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The Associated Press announced that U.S. home prices jumped in January, a sign the housing market is gaining momentum as it nears the spring selling season.
Home prices rose 9.7 percent in January from a year ago, according to data released Tuesday by CoreLogic. That's up from an 8.3 percent increase in December and the biggest annual gain since April 2006.
Prices rose in all states except Delaware and Illinois. And prices increased in 92 of the 100 largest metro areas, up from 87 in December.
Home prices also rose 0.7 percent in January from December. That's a solid increase given that sales usually slow over the winter months.
Rising demand combined with fewer available homes is pushing up prices. Sales of previously owned homes ticked up in January after rising to their highest level in five years in 2012, according to the National Association of Realtors. At the same time, inventories of homes for sale fell to a 13-year low.
There are many signs showing the housing slump since 2006 is disappearing.
Now is a great time to consider building a new home in Harbor Hills.
Our New Homes feature updated state of the art designs by Florida’s leading architects and engineers. We have revised our Toscano II and Arezzo II plans and “Green Features” which should reduce Energy costs 50 percent of an older pre-owned home.  Some of these features include: spray foam insulation, (spray foam allows energy calculations to use lower tonnage  a/c units saving additional energy costs,) double pane insulated windows, energy star appliances where applicable, higher S.E.E.R air conditioning systems and ventilated soffits. Energy smart doesn’t necessarily drive prices up and can be whatever you want it to be.
Harbor Hills recently won two Parade of Homes Awards from Lake Sumter County Builders Association. One for the Carlyle residence Lake County’s first Silver LEED home and one for our maintenance free villas.
Kudos to our Sales team for selling more pre-owned homes in Harbor Hills than all the other competitors combined.
Our Brand New Low Maintenance “Green Luxury Villas” are now completed.
These floor plans have been thoughtfully designed for today's active lifestyle.  The three bedroom, 2 bathroom plans each boast over 2000 square feet of interior living space and feature modern, open kitchens and large great rooms.  The Master Bedroom Suites have been split away from the guest’s quarters and feature spacious closets and luxurious bathrooms. The master bathroom features a large walk in closet and custom built shower. You won’t have to worry about lawn work.
These luxury villas with smaller square footages redefine the low maintenance lifestyle.  Innovative energy saving features, luxurious appointments and included maintenance, allowing you the time to focus on the things you love.  We've made finding the right home to fit your lifestyle even easier.
We are also in the process of building two “Spec” Homes in Bella Vista one is a brand new 4 bedroom model and the second one is the “Arezzo II”.
All these homes are being built with our latest’s innovations and “Green Features”. Many details that are simply a matter of Harbor Hills standard practice on our homes get marketed as green but do not necessarily drive pricing up. Some of these features are using roof and floor trusses calling for standard sized products, delivery and manufacturing from local companies, and our concrete paver system using recycled crushed concrete fines as the base. Our landscape palette uses “Zoysia grass and Florida Friendly plants. Our irrigation systems use misters in beds and rotors on grass only.
It’s no wonder that the new Homes in Bella Vista have been appraising at a 30 percent premium to the rest of Harbor Hills.
Every member of the Harbor Hills team is committed to customer satisfaction and quality of workmanship. Building a new home or is a journey that without the right guidance can become riddled with stress & runaway budgets. There are so many different products and styles available, that too often buyers feel overwhelmed with choices. Our team helps guide buyers through this process in a way that makes them confident and comfortable with their selections.
The goal of the Harbor Hills team is to provide you with the best practices in design, construction and best building products being offered today.
Buying a new home can save you up to 50 percent in energy costs and help you protect our environment.
Guiding this process are Harbor Hills’ four most important principals; communication, organization, personal attention & integrity.  Our customers are our best references. Schedule a tour of the Harbor Hills community and you will have the opportunity to speak with our customers, visit their homes and see for yourself; the value of building a Harbor Hills homes.

