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Best place to retire and become a Golf Bum

BagBoy
tomcat said:
Palm Springs. More courses around there than you could play in three weeks.
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Did not like the golf in palm springs. Always windy. Played a dozen and they all had rock hard greens. You short irons would bounce and roll off the back.
 
We've started discussing it. If we do decide to move, it'll almost certainly be Florida. Other than the Sandestin/30A area, I haven't really looked into specifics on communities or golf affordability.
 
Golf was cheap around Tampa. Shot 16 different courses there in 14 days.
 
robo729 said:
So here is the deal: I am nearing retirement, within the next 3 years, and starting to look at places to either buy a 2nd home, or if it comes to it, rent for the winter months. I currently live in NYC, where obviously the cost of living is high but I do have a house that is paid for already. I want to be in obviously a warmer climate for the winter months, say from January to April at least, possibly November to April.
My only requirements are as follows:
1. Warmer climate, it can be anywhere in the US. Winter temperature has to consistently be above 60 during the day, I would prefer even warmer but know that this isn't neccessarily possible.
2. Lower cost of living.
3. Places to see and explore.
4. Good/decent food experience, hard to beat NYC's food options.
5. Access to airports for other travel needs.

I will take any and all suggestions. I am open to many different scenarios, buy or rent, condo or house, multiple locations over the winter or just a single location. I am sure THPers will be one of my better resources for this adventure.

Thanks in advance for all of your help!
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If you are looking for warm weather and affordable it's really just Florida, Arizona, and Texas. We have a place in Naples Florida and will spend winters there once my youngest graduates from high school. There is no way I could spend summers in FL, AZ, or Texas with the high heat however so we will summer in Northern Minnesota.


Screen Shot 2020-04-20 at 12.29.47 PM.pngScreen Shot 2020-04-20 at 12.30.07 PM.png
 
My only requirements are as follows:
1. Warmer climate, it can be anywhere in the US. Winter temperature has to consistently be above 60 during the day, I would prefer even warmer but know that this isn't necessarily possible. CHECK
2. Lower cost of living. CHECK
3. Places to see and explore.CHECK
4. Good/decent food experience, hard to beat NYC's food options.CHECK
5. Access to airports for other travel needs.CHECK

As a professional real estate advisor here in Nevada, Las Vegas/Henderson has everything checked on your list. Tons of great golf courses, low taxes (no state tax) You can be in San Diego in 4.5 hrs driving, L.A. 3.5 hrs and or flying to both from McCarran airport in less than 1.5 hrs. You can't beat the location. Getting to the airport from Henderson is less than 20 minutes tops. I'm in Anthem, a neighborhood in Henderson. 15 minutes for me. Best in and out airport around from dropoff to pick up. Weather is great all year round. None of that crappy humidity to make you sweat as you're getting out of the shower. Sun, sun, sun with a few sprinkles here and there.

I moved here in 2003 from Nu Yawk and couldn't be happier. I'm sure Vegas will be back to normal by the time you retire.
 
I've been doing some scouting for retirement like you and have decided on Arizona. Looked at some property in Bullhead City and pretty much decided that will be the place.
My joints don't agree with humidity so that eliminated the southeast U.S. as much as I love it down there.
 
I am thinking golf and beach. To me that is in no particular order.
Charelston SC
Hilton Head SC (I am sheltering in place there now)
Naples/Sarasota FL.
 
tomcat said:
Palm Springs. More courses around there than you could play in three weeks.
Click to expand...

Loved Palm Springs when I visited Sept 2018. It will certainly be on the list. When I was there I played all of the Mission Hills Golf Courses.
 
I would look at New Mexico. Very low cost of living, and some really fun courses out there.
 
ShootzGolf said:
Did not like the golf in palm springs. Always windy. Played a dozen and they all had rock hard greens. You short irons would bounce and roll off the back.
Click to expand...

