Driving Home

The Jewel—Lake City

Developers and course designer Hale Irwin created The Jewel in Lake City (named for scenic Lake Pepin) by maximizing natural resources. “From the very beginning of the planning phase, there’s been a very tight connection between the housing and the golf, and in both areas, preservation of unique natural features was kept in mind,” says Mark Fayette, of The Jewel. “Hale really wanted a natural feel, so we preserved some natural savannah and native flowers.” He adds that The Jewel sits on land that used to be a nursery, so they planted native trees to replace what they had to remove. No two holes at The Jewel are alike, says Dave Troyer, The Jewel’s director of golf. “We’ve got lots of variety,” he says. “Some links-style holes, some tree-lined, some mountain-golf-type stuff. Every hole is different. There’s a lot of risk and reward.” Golf Magazine named The Jewel as one of the U.S.’s top ten new public access courses in 2005.

The Jewel’s nine hundred acres along Mississippi River bluffs include almost four hundred—and is approved for sixteen hundred—single family home sites, townhomes, twinhomes, condominiums, and maintenance-free golf cottages. Lots start in the $30,000- range, and detached townhomes and twinhomes start in the low $200,000-range. “There’s a unique lifestyle here in Lake City,” Fayette says. “It’s a small town in the Mississippi River Valley. We’re close to Rochester, or the hustle and bustle of the Twin Cities, but here we have just two stoplights.”

All the Jewel’s facilities are currently open to the public, but will become private when a minimum number of memberships are sold.

Somerby—Byron

Somerby—developed by Golden Tee Development, a partnership between Ames Construction, Inc. and Wensmann Homes—was recently rated by Golf Digest as one of the ten best new private golf clubs in the U.S.

“Our clubhouse is unbelievable,” says Wensmann’s Kelly Domaille. “It’s not geared just to golf.” The 38,500-square-foot, English-manor-inspired clubhouse holds a wine cellar, separate men’s and women’s card rooms, and a fitness center featuring a spa and tennis and swimming facilities and instruction.

Somerby’s links-style course, which will host the PGA’s 2006 Scholarship America Showdown July 10–16, winds through four hundred and fifty acres that was farmland not long ago. Natural wetlands and mature trees are prominent in its landscape, as are thoughtfully placed water features. The club has been designated as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary for its conservation of natural resources.

In thirteen on- and off-course neighborhoods, Wensmann offers maintenance-free row-style townhomes, urban villas, rambler townhomes, one-level executive twinhomes, and fashionable condominiums with services and amenities aimed toward the fifty-five and over crowd. Lot and home combination prices range from $300,000 to over $1 million.

Somerby homeowners are automatic social club members, which gives them three rounds of golf per year and full use of the clubhouse and its facilities and restaurants.