It bears repeating “The American dream of owning a home is far from dead.
There is no better time to buy a new home than TODAY.
New home prices and mortgages rates are at multi year lows.
Prices are back in some cases to pre 2000.
2013 Prices are expected to rise between 5 and 25 percent so the time to buy is “Now.”
Curb Appeal not only includes the aesthetics of the homes in our community such as architectural style and its related accessories such as trim, windows, shutters, landscaping, paint and greenery.
It also include the aesthetics of the community such as Golf courses, Country Club, Tennis courts, common areas, roadways, gate houses and access control.
Communities like Harbor Hills that offer Excellent Community Aesthetics will appreciate faster than other communities here in Central Florida because we offer what buyers want.
Harbor Hills is the Premier gated community in Central Florida that takes excellent care of its common areas.
We feel that now is an excellent time to take advantage of lower New Home costs both in labor and material and low interest rates to build a new home.
For information on how Our Team can help you build your Dream Home stop by our Real Estate Information Center in our Clubhouse or call us at 1-800-822-5558 or email us at harborhillssalesinfo@harborhills.com

Housing Recovery Is the Real Deal This Time

 

 Purchases of new homes in January hit their highest level since July 2008, climbing 15.6% to a 437,000 annual pace. The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index showed gains of 0.2% in December – more than anticipated. The latest data give support to the argument that the housing market recovery is underway – and sustainable. Douglas Yearley, CEO of luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers (TOL), says in an interview with The Daily Ticker that the recovery “feels like it’s the real deal this time.” “We feel really good in almost every market we have in the country,” Yearley notes. “We’re seeing great traffic and sales.”

Click here to read more about the current housing market

Residents Attend Pajama Breakfast for Hospice

All residents and their guests were invited to attend a Pajama Breakfast sponsored by Lois Bening, Treasurer of Harbor Hills for Hospice on Monday, December 10th. This was strictly for the ladies. Over 80 ladies gathered in the Regency Room at 8:30 a.m. They were treated to Poinsettia Punch and Cosmos. The many pajama ensembles provided a festive atmosphere. Following a social time, a delicious buffet was prepared that featured an omelet bar. The door prizes and raffles were followed by a Mama Mia Sing-a-Long. The Harbor Hills Line Dancers led by Regi Chapin performed to eight of the songs. The Pastels, directed by Sharon McFall, sang and danced to Dancing Queen. Sue Rice and Sharon Braden led the singing. By the end of the morning, the seats were empty as the whole room danced and sang to Mama Mia. A $20 minimum was charged for the tickets. This event raised $3370 which was sent to Cornerstone Hospice to support at-home patient care as well as care in the Hospice House near Sumter Landing.

Harbor Hills Country Club is pleased to announce that we will be collecting donations for the USMC Toys for Tots Program.

MISSION: The mission of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted. GOAL: The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of Toys for Tots are to help less fortunate children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation’s most valuable resources – our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause for three months each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign; and to contribute to better communities in the future. ACTIVITIES: The principal Toys for Tots activity which takes place each year is the collection and distribution of toys in the communities in which a Marine Corps Reserve Unit is located. In communities without a Reserve Unit, the campaign can be conducted by a Marine Corps League Detachment or group of men and women, generally veteran Marines, authorized by Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to conduct a local Toys for Tots campaign. Local Toys for Tots Campaign Coordinators conduct an array of activities throughout the year, which include golf tournaments, foot races, bicycle races and other voluntary events designed to increase interest in Toys for Tots, and concurrently generate toys and monetary donations. For more information on the Toys for Tots Program, Please click here: http://www.toysfortots.org/Default.aspx

Support Local Firefighters by Harbor Hills The Brucker Memorial Tournament Harbor Hills is pleased to be the host of The Brucker Memorial Golf Tournament. The Villages IAFF Local 4770 is pleased to announce the upcoming 3rd Annual Tournament celebrating the passion John Brucker had for life and fire service. John, a former employee of the Harbor Hills Country Club was taken from us on June 12th, 2010 as the result of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident. In memory of John and as a result of previous successful tournaments, the Local has been able to establish the John Brucker Memorial Scholarship and provide 2 candidates with the opportunity to pursue a career in the fire service. A benevolence fund has also been established to assist various charities including the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Various levels of sponsorship are available for this year’s tournament. We thank you in advance for your support. To participate in the tournament please complete the form linked to below (Members will receive a $15 discount): John Brucker Memorial Tournament Registration Form

They are competitors, friends, golfing companions. When Lake Mary's Alessandra Kutz, Olympia's Madison Lellyo and DeLand's Carianne Wright begin play Tuesday in the Class 2A state girls golf tournament at Harbor Hills Country Club in Lady Lake, all three will look to improve their finish by one spot from last year. Click below to read more... http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-hs-state-golf-1030-20121029,0,5366856.story

Harbor Hills Hero! Our very own Access Control Guard Delmas Zichefoose saved a woman in Leesburg from a gator attack. We salute Delmas, an exemplary employee of the Harbor Hills Homeowner's Association who personifies the extraordinary efforts of our staff. Way to go Del!

