grande pines- where you can have it all

Back in 2007, my wife Adele and I decided that we wanted to move from California.  At the time we lived in LaCresta, an equestrian community on the Santa Rosa Plateau near Murrieta and the Temecula valley.  We had built our LaCresta home only 3 years earlier and were enjoying our retirement.  Why the decision to move on?

Since moving our family from South Africa in 1986, we had lived in Potomac, MD, Southern California (Irvine), Houston (twice), the Netherlands and then back to Southern California, where we found ourselves having this discussion about relocating.  We decided that we wanted to live in a rural community, away from the constant traffic of Southern California.  We were also looking for a "village-like" feel, easy access to horse trails with traffic-free riding and finally, to be on the tee in no more than 5 minutes.

Tough order?  Well, we found all of the above - and more, in the Pinehurst area of North Carolina.

Pinehurst has given us everything we asked for.  We built our house on 11 acres in Grande Pines, a development in Foxfire Village.  The Foxfire Golf Club is next door and we are only 7 miles from Pinehurst Village.  Grande Pines is an equestrian community with miles and miles of great trails.  Our three horses have settled in and love being in the wide open pastures.  Our three dogs disappear as they go exploring in the forest, always returning -- exhausted, but clearly exhilarated.

Golf at Foxfire is on two Gene Hamm designed courses, both in great condition.  If you want golf diversification, there are another 40 courses in the area!  Truly the golf capital of the US.

Visit the Grande Pines website (www.grandepinesnc.com) -- I think you'll be impressed!  Visit for a few days and the sincere friendliness of the people will impress you even more.

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Posted by Darroll Buytenhuys