Golf

Southwest Florida is arguably the easiest place in America to live on a golf course. Greater Naples alone claims roughly ninety courses and more golf holes per capita than nearly any community in the country, and the corridor through Bonita Springs, Estero and Fort Myers holds well over a hundred golf communities across three models: bundled (membership included with the deed, no big initiation, dues folded into HOA fees), equity (a substantial initiation buys exclusivity and quiet tee sheets), and pay-to-play for everyone else.

The right model depends on your game and your calendar. Seasonal residents playing thirty rounds a winter usually find bundled math unbeatable; avid year-rounders who hate crowded tee sheets often prefer equity. Whichever you choose, study the dues stack and reserve health as carefully as the scorecard — in this region, the club is part of the house.