Read more about our Harbor Hills hero's life saving action.

It was a beautiful scene overlooking our famous Par 3 #16 hole at the Harbor Hills Country Club in Lady Lake Florida during our Harbor Hills Veterans Flag Dedication Ceremony.

Green homes come in every color and every shape and size at Harbor Hills.

Green Building Smart Building Begins with Building Better Homes At Harbor Hills we Build Better Homes. The President of our Company has recently completed a course in Building Better Homes by Hanley Wood University. Our New Homes feature updated state of the art designs by Florida’s leading architects and engineers. We have revised our Toscano II and Arrezzo II plans and “Green Features” which should reduce Energy costs 50 percent of an older pre-owned home. Some of these features include: spray foam insulation,(spray foam allows energy calculations to use lower tonnage a/c units saving additional energy costs,) double pane insulated windows, energy star appliances where applicable, higher S.E.E.R air conditioning systems and ventilated soffits. Energy smart doesn’t necessarily drive prices up and can be whatever you want it to be. Harbor Hills Development L.P. is building Lake County’s first LEED Certified Silver home the 4400 square foot Carlyle residence. The home features some very unique options from low voc ecological interior and exterior paint to recycled concrete counter tops interspersed with glass from wine bottles shared by the Carlyle family. A custom bar designed by one of Central Florida’s Master craftsmen highlights the living areas. The center island in the kitchen is also made of recycled materials. A fresh air intake system has been added to the central air conditioning. A large fan will blow carbon monoxide out of the garage. “Sustainable bamboo and cork flooring are the choice of flooring in most of the home. A floor drain has been added to the laundry room LED Lights have been used extensively throughout this home.Electric lighting accounts up to 25% of the average home energy budget. The electricity used over the lifetime of a single incandescent bulb costs 5 to 10 times the original purchase price of the bulb itself. Light Emitting Diode (LED) and Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL) bulbs have revolutionized energy-efficient lighting. Green homes come in every color and every shape and size at Harbor Hills. Our Brand New Low Maintenance “Green Luxury Villas” are now under construction These floor plans have been thoughtfully designed for today's active lifestyle. The three bedroom, 2 bathroom plans each boast over 2000 square feet of interior living space and feature modern, open kitchens and large great rooms. The Master Bedroom Suites have been split away from the guest’s quarters and feature spacious closets and luxurious bathrooms. The master bathroom features a large walk in closet and custom built shower. You won’t have to worry about lawn work. These luxury villas with smaller square footages redefine the low maintenance lifestyle. Innovative energy saving features, luxurious appointments and included maintenance, allowing you the time to focus on the things you love. We've made finding the right home to fit your lifestyle even easier. We are also in the process of starting two new Homes in Bella Vista one is a brand new 4 bedroom model and the second one is the “Toscano II”. All these homes are being built with our latest’s innovations and “Green Features”. Many details that are simply a matter of Harbor Hills standard practice on our homes get marketed as green but do not necessarily drive pricing up. Some of these features are using roof and floor trusses calling for standard sized products, delivery and manufacturing from local companies, and our concrete paver system using recycled crushed concrete fines as the base. Our landscape palette uses “Zoysia grass and Florida Friendly plants. Our irrigation systems use misters in beds and rotors on grass only. Its no wonder that the new Homes in Bella Vista have been appraising at a 30 percent premium to the rest of Harbor Hills. Every member of the Harbor Hills team is committed to customer satisfaction and quality of workmanship. Building a new home or is a journey that without the right guidance can become riddled with stress & runaway budgets. There are so many different products and styles available, that too often buyers feel overwhelmed with choices. Our team helps guide buyers through this process in a way that makes them confident and comfortable with their selections. The goal of the Harbor Hills team is to provide you with the best practices in design, construction and best building products being offered today. Buying a new home can save you up to 50 percent in energy costs and help you protect our environment. Guiding this process are Harbor Hills’ four most important principals; communication, organization, personal attention & integrity. Our customers are our best references. Schedule a tour of the Harbor Hills community and you will have the opportunity to speak with our customers, visit their homes and see for yourself; the value of building a Harbor Hills homes. It bears repeating “The American dream of owning a home is far from dead. There is no better time to buy a new home than TODAY. Mortgages rates are at multi year lows. Prices are back in some cases to pre 2000.. This is today’s market and The Dream to Own a Home Is Alive and Well at Harbor Hills. Curb Appeal not only includes the aesthetics of the homes in our community such as architectural style and its related accessories such as trim, windows, shutters, landscaping, paint and greenery. It also include the aesthetics of the community such as Golf courses, Country Club, Tennis courts, common areas, roadways, gate houses and access control. Communities like Harbor Hills that offer Excellent Community Aesthetics will appreciate faster than other communities here in Central Florida because we offer what buyers want. Harbor Hills is the Premier gated community in Central Florida that takes excellent care of its common areas. We feel that now is an excellent time to take advantage of lower New Home costs both in labor and material and low interest rates to build a new home. For information on how Our Team can help you build your Dream Home stop by our Real Estate Information Center in our Clubhouse or call us at 1- 800-822-5558 or email us at harborhillssalesinfo@harborhills.com

