Best place to live, work and golf?

[The Pearl]

Can the SLC or Utah guys elaborate on the winter climate? That would seem important for golf.

 

In one of these threads a year or so ago someone recommended a spot in the southern corner (I don't recall exactly where or the name) of Utah as having an ideal year round climate.

 

In the SLC area you can usually play until November usually before the snow starts and then the courses will open up again around April. It snows a fair amount during the winter, but it is a drier snow that doesn't get icy and the roads are generally clear. It doesn't really feel that cold in the Winter because of the lack of humidity and the coldest it will get is into the teens for a week or two in January. Overall, it is a very pleasant Winter, especially compared to the Mid-West or Northeast. As far as golf goes in the Winter, St. George, Mesquite, NV or Las Vegas aren't bad drives and they generally have great weather that time of year. I also took my son to Moab for golf a few times this Winter. In the Summer, St. George and Moab can get pretty hot, but still should be nice for early morning golf.

 

Winter's in Utah are not all the same. I have played golf in every month. As Brimstone said it is a different "air" here in terms of the rest of the country. You can play in 45 degrees rather comfortably, particularly if you walk, there is no wind, and the sun happens to be out. For most golfing season's it is a legitimate 9 month season. The best characteristic of this area is that being the high desert, the spring and fall golf season are for the most part dry. The desert climate soaks up the moisture. The course are usually ready to go and in decent condition within just a couple of weeks. I have experienced going from 18 inches of snow in my front yard to golfing in just under two weeks. There is no mud or wet springs or falls. Sometimes you have a season with outliers, but not very often.

 

As Brimstone said, you can be on the course in St. George or Mesquite in the same day in the winter and if you are a Bandon fan, you can be on the range in the afternoon from SLC. With a little effort you can play all year round if that is your thing.

[cz13X4]

Just left slc after 8 years. Didn't care for it at all and I'm lds. The inversion was terrible for my wife with asthma... and me and the kids always got sick from it. I've also golfed every month but every winter was way different. Golf is good. Plenty of choices. Drivers are terrible. people drove me nuts... very rude, self centered and entitled. There are some great people there but as a whole no. Lots to do if you dont mind crowds everywhere..... even fishing or duck hunting it takes a lot of effort to get away from people. The housing market and population is exploding there. I've lived in quite a few places and rank slc easily near the bottom for me. Fl NC ID and Vegas were all way better imo.

[deadsolid...shank]

I'm sure it's probably just a coincidence, but the three times I've driven through Utah (north to south) I've seen an extraordinary amount of people who drive in the left lane on the interstate. Nobody else around them and they will not move over. That's a pet peeve of mine so I tend to notice.

[SilverBullets]

Just left slc after 8 years. Didn't care for it at all and I'm lds. The inversion was terrible for my wife with asthma... and me and the kids always got sick from it. I've also golfed every month but every winter was way different. Golf is good. Plenty of choices. Drivers are terrible. people drove me nuts... very rude, self centered and entitled. There are some great people there but as a whole no. Lots to do if you dont mind crowds everywhere..... even fishing or duck hunting it takes a lot of effort to get away from people. The housing market and population is exploding there. I've lived in quite a few places and rank slc easily near the bottom for me. Fl NC ID and Vegas were all way better imo.

 

Haha this is literally exactly what my buddy was texting me last week. I mean I could cut and paste his texts and they read almost exactly the same.. except he's Jewish and not LDS which adds another layer to his current personal hell (his words, not mine).

[flushem]

If not in the USA then I would say South Africa!

 

Great weather no really winter and tons of different style of golf courses!

 

RSA is turning into commie country. If you are White, forget about it. Asians like me used to have "honorable" White status. I am sure no longer the case.

 

Being South African, and having lived in the USA for the last 24 years, I can tell you that if my wife and kids were not Americans (and even though I am a naturalized citizen), I would return to SA in a heartbeat.

 

Yes the government sucks (waaaaaaaay more than here), but you cannot beat the people and the lifestyle it offers. If you have a fixed income, and especially if that income is USD, you can live like a King in SA. You have to remember though that it is a 3rd world country, so you will not have all the amenities that you have here. But if you live in or near a large city like Cape Town, you will be just fine.

 

Personally, I love Cape Town, but I would be VERY happy to live in George or Mossel Bay.

 

Now when I am saying South Africa, I really mean the Western Province. I literally couldn't give 2 cents about the rest of the country. The WP is DA controlled, so infrastructure is way better, and the province is far less corrupt. I wish the WP would secede from the rest of SA.

 

South Africa is one county in my bucket list.

 

However, the main subject of this thread is to seek a place where tradition is observed and appreciated, you do not have to worry about kids' education, tax rate is low and you don't get robbed on fairway. Unfortunately, RSA is not the place at this moment, where communist government thrives.

