Winter Golf Trip (retirement destination?)

joekloo · January 30, 2023

Hey Guys - I turn 55 this year, kids are now grown and (mostly) out of the house. Looking at next phase of life. Since we no longer have spring break, wife and I are looking for some winter vacation locations that we would like to consider as retirement destinations in a few years. Any suggestions for locatations that would be reasonably priced as a destination for 2 week vacation with some decent golf nearby?

Would like it in US. Coming from MI, so decent weather to us would be 60-70 in Feb/March timeframe. Don't need ocean or anything too fancy, just clean safe, maybe someplace good to walk with decent restaurant and Entertaiment choices.

Longer term we would be keeping the house in MI to be near family, but would winter in this location.

Thanks all. Also - not sure if there is a better place for his topic, so let me know if I should move it. Thanks, Joe

Abh159 · January 30, 2023

I'm sure people would love to offer suggestions, but you might need to provide a little more info. Simply saying "decent weather and reasonably priced" doesn't tell us much and could describe half the US...

Any specific states you do or do not want to live in?

Do you still want to be within driving distance of family in Michigan?

Do you need an airport close by?

Are you planning to buy a place or rent an apartment/condo?

Budget?

Would you want to have some golf options?

knickerbocker · January 30, 2023

In terms of quality golf, decent weather and lower cost, Mississippi or Alabama are probably your best shots. Lots of great courses and COL is way better vs Florida. I have done several trips there and enjoyed the RTJ trail. I cannot speak to spending a month or two there.

joekloo · January 30, 2023

Any specific states you do or do not want to live in? Nope - open to any

Do you still want to be within driving distance of family in Michigan? No, anyplace would be fine.

Do you need an airport close by? Not necessary - but if it was someplace out west we would most likely fly, but could drive 2-3 hours from airport if necessary.

Are you planning to buy a place or rent an apartment/condo? Rent for first few years, eventually buy once we find a place we like.

Budget? Flexible, would like something less than SoCal but still decent area.

Would you want to have some golf options? any suggestions would be great

Phreddy · January 30, 2023

Joe,

I've got ya by better than ten years and I went down your road a several years ago. If I were committed to keeping the "family" home and thinking about just a winter/spring destination. I would skew toward the Carolinas. The Pinehurst area is awesome, although I don't know about pricing and January is still winter by local standards. Winter temperatures and greens fees run parallel for the golfer.

Phred

Go_Blue! · January 30, 2023

PHX/Scottsdale area is awesome. I go 3-4x a year and love it. It’s not cheap golf in the Winter but the total package is hard to beat. Sun, palm trees, mountains, great vibes.

ShortGolfer · January 30, 2023

If you intend to live there you may want to consider the availability of healthcare.

On Martha's Vineyard, for example, they have emergency medical specialists to stabilize you so they can helicopter you off the island.

The care you take for granted may not be available in some locales.

cubuffs · January 30, 2023

My In-Laws have have lived in a (mostly) retirement community outside of Knoxville TN named Tellico Village. Lots of individuals from Michigan have made the move, as it on a lake and has 3 really good semi private golf courses (no initiation to join) with another 3 options within 10-20 minutes. The weather, while it does get cold will allow for golf year round as you generally only get snow 1-2 times per year that may preclude play for 1-3 days. Knoxville is only 35-45 minutes away so you get a great college town and all that it offers (along with good healthcare), and Nashville is only 2.5 hours away. TN has no state income tax, so COL is pretty low with very low property taxes (although sales tax is 9.75%).

Good luck with the search!

Edited January 30, 2023 by cubuffs

Abh159 · January 30, 2023

1 hour ago, joekloo said:

Any specific states you do or do not want to live in? Nope - open to any

Do you still want to be within driving distance of family in Michigan? No, anyplace would be fine.

Do you need an airport close by? Not necessary - but if it was someplace out west we would most likely fly, but could drive 2-3 hours from airport if necessary.

Are you planning to buy a place or rent an apartment/condo? Rent for first few years, eventually buy once we find a place we like.

Budget? Flexible, would like something less than SoCal but still decent area.