Harbor Hills Green LEED and USGB certified home

Harbor Hills is proud to be building the Carlyle residence one of Lake County’s first L.E.E.D. certified homes right here is BellaVista. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and spearheaded by Robert K. Watson, Founding Chairman LEED Steering Committee from 1995 until 2006, LEED is intended to provide building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. Since its inception in 1998, the U.S. Green Building Council[4] has grown to encompass more than 7,000 projects in the United States and 30 countries, covering over 1.501 billion square feet (140 km²) of development area.[5] The hallmark of LEED is that it is an open and transparent process where the technical criteria proposed by USGBC members are publicly reviewed for approval by the almost 20,000 member organizations that currently constitute the USGBC. The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) was established by USGBC to provide a series of exams to allow individuals to become accredited for their knowledge of the LEED rating system. This is recognized through either the LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) or LEED Green Associate[6] (LEED Green Assoc.) designation. GBCI also provides third-party certification for projects pursuing LEED. The goal of the LEED performance credit system is to allocate points "based on the potential environmental impacts and human benefits of each credit." To weight these impacts, the USGBC relies upon the environmental impact categories of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Tools for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI) as a basis for weighting each credit.[9] LEED 2009 makes reference to the environmental-impact weighting scheme developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in assigning credit weights. USGB stands for United States Green Building. Currently there are no homes in Lake County Florida that have been certified. Harbor Hills is proud to be building the first LEED certified home in our area.

Harbor Hills Development has now started construction of the area's first luxury home villas. Be among the first to receive updated information on these beautiful and affordable new low maintenance homes. The initial response has been overwhelming and they are in limited supply. Please call (352) 753-7000, or email me if you would like to receive up to date information on the progress of the villas and be the first to know when they are available for sale.

Merchandise Update By Mike Chaffee Hello Members! As we move into the later parts of our season, and the weather gets warmer, check out the new Spring & Summer Apparel Lines displayed in our pro shop. Zach and I are very excited to be carrying new,top-notch clothing lines such as Puma, Ashworth, and Antigua; with not so top of the line price points. Along with our new lines of apparel, you will notice our new selection of spikeless golf shoes. The new Footjoy and Ashworth line of spikeless shoes seem to have the golf world in a frenzy, and with their looks and comfortableness, these new shoes are certainly the way to go. As well as apparel, and footwear, we also are carrying all of the 2012, Cobra Golf Line, and 2012 Adams Golf Line, as advertised, with plenty of demos in the irons, drivers, and wedges. We also have a complete belly to standard putter fitting tool on its way; to help Zach and I fit you for the best possible putter for your body and posture. Attention ALL ladies tennis members, I am currently in the process of revamping the tennis side of our pro shop. I would absolutely love to hear everyone's input and voice into what kind of styles or genres interest our tennis members. Tennis has always been a huge part in my life; just as much as golf. So, whatever I can do to balance our shop and contribute our member’s enjoyment of both sports, please let me know. One more quick side-note, as most of you know, with the current competition in the golf industry and the economy the way it is, we have made a decision in our golf shop to price match any leading competitor in the golf industry, this includes Dicks Sporting Goods, Edwin Watts Golf Shop, etc. In saying this, we cannot price match wholesale golf outlets such as, TGW.com, Ebay.com, etc. Our message to everyone is simple, we can order any club, training aid, shoes, grips, or just about anything else that you could want. So, we ask that you take buying local to heart, and not only let us get that product for you at a comparable or even better price, but count on us for the type of personal , customer service we hope you have come to expect from our staff. Have a great summer!!!!!!