[duffer987]

We've done a good-ish job so far, but politics is a WRX no-no.

Be nice to keep this thread going with practical and useful feedback from golfers who live in the places being considered by the OP :)

[Andrew Bond of Glencoe]

I moved to Tampa, FL 5 years ago and I don't plan on moving. Here is my argument:

 

1) If you like country clubs you have a ton of options to choose from.

2) There are a ton of great courses that you can play year round. Cities like Tampa, St Petersburg, Orlando and Sarasota are all close by.

3) Nationally ranked courses like World Woods and the Streamsong Resort Courses.

4) Homes are a good price and there is no state income tax.

5) Golf year round

[flushem]

With all due respect,duffer, are you wrx censorship police?

[Matt J]

With all due respect,duffer, are you wrx censorship police?

 

No respect in that question even if you preface it.

 

We should all be the "censorship police" that's the definition of a community. If you don't like it there are a ton of other golf forums. It's a "free world" you can choose to abide by someone else's membership agreement. You're the one that clicked on the box that said you had read and can abide by it.

[flushem]

Thank you,censorship cops. I found "no discussion of politics" in the term.

 

This is awesome safe zone.

[flushem]

I would like to apologize the readers that the topic went out of tangent.

 

BTW, Tampa sounds pretty tempting.

[finleysg]

The upper midwest is a great place to work, golf and raise a family, but being a lifelong Minnesotan, I can't recommend it to someone who hasn't lived through our endless winter. The winter months get harder as you get older, I think.

 

Still, I think Iowa may be the most underrated area up here. The winters are a bit less harsh and the golf season a bit longer. I know a fair amount of golf-crazy friends who drive south in March to play, and they can usually find an open course in iowa.

[Matt J]

Thank you,censorship cops. I found "no discussion of politics" in the term.

 

This is awesome safe zone.

 

Love it or leave it, bro.

[deadsolid...shank]

The upper midwest is a great place to work, golf and raise a family, but being a lifelong Minnesotan, I can't recommend it to someone who hasn't lived through our endless winter. The winter months get harder as you get older, I think.

 

Still, I think Iowa may be the most underrated area up here. The winters are a bit less harsh and the golf season a bit longer. I know a fair amount of golf-crazy friends who drive south in March to play, and they can usually find an open course in iowa.

 

In a similar vein to Iowa, I'm in western Nebraska. And while I wouldn't recommend it as a place to move to, it is a pretty good place to live and play golf. Housing is cheap, our golf season is at least eight months (though we play year round, Nov-Feb really aren't golf months), but the value is in the golf itself. Season passes to the 18 hole courses run a little over $500 (or less) for as much golf as you want to play, the little town nine holers are about $270-300 for that season pass, and the one private that includes carts, lockers, and range balls is about $250 a month.

 

Plenty of drawbacks, but for the golf aspect we have it pretty good.

[ChaosTheory]

Typical midwest prices for golf are so good. People from the coasts probably can't believe it.

[duffer987]

Thank you,censorship cops. I found "no discussion of politics" in the term.

 

This is awesome safe zone.

 

Not sure why you'd have such fly off the handle vitriol at such observations. Leading with pejoratives does nothing to help either, but if that's how you roll online so be it.

 

MattJ has covered anything I'd need to reply to I see, but if you genuinely think communicating within the framework and boundaries as laid out in a forum's T&Cs is censorship, then you're going to have trouble going anywhere on the internet without finding 'censorship', unless of course you start your own forum or find one that's an echo chamber that matches up perfectly with everything Flushem.

 

This is an actual useful thread on this site and it'd be a shame to see it go down some other route as others have. All a thread needs is one person going off piste to get it locked. Fly over states vs the Coasts, Texas vs California, there are some easy slippery slopes here.

 

Oh and yes, yes, nothing political in multiple posts of yours:

However, the main subject of this thread is to seek a place where tradition is observed and appreciated, you do not have to worry about kids' education, tax rate is low and you don't get robbed on fairway. Unfortunately, RSA is not the place at this moment, where communist government thrives.

RSA is turning into commie country. If you are White, forget about it. Asians like me used to have "honorable" White status. I am sure no longer the case.

 

Apologies for the tangent folks :)

[Matt J]

I think taxes, greens fees, and quality of education are fair questions although some may not be able to discuss without quoting their favorite pundit.

 

My home state, Oregon, has very high state taxes purportedly the highest although I find that hard to believe (NYC anyone?) -but it hasn't stopped people from flooding in, researchers claim it's the fastest growing state as far as transplants go.

 

Our greens fees are very reasonable, lots of great deals out there. Although the dues are a little spendy for private IMO.

