-free, turn-key coach homes came to market this year with prices starting at $895,000 including a full golf equity membership.

Grey Oaks members have three courses to play that offer three distinctly different experiences. The Bob Cupp-designed Estuary course features five par-5s and five par-3s for the ultimate in risk/reward golf, while the Pine brings to mind the terrain of North Carolina. Over on the Palm, you will find a vintage Florida layout.

Two clubhouses with full-service pro shops and two fitness centers serve the three courses. Members can take full advantage of Grey Oaks’ leading role in integrating fitness with golf. By benchmarking golfers’ flexibility, strength and range of motion, they are able to tailor individual fitness programs to help you play longer, better and with more enjoyment. To further help improve your game, there are 11 PGA professionals on staff.

Treviso Bay, Naples
Halfway between historic downtown Naples and Marco Island, Treviso Bay stakes claim to being the only new, large planned lifestyle community coming out of the ground in Naples and southwest Florida’s only PGA Tour TPC Golf Course. Set to open in December 2008, the course was designed by Arthur Hills with Hal Sutton serving as player consultant.

If you like private, exclusive golf and the perk of having access to the entire collection of  elite TPC courses around the country, you are going to love Treviso Bay. The golf club is on a separate piece of property inside the gates, is very walkable, and has no homes lining the course. Coming in the fall of 2010 is a 58,000-square-foot TPC Clubhouse that is now under construction. The Clubhouse will feature a special Champions Room for PGA Tour players in addition to well-appointed amenities for members.

Though just 10 minutes from Naples’ downtown where every street leads to the beach, the community is contiguous to the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Reserve’s 110,000 acres of coastal lands and waters visually define Treviso Bay and bring it a quiet serenity.  

Because you must be a resident to be a member of the TPC Golf Course, you will want to know there is a nice mixture of residences in a variety of neighborhoods here. Prices range from attached villas and coach homes starting in the $700s to custom estate homes on half-acre lots plus homesites from $4.5 million and up. Seventeen models are now open for viewing.

Separate from the clubhouse, Treviso Bay is trying to raise the bar in southwest Florida with the 35,000-square-foot European-style Buona Vita Club & Spa set to open in 2010. This facility will offer a total fitness and spa experience that will include everything from a tai chi lawn to kid-friendly amenities.

To top it all off, a Marina Club five minutes from Treviso Bay is already operational. When renovated, it will provide residents with dry dock storage and offer concierge launch service, as well as boat rentals.