Harbor Hills Men’s Golf Association

A Big Thank You to the outgoing Harbor Hills Men’s Golf Association (HHMGA)

Outgoing Board Members:
Jim Griffiths – Ex Officio Past President
Rob Yeager – President
Chuck Grieshaber – Golf Course Advisor
Bob Wacker – Secretary
And to the Management and Staff

The New Board Members are:
Frank Antalek – President
Ken Sliker – Vice President
Bob Cyrus – Treasure
Jack Wright – Secretary
Stanley Hausman – Membership Chairman
Bob DiBenedetto – Handicap Chairman
Joe Pulsone – Tournament Chairman
Rick Tyrrell – Golf Course Advisor
Rob Yeager – Ex Officio Past President
Special Thanks to Chape Chapin and Tom Rice - Posting of Scores

We are pleased to announce we had 50 members participate in The Presidents Cup for 2012. The Winner of the Championship Flight was Daren Shrader. Congratulations to Jack Wright, the MGA’s most improved Player of the Year.
I also wish to give a special thank you to Zack West and Mike Chaffee for getting Brad Denton “Trick Shot Artist” as our Guest Speaker for the MGA Annual Meeting and Stag Night.

The next Big Tournament is the HHMGA Summer Men’s Match Play Tournament from June 15 – July 25. Our Goal this year is as follows:
1. 100% Participation for all Full Club Members to join the HHMGA (Dues are $40.00 /yr.) which qualify members to play in all our Tournaments.
2. Increased turnout for Wednesday Afternoon Shot Gun and Saturday Morning Tee Time HHMGA events.
3. Greater turnout at the Wednesday Night Members Buffets – All you can eat with 2 for 1 drinks.
In closing, I wish to thank Mike Hughes and his crew for the effort they put forth on the Up-keep of our Golf Course. Please fill free to contact myself or any other officers with suggestions on improvements for our members.

Charity Golf Tournament

A Message From Fellow Member J.T. Smith

Hello Neighbors,


On 4/28/2012, my church, North Lake Presbyterian, will be sponsoring a golf tournament at Harbor Hills to raise money for our our "Operation Homebound" outreach program. Five days a week, over 200 volunteers prepare and deliver a healthy meal to 200 shut-ins in the Lady Lake area. This tournament will help fund that program.



But, to make it a success, I need your help in one of the following ways:



1.Play In The Tournament - You can arrange your own foursome or sign up as a single, couple, etc. The cost is $110 each which includes a dinner-dance on 4/27, golf and luncheon on 4/28. For a non-playing spouse to attend dinner is $35. Applications with more details are available outside the Pro Shop.
2.Be A Hole Monitor - You will be at a particular hole to verify the team's score and use of a mulligan. We need lots of volunteers for this.
3.Loan Us Your Cart - We only have 66 carts in our fleet and will need 10-15 more. It cost $100 per cart to bring extras from outside and we can't afford that.


If you can be a hole monitor or loan us your cart, please let me know ASAP on 750-6727 or wachesaw@aol.com .



As always, I know I can count on you.



Thank you and God Bless,



J.T. Smith

Leesburg Newcomers Club's at Harbor Hills Raises money for Children

Leesburg Newcomers Club's Roaring '20s event raises money for Children's Advocacy Center
March 27, 2012

LADY LAKE — Ray Wright, left, playing Charlie Chaplin, and David Ladd, as a gangster, pose in front of Ladd's Chrysler that was part of a Roaring '20s fashion, talent and car show held recently at Harbor Hills Country Club by the Leesburg Newcomers Club.

The event raised $1,000 for the Lake-Sumter Children's Advocacy Center in Leesburg, said Kathy O'Brien, treasurer of the newcomers group.