 

 

 

[duffer987]

I think taxes, greens fees, and quality of education are fair questions although some may not be able to discuss without quoting their favorite pundit.

 

My home state, Oregon, has very high state taxes purportedly the highest although I find that hard to believe (NYC anyone?) -but it hasn't stopped people from flooding in, researchers claim it's the fastest growing state as far as transplants go.

 

Our greens fees are very reasonable, lots of great deals out there. Although the dues are a little spendy for private IMO.

 

Wholly agree :) They all go into the value of here versus there. Flushem's odd and angry non sequiturs just struck me as unnecessary. I won't mention him or them again!

I spent two years living in Quebec which totally skewered my POV on what reasonable taxes are, so for me pretty much any state looks good in comparison. And then of course it's never just as simple as does this or that state, have state income tax, as there are so many other ways an area can take your money.

 

I am a bit jealous of those that don't need a 'hub' of some kind in relation to their industry. I've got maybe a dozen realistic good live/work options in the U.S., so many of these places that look tempting from the live/golf POV are missing the all important 'w'.

[Matt J]

Danged old work getting in the way. I've noticed you've moved a couple times since I joined. Save up a big nest egg and change industries or ply your trade in a smaller market knowing you'll take a hit?

[duffer987]

Yup those are pretty much the mid and long term options. TBH the dozen or so good options are good, they just happen to be the same options loads of other IT people have, as we spread like locusts on yet another new 'tech hub' ;)

[az2au]

Yup those are pretty much the mid and long term options. TBH the dozen or so good options are good, they just happen to be the same options loads of other IT people have, as we spread like locusts on yet another new 'tech hub' ;)

If you're in IT then it is pretty easy to move to the consulting side and move where you want. Then you just do client travel during the week and go back home Thursday night. Any major consulting firm has that expectation and good IT people of various skills are extremely hard to find for these firms.

[duffer987]

Yup those are pretty much the mid and long term options. TBH the dozen or so good options are good, they just happen to be the same options loads of other IT people have, as we spread like locusts on yet another new 'tech hub' ;)

If you're in IT then it is pretty easy to move to the consulting side and move where you want. Then you just do client travel during the week and go back home Thursday night. Any major consulting firm has that expectation and good IT people of various skills are extremely hard to find for these firms.

 

Agreed and that is the potential option down the line - I'm still a rotten foreigner, so once PERM is done then it's a whole new ballgame in terms of flexibility, which is what makes this an interesting topic from my POV... not that I'd move to Louisville just cause of good value privates, ha.

[Matt J]

We're starting to get more tech jobs. A friend just transferred here for an IT job, well, really for a girl hence the 50% pay cut.

 

What's "great" value for a private? Just curious against what I pay.

[rblmp32]

My home state, Oregon, has very high state taxes purportedly the highest although I find that hard to believe (NYC anyone?) -but it hasn't stopped people from flooding in, researchers claim it's the fastest growing state as far as transplants go.

 

You don't pay higher state taxes in NYC vs Buffalo. Cost of living in NYC is much higher (rent/purchase) of course. State taxes are the just that, the same throughout the state.

 

I would guess that either NY (they don't call tax Long Island tax island for nothin...haha), NJ, CT, or CA have the highest taxes.

[McMoo]

My home state, Oregon, has very high state taxes purportedly the highest although I find that hard to believe (NYC anyone?) -but it hasn't stopped people from flooding in, researchers claim it's the fastest growing state as far as transplants go.

 

You don't pay higher state taxes in NYC vs Buffalo. Cost of living in NYC is much higher (rent/purchase) of course. State taxes are the just that, the same throughout the state.

 

I would guess that either NY (they don't call tax Long Island tax island for nothin...haha), NJ, CT, or CA have the highest taxes.

 

NYC has its own income tax that adds about a 3.6% income tax on top of regular NYS tax. Deductions and credits can vary by state as well so just the rate isn't the whole picture. And of course sales tax, real estate tax, etc. are all different. Here's more info than anyone on a golf forum needs... https://taxfoundation.org/state-individual-income-tax-rates-and-brackets-2016/

[flushem]

My home state, Oregon, has very high state taxes purportedly the highest although I find that hard to believe (NYC anyone?) -but it hasn't stopped people from flooding in, researchers claim it's the fastest growing state as far as transplants go.

 

You don't pay higher state taxes in NYC vs Buffalo. Cost of living in NYC is much higher (rent/purchase) of course. State taxes are the just that, the same throughout the state.

 

I would guess that either NY (they don't call tax Long Island tax island for nothin...haha), NJ, CT, or CA have the highest taxes.