I actually don't mind the rock hard greens. My home course here in NY is built on hard red clay, need I say anymore. But it is great for drives not so good for approach shots into greens unless you hit them high and with a lot of spin.
 
tomcat said:
Palm Springs. More courses around there than you could play in three weeks.
Click to expand...
When we lost our passports within a mile of crossing into Mexico last year, we drove back to the States for a month and await new ones. We stayed at an Airbnb in La Quinta and LOVED the whole area (I assume you were talking about Palm Springs, CA). Surprisingly, there are affordable homes there but HOA fees tend to be sky-high. We used the Underpar.com site to play SilverRock and noticed lots of good deals there.

Outside of Mexico, I would definitely consider Phoenix/Scottsdale or Palm Springs, CA.
 
annsguy said:
I am thinking golf and beach. To me that is in no particular order.
Charelston SC
Hilton Head SC (I am sheltering in place there now)
Naples/Sarasota FL.
Click to expand...

I have never been to Charleston or Hilton Head. I have to really look into getting there soon. I have a lot of visiting to do. lol
 
On a budget, the US southwest has some nice options. AZ gets the nod, but there are fine places to live and golf in NM, UT, NV, and southern CO. If I had the resources i would live in a mountain town in summer and desert locale in winter. If loads of money showed up under my mattress, I could find a warm coastal location that would be quite nice. Opening up to international is an entirely different game. I would be open to many options. This small world is still big in some ways, and I am always game to explore.
 
Bryndom said:
I would look at New Mexico. Very low cost of living, and some really fun courses out there.
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My buddy bought a cabin in Ruidoso and there are some fantastic courses there.
 
robo729 said:
So here is the deal: I am nearing retirement, within the next 3 years, and starting to look at places to either buy a 2nd home, or if it comes to it, rent for the winter months. I currently live in NYC, where obviously the cost of living is high but I do have a house that is paid for already. I want to be in obviously a warmer climate for the winter months, say from January to April at least, possibly November to April.
My only requirements are as follows:
1. Warmer climate, it can be anywhere in the US. Winter temperature has to consistently be above 60 during the day, I would prefer even warmer but know that this isn't neccessarily possible.
2. Lower cost of living.
3. Places to see and explore.
4. Good/decent food experience, hard to beat NYC's food options.
5. Access to airports for other travel needs.

I will take any and all suggestions. I am open to many different scenarios, buy or rent, condo or house, multiple locations over the winter or just a single location. I am sure THPers will be one of my better resources for this adventure.

Thanks in advance for all of your help!
Click to expand...
Phoenix/Scottsdale area.
 
Florida or Cali. Between the 2, Id take Cali. Cali has the beach, the mountains and the desert not far away. Not to mention you get to live on west coast time. Florida has the beach and well...its Florida.
 
Tucson AZ. Cost of living is so much less than Phx. And I can guarantee you won’t have to look hard to find someone to tee it up with you. 😉
 
I'll say Tucson as well. Weather is great, cost of living is excellent, the variety and especially value of golf here is tremendous compared to other warm weather climates. Plus we have a great group of THPers down here that are out golfing constantly. Since Phoenix is the usual alternative, reasons I'd put Tucson first are cost of living and affordability of great golf. But at least Phoenix is easily close enough if you feel like golfing up there from time to time too

Here's a great list of some of the courses just in Tucson
 
Myrtle Beach
 
I don’t know how accurate these numbers are or what price breaks or specials might exist for home ownership in the club communities but the prices are pricey.

www.echofineproperties.com

Jupiter & Palm Beach Country Club Cost Comparison | Echo Fine Properties

Learn more about south Florida country club costs. We check equity costs, mandatory or non mandatory requirements, annual dues, & more every six months.
www.echofineproperties.com www.echofineproperties.com
 
Maybe check out the Stuart/Port St.Lucie area on the Treasure Coast of Florida?
 
Another vote for Arizona. I love the desert (and the desert golf courses) and wouldn't be able to bear the humidity in the southeast, I'll take triple digit temps with single digit humidity over that any day! It's hot in the summer, but golf is cheap and the courses aren't crowded - summer is actually the "off season" in AZ.

A lot of nice courses in Palm Springs, but I lived in CA most of my life and you couldn't pay me enough to move back to anywhere in that state.
 
`Arizona would be good.
 
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