"That's what it was about — that and having fun," O'Brien said.

The advocacy center provides free services to child-abuse victims and their families, facilitates prosecution efforts against perpetrators and gives emotional and physical support to victims' families. In 2009, the newcomers club received the Advocacy in Action Award from the Florida Network of Children's Advocacy Centers.

Real Estate Buyer's Market

This is a buyers market right?

Your probably like many saying, “I’ll wait around to see what else comes on the market and make a low ball offer.” Not so fast! Believe it or not prices in our community are rising. Over the last few years we've gone from over 75 homes on the market to just under 30. If you were lucky enough to buy a home in 2009 or 2010 your home has probably increased in value. Homes that are being purchased today are about 2% to 4% more than they were then. So what are you waiting for? With interest rates at an all time low and a community like Harbor Hills our home values will keep increasing.

Country Club Community Popular Golf Tournament Formats

In honor of this weekend's annual Harbor Hills Member Member Match Play Tournament we have compiled a list of the most popular Golf Tournament Formats.

1. Scramble
The Scramble is probably the most-common format for team tournaments. It can be played by 2-, 3- or 4-person teams, and involves choosing the one best shot following every stroke, with each team member then playing again from that one spot. Variants include the Texas Scramble, Florida Scramble and Ambrose.

2. Best Ball
In a Best Ball tournament, all members of each team play their own balls on each hole. At the completion of the hole, the lowest score among all team members serves as the team score. Best Ball can also be called Four Ball, and variations include 1-2-3 Best Ball.

3. Alternate Shot
Alternate Shot is a format for 2-person teams and is sometimes called Foursomes. The two players on a team alternate hitting shots, playing the same ball. Odds and Evens and Scotch Foursomes are other versions of Alternate Shot.

4. Modified Stableford
A Modified Stableford competition can be played by individuals or as a team tournament. In Modified Stableford, the idea is to have the highest score - because your score on each hole is worth a certain amount of points. A birdie, for example, might be worth 2 points. The International, played on the PGA Tour every year, is a Modified Stableford.

5. Chapman (Pinehurst)
When the Chapman System (a k a Pinehurst System) is the format for a tournament, it means that 2-person teams will be competing. Chapman is really a melding of several formats into one. In a Chapman event, teammates switch balls after their tee shots, select the one best ball after their second shots, then play alternate shot until the ball is holed.

6. Bingo Bango Bongo
This is one of the most popular formats for golf association tournaments and league tournaments. Bingo Bango Bongo rewards players for three things on each hole: being the first player in the group to get onto the green; being closest to the hole once all group members are on the green; and being the first player in the cup.

7. Flags
In a Flags tournament, all golfers begin the round with a set number of strokes (related to their handicaps), and they play until their strokes run out. The player who makes it farthest on his or her allotment of strokes is the winner.

8. Lone Ranger
Lone Ranger, also called Money Ball, Yellow Ball or Pink Ball, puts the onus on one player per team per hole to come through with a good score. Players in a group of four rotate as the "Lone Ranger;" on each hole, the score of the designated Lone Ranger is combined with the low score of the other three team members for the team score.

9. Peoria System
The Peoria System is a sort of 1-day handicap system for a stroke play tournament in which most of the players do not have established handicaps. It allows all players to, following the round, deduce something resembling a handicap allowance and apply it to their scores. Peoria involves totaling your score on preselected (but secret, until after the round) holes, then doing some multiplication and division.

10. Callaway System
Like Peoria, the Callaway System is a quasi-handicapping system that can be employed for a stroke play event in which most of the particants do not have handicaps. The Callaway System involves consulting a chart following the round to determine a handicap deduction and handicap allowance.

Custom homes at Harbor Hills

A luxury custom home is more than just a house. It's the culmination of years of your hard work. It's your dream, and your retreat. It's where you enjoy the quality moments of your life. Building your custom home in Florida should be among those moments.

Our process for taking your custom home from an idea to a reality is unlike any you'll find in Central Florida. We've developed and continue to optimize a highly systemized approach to every aspect of the custom home building process. From lot analysis, to design, through selections, and on to construction and closing...no other builder has the expertise, talent or systems that we provide. The result is a building experience that is as exciting and rewarding as the final product. We invite you to discover luxury custom golf homes in Harbor Hills.

The American dream of owning a home is far from dead

Buy a New Home Today & Save Thousands for all your Tomorrow’s

It bears repeating “The American dream of owning a home is far from dead.” There is no better time to buy a new home than TODAY. Mortgages rates are at multi year lows. Prices have been reduced, in some cases, to pre 2000.

So, imagine going to your favorite department store and seeing everything on sale. Or, think of going to your Local Car Dealer and seeing prices lower than they have been in years. You wouldn’t want to miss out on those huge savings. Well, this is today’s housing market and the Dream of Home Ownership is very much alive. Home ownership has been the housing choice for the majority of US households since WWII. While home prices, locations and types may have changed over the years, the quest to own a home has continued to grow for nearly 65 years. The social benefits and financial security through home equity are only a few of the driving factors that keep the American dream of home ownership alive.

It is almost impossible to pick the exact bottom or top of any market; or when it’s going to get better. Still, we do know that people buy houses based on Curb appeal, and we at Harbor Hills are doing the very best we can to keep our Curb Appeal of our community at the top of the Bell curve.

Curb Appeal not only includes the aesthetics of the homes in our community, such as architectural style and the related accessories of trim, windows, shutters, landscaping, paint and greenery. It also include the aesthetics of the community such as Golf courses, Country Club, Tennis courts, common areas, roadways, gate houses and access control. Communities like Harbor Hills that offer Excellent Community Aesthetics will appreciate faster than other communities here in Central Florida because we offer the entire package. Harbor Hills is the premier gated community in Central Florida; taking excellent care of its common areas as well as ensuring the quality and appeal of the homes in the community. As you drive through are community; you soon realize it is second to none.

We feel that now is an excellent time to take advantage of lower new home costs, generated due to lower costs in labor and material, and low interest rates that make for more affordable mortgages.
New homes in our BellaVista section feature updated state of the art designs. We have revised our Toscano and Arrezzo plans and “Green Features”; which should reduce energy costs by 50 percent when compared to the energy costs of an older pre-owned home, and simultaneously improve the health of our environment. Some of these features include: spray foam insulation, double pane insulated windows, energy star appliances where applicable, higher S.E.E.R air conditioning systems and ventilated soffits.

We are excited to be in the process of starting two new Homes in Bella Vista; a brand new Four bedroom model and an enlarged “Toscano II”. We are also in the process of permitting our Brand New Low Maintenance Luxury Villas recently approved for Harbor Hills. In our opinion, Builders must provide compelling reasons to buy their homes. So, all these new homes are being built with the latest’s innovations.
Every member of the Harbor Hills team is committed to customer satisfaction and quality of workmanship. Building a new home or is a journey that without the right guidance can become riddled with stress & runaway budgets. There are so many different products and styles available, that too often buyers feel overwhelmed with choices. Our team helps guide buyers through this process in a way that makes them confident and comfortable with their selections.

The goal of the Harbor Hills team is to provide you with the best practices in design, construction and the best building products being offered today. Guiding this process are Harbor Hills’ four most important principals; communication, organization, personal attention & integrity. Our customers are our best references. Schedule a tour of the Harbor Hills community and you will have the opportunity to speak with our customers, visit their homes and see for yourself; the value of building a Harbor Hills homes.

For information on how Our Team can help you build your Dream Home stop by our Real Estate Information Center in our Clubhouse or call us at 1-800-822-5558 or email us at harborhillssalesinfo@harborhills.com

Looking for some great Recipes?

Join Chef Rob in an intimate setting as he shares his secrets and techniques
for enhancing food at the Harbor Hills Country Club.

The preparation and sampling plus a specialty drink will make another
lively afternoon event. We are excited about this new series of cooking
classes, so be sure and bring a friend.

Monday, April 23rd
Sauce it Up
Perfect the craft of one of the most popular “mother sauces” and learn how to
add variety to these sauces to suit a variety of dishes.
Time: 3:00 – 4:30 pm

Monday, June 18th
Salad Dressings 101
Learn the difference between broken and emulsified oil and vinegar
dressings and how by adding fresh ingredients you help create the perfect
homemade dressing.