 

NYC has its own income tax that adds about a 3.6% income tax on top of regular NYS tax. Deductions and credits can vary by state as well so just the rate isn't the whole picture. And of course sales tax, real estate tax, etc. are all different. Here's more info than anyone on a golf forum needs... https://taxfoundatio...-brackets-2016/

 

Like Matt J said, "love it or leave it." I know what I had done (fleeing from NYC to CA) and what I will have to do soon.

[darpar1]

Yes I believe St George was it.

 

That's the place!

I've lived in this area for over 13 years now and I think it's great!

Moved here from SoCal to get out of the everyday rat race of high prices,overcrowded everything,freeway gridlock,6hr rounds of golf etc.,etc.

There's about 10 courses in the St.George/Washington/Hurricane area and none take more than 30 mins to get to from my house,and Mesquite Nv,is only about 45 mins away.

In Mesquite you can play golf at Wolfcreek (overrated IMO),Falcon Ridge,Conestoga and a few others in the A.M. and gamble at one of three casinos later on.

In the St.G area we have Sandhollow ( just plain awesome),Ledges,Sunbrook,Sunriver,Coral Cyn and a few others..

I mostly play Greenspring,though not always in the best shape,it's one of the tougher tracks with some of the fastest greens.

(We mostly play in leagues and we get a pretty good break on green fees)

 

Price wise for golf,it's pretty cheap for what you get,for example at Greenspring I buy a 6 mo. pass for $500 and pay $14 for 18 holes w/cart.

We have some super scenic vistas/backdrops with Zion NP only about an hour away and can be seen from most of the courses.

Housing prices are pretty low for what you get,(compared to Cali),my house is probably 3 times the size of what I had in HB,and cost about half as much.

Re: the Mormons,I'm not one but I never had any problems with them except they do tend to fudge the rules a bit! :swoon:

 

Upside they have areas on the main artery through the state where you can drive 80mph.

Downside if you drink,they just passed a new law where the legal limit for alcohol is .05 and takes affect next year.

 

We play golf pretty much all year long,though we do get snow on occasion but it usually melts in a couple of days.

It does get HOT,but it's a dry heat! :cheesy:

[Break81]

Yes I believe St George was it.

 

That's the place!

I've lived in this area for over 13 years now and I think it's great!

Moved here from SoCal to get out of the everyday rat race of high prices,overcrowded everything,freeway gridlock,6hr rounds of golf etc.,etc.

There's about 10 courses in the St.George/Washington/Hurricane area and none take more than 30 mins to get to from my house,and Mesquite Nv,is only about 45 mins away.

In Mesquite you can play golf at Wolfcreek (overrated IMO),Falcon Ridge,Conestoga and a few others in the A.M. and gamble at one of three casinos later on.

In the St.G area we have Sandhollow ( just plain awesome),Ledges,Sunbrook,Sunriver,Coral Cyn and a few others..

I mostly play Greenspring,though not always in the best shape,it's one of the tougher tracks with some of the fastest greens.

(We mostly play in leagues and we get a pretty good break on green fees)

 

Price wise for golf,it's pretty cheap for what you get,for example at Greenspring I buy a 6 mo. pass for $500 and pay $14 for 18 holes w/cart.

We have some super scenic vistas/backdrops with Zion NP only about an hour away and can be seen from most of the courses.

Housing prices are pretty low for what you get,(compared to Cali),my house is probably 3 times the size of what I had in HB,and cost about half as much.

Re: the Mormons,I'm not one but I never had any problems with them except they do tend to fudge the rules a bit! :swoon:

 

Upside they have areas on the main artery through the state where you can drive 80mph.

Downside if you drink,they just passed a new law where the legal limit for alcohol is .05 and takes affect next year.

 

We play golf pretty much all year long,though we do get snow on occasion but it usually melts in a couple of days.

It does get HOT,but it's a dry heat! :cheesy:

I would really want St George / Hurricane to be on my final list. I love everything about it except there isn't industry that I am familiar with in that area. Either way I plan to visit next spring and my brother recently purchased a home in Hurricane.

[DBill]

Don't pick Texas. We are full and don't need more Californians.

 

Thanks

 

If you do pick Texas, El Paso and Midland should suit you.

 

Now we all know what the DB in your name refers to.

 

And what is that?

[staysober for golf]

I think Texas is probably my most logical choice for me, real estate is just really pleasing to the wallet, job market seems solid, weather ++, golf courses look awesome., sport team are cool although i'm not a sport head beyond golf but did tailgated at the cowboys stadium around 5 to 6 times and it was awesome every time, Deep Elum section bars and blues clubs was great.

 

Don't know the school system but it has to be pretty good it the US of A.

 

Anyways good luck in your search and happy golfing always.