Would you want to have some golf options? any suggestions would be great

I grew up in the Southeast and still live there today so I'll offer my opinion on this region. Personally, I'd avoid anything within 2 hours of the coast. Hurricanes are very real, and they can be a massive headache to deal with. To get what I would consider decent weather in the winter/spring I think you'll want to stay south of TN/KY/VA. That leaves you with inland options in MS, AL, GA, SC, and NC. Someone mentioned the RTJ Trail as a good place to look and I agree. Most of those sites are at least somewhat close to a populated area and would offer a decent mix of affordable living and golf. Of course the downside is finding long-term rentals in non-coastal towns is going to be a challenge.

You also mentioned the ability to walk places. I think that is something you might want to be flexible on. Outside of the tourist hotspots like Savannah, Charleston, New Orleans, and etc. you won't find too many walkable cities in the Southeast. Or I should say that are walkable from where you live.

Plus, @ShortGolfer makes a good point. As we age, access to quality healthcare becomes a real consideration, and that is something that isn't always available the further away you get from larger metro areas.

One last piece of advice.... Although small southern towns seem really nice and quaint in movies and on TV they are really, really boring in real life.

WasatchBogey · January 30, 2023

I'm kinda in the same boat, but I’m 65 so it’s happening sooner.

I live in Utah, got a short trip to Mesquite, Nevada coming up in a couple days. Also going to check out Henderson, which is SE of Las Vegas.

Mesquite is fairly small, about 9 courses near town with several more near St George, UT about 45 min away. Fantastic mountain biking around St George too which is my other main summer activity.

Also going to look at the Atlantic coast area of Florida, maybe South Carolina, because I love to saltwater fish as well.

Nevada doesn’t have a state income tax, property taxes fairly low, and a short air hop to the west coast, not a consideration for most people but my wife is Chinese so a shorter connection to fly home to see family when things get a little more “normal”.

And in that part of the world, Yunnan province in SE China has some really beautiful courses, great weather, great food, so looking at that for some portion of the year as well.

Springsteennut · January 30, 2023

My dad lived in Charlotte. He liked the cost of living and there was very little time during the year he couldn’t golf. If the weather was bad for a stretch it was just a few hours drive to go for a few days and play. He also liked the healthcare options that were available.

joekloo · January 31, 2023

Thanks all, lots of great suggestions. Good thing I have 10+ years until retirement, I can vacation to many of these locations and have some time to narrow it down.

Hot Rod 71 · January 31, 2023

14 hours ago, Markrip said:

My dad lived in Charlotte. He liked the cost of living and there was very little time during the year he couldn’t golf. If the weather was bad for a stretch it was just a few hours drive to go for a few days and play. He also liked the healthcare options that were available.

The Charlotte area is great. There are several great courses in the area (private and public), it's a metro area so you are close to restaurants, hospitals, shopping, etc. My brother-in-law lives in Matthews, an up-and-coming suburb just southeast of downtown Charlotte. My wife and I visit a few times a year and usually attend the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow.

In terms of weather, summers can get hot (but not as bad as Florida) and there are some cold days in winter; the area rarely gets snow and most days are in the low to mid-50s, so very playable year-round.

We've actually discussed moving there when we retire (4 years away for me). The only downside is the influx of people from the banking world. The area has become crowded and traffic can be an issue.

SnowbirdTom · January 31, 2023

I’ve posted before on other similar questions. I’m in NW Houston near Spring from SE Michigan’s permanent home for the winter, second year in. COL isn’t horrible, plenty of reasonably priced golf, one bedroom apartments can be had for six months or less at affordable cost. Lots of other entertainment available and it’s just over an hour drive to the beaches on the Gulf. Good golf there too!

Weather is totally playable 95% of the time. We’re having a rough spell for the last month with heavy rain causing light flooding in low areas and now temps are down in the low 40s. Courses are swampy wet, but will dry out in a week when the weather breaks.

20 rounds in January for me. 🙂

supergriff34 · March 19, 2023

Pinehurst area is a great option.

can get a little chilly at times. But the golf can be exceptional.

their are numerous courses both public and private. And you are somewhat close to a beach for the summer and if it gets way too cold youre a short trip down to florida.
its ultimately my goal to end up there in retirement. Live on a course somewhere and just enjoy life. Their really are only a handful of places where you wont have a “winter” in the usa.