Big Time Fishing Returns to Town this Week

Professional anglers from all over the country return to fish the waters that Harbor Hills Country Club members enjoy private access to year round.


http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/os-lk-bass-masters-20120117,0,4417460.story

A special thank you to Harbor Hills from our troops in Kuwait

This note came in the mail addressed to Harbor Hills Country Club in general. It is from a service woman stationed in Kuwait on behalf of those who have received cookies from the gracious group of ladies here at Harbor Hills.

Luxury Villas of Bella Vista at Harbor Hills

New Luxury Villas offer Maintenance Free Lifestyle at Harbor Hills

We are extremely excited to announce the availability of our new luxury villas in Bella Vista. These state of the art floor plans will be equipped with huge spaces for entertaining, incredible kitchens, spacious master bedrooms, and plenty of room for your guests. These over-sized villas are designed around a maintenance free lifestyle, giving you more time to enjoy the things in life you love.

Leesburg hospital offers free doctor lectures at Harbor Hills

On Wednesday, April 20, What is Cardiovascular Disease will be presented by Dr. Georg Couturier, board certified cardiologist. Heart disease or cardiovascular disease is the class of disease that involves the heart or blood vessels. Each year, cardiovascular disease takes more lives than cancer. Join Dr. Couturier as he discusses the prevention and treatment of this common problem.

This talk will take place at Harbor Hills Country Club in Lady Lake at 9:30 a.m.

To RSVP for these community Doc Talks, call (352) 323-1000.

CALLING ALL VETERANS!

Are you a veteran?

Do you know what benefits you are entitled to and where to go to get them?

Many veterans are entitled to receive benefits for their service and sacrifice to their nation, regardless of the amount of time they spent in the military. Your benefits are available not only from the U.S. Government, but many States also offer additional tax, education, and other benefits that you may not be aware exist. Such benefits can take many forms, including Health Care, Financial, Education, Insurance, Jobs, Vocational Training, Housing, Disability, Burial, and Assistance to Homeless Veterans, Assistance is also available to you from many sources, including County Service Officers in each state, as well as National Service Officers funded and provided by the many Veteran Service Organizations. Often these offices are collocated with the major VA Medical Centers or within you local county executive offices. These Service Officers will sit down with you and help you to apply for your entitlements.

Remember – Until you ask, the answer is always NO! To help you understand better what benefits you are entitled to and where to go to get them, there are a wide variety of resources available on the internet. The following are but a few of the many resources available to you. Do yourself a favor and learn about your entitlements:

National Veteran’s Resource Directory: https://www.nationalresourcedirectory.gov/
A-Z Veterans’ Benefits Guide: http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/benefits/
National Center for PTSD: http://www.ptsd.va.gov/
How to Obtain Your Military Records: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/
State Veterans’ Benefits Directory: http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits/state-veterans-benefits-directory

Front Entrance

Another gorgeous day at Harbor Hills Country Club. Check out this picture of the front entrance. Our beautiful Red Bud tree is in full bloom. To learn more about Harbor Hills Country Club, click here.

On the shores of Harbor Hills - Bassmasters Elite Series

It is that time of year again, where all of the top professional Bass Masters convey on the Lake Harris Chain of Lakes and work their way into the canals of Harbor Hills for the area's best Bass fishing.



Read all about the upcoming tournament.

Sunrise Wedding at Harbor Hills

It is a beautiful venue overlooking the best view in Central Florida for a private intimate Wedding ceremony. The distinguished invitees were then delighted by an outdoor breakfast on our Harbor Terrace overlooking Lake Griffin.



The guests are then whisked away to our Golf Digest 4 Star Rated Championship Golf Course.



A Perfect Day.

Bronx Wanderers

The other night the Bronx Wanderers wondered into town to a sellout show! They sang hits from the movie a, “Bronx Tale, Grease and the Broadway show, The Jersey Boys. Lead singer Yo Vinny, his son Vinny the Kid, Nikki Stix, Jimmy Fracassi and Jay Leslie, enlightened an alive crowd at Harbor Hills Country Club. With superlative vocals and musicianship, dynamic enthusiasm and genuine love of music they perform, The Bronx Wanderers recreated the magic of the era and built an energetic bond with the audience. The club was dancing, singing, hand clapping and toe-tapping all night. Delicious beef tenderloin was served along with homemade Maryland crab cakes and for dessert, New York style cheesecake. In attendance was Harbor Hills Country Club members Vic and Janice Johnson, who just built a beautiful custom made home in the Bella Vista section. They