Mark Twain was once supposed to have quipped, “Golf is a good walk, spoiled.”
It’s not a sentiment shared by too many of the sport’s many devotees.
“Twain never had the opportunity to play on a Rees Jones-designed golf course,” smiles Tom Mann, Vice President and Senior Living Specialist for Moorings Park Communities, the area’s premier retirement destination.
“Our Moorings Park Grande Lake homes enjoy gorgeous views overlooking the Rees Jones-designed Naples Grande Golf Club. About 40 of our residents have become members. It’s just so convenient to take your golf cart there from here, and it’s one of the area’s most spectacular golf courses.”
Rees Jones has an outstanding reputation in the golfing community. His golf course designs have earned him numerous awards, including Golf World Architect of the Year, the Golf Course Association’s Don A. Rossi Award, and a place in the Northern California Golf Association’s Hall of Fame. His firm has designed nearly two dozen courses in Florida alone, including Golf Club of the Everglades and Olde Florida Golf Club here in Naples.
Moorings Park Grande Lake resident Larry McPherson and his wife, Chuckie, are avid golfers, and have organized groups in the community to take advantage of the Naples Grande convenience.
“Rees Jones is a very respected golf course designer,” Larry points out. “This is one of his better courses in this particular area.
“When we moved in, I organized a Wednesday golf group of Moorings Park Grande Lake residents,” he says. “We have a mailing list of 24 to 26 people. Every Wednesday morning there’s about 16 of us that play. In addition, other residents have organized Monday and Friday groups.”
Chuckie helped start one of the two lady golfer groups. “I ran a group where we lived before,” she explains. “It just felt natural jumping in and doing something similar when we moved here.
“The Naples Grande Golf Course is unique in that it has no homes on it, so it has a lot of natural beauty,” she adds. “It’s nestled in Naples, but you wouldn’t know it when you’re on the course.”
“As far as I’m concerned, Naples Grande is a beautiful course,” he says. “Our fourth floor views from our residence at Moorings Park Grande Lake overlooking holes 16, 17, and 18 are spectacular.”
The golf course sits just across the placid 28-acre Grande Lake from the Life Plan Community.
“Every residence has incredible sunset views from their impressive lanais which are perfect for indoor/outdoor entertaining,” notes Mann. “And the views from residents’ kitchens, great rooms, and master bedrooms are absolutely glorious.”
Though Moorings Park Grande Lake’s easy access to the picturesque Naples Grande Golf Club will no doubt be particularly appealing to golfers, the community’s unstinting attention to every detail of modern retirement living is appreciated by golfers and non-golfers alike.
“You don’t have to play golf to enjoy the rich and rewarding resort lifestyle available to residents here,” Mann points out. “Life here appeals to Baby Boomers with a wide range of interests.
“I’m sure we have a few fans of Mark Twain in the book club as well,” he chuckles.
The community’s Grande Lake Clubhouse offers over 200,000 square feet of resort-style amenities and residential living, and is unlike any other in North America. The Clubhouse hosts three restaurants which are sure to satisfy the most demanding diner: Zest Café and Bistro; Savor 26, an upscale, yet casual “go-to” with a playful menu; and BlueStone, the fine dining restaurant with an emphasis on prime meats, seafood, and overall cuisine.
The Clubhouse also features a top-of-the-line TrackMan Golf Simulator, a fitness center equipped with modern pneumatic machines and personal trainers, and a theatre for movie nights, special performances and guest speakers. The Clubhouse’s airily elegant interior engenders a relaxing atmosphere that’s perfect for friendly get-togethers with your neighbors.
“Of course, our community’s amenity-rich lifestyle also includes access to world-class, personalized health care and concierge physicians,” Mann adds. “Our attentive physicians are devoted to keeping you active and independent, with an eye on preventing small health issues from becoming big concerns.”
Assisted living and memory care services are also included in the Life Plan contract at no additional cost should you ever need them in the future.
“As one of the nation’s only not-for-profits with A or A+ ratings by S&P and Fitch Ratings services, our residents are comfortable about the future, knowing that we are the most financially secure senior living organization in the country,” Mann explains.
Publications such as U.S. News and Travel + Leisure have recognized that Naples is one of the best places in the country to live. Ideally located just off Golden Gate Parkway, Moorings Park Grande Lake is in the perfect location to enjoy all that Naples has to offer. Residents enjoy the auspicious adjacency to Naples Grande Golf Club, and are only a few miles from exquisite sugar-white beaches on the Gulf and popular 5th Avenue shops and restaurants.
“Moorings Park Grande Lake is truly one of the nation’s best retirement destinations,” Mann says.
“There is so much to Moorings Park Grande Lake that it can feel like a lot to absorb,” he adds. “From our gorgeous floor plans, to our partnership with London Bay Homes (which works with residents to customize their new homes exactly how they want them), to our 70% refundable entrance fees, there’s a reason the community has proven so popular. I encourage everyone who wants to learn more to visit us and see this gem of a location for themselves.”
Ready to do a little window shopping? Moorings Park Grande Lake will host a delectable Informational Luncheon on Thursday, October 6th at 11:30 a.m, hosted by Mann himself. This event is designed to give you a sneak peek of what the Grande life looks like with a look inside the social hub, the Clubhouse.
To register for this delicious event hosted by Moorings Park Grande Lake, please visit MooringsPark.org/Events, call 239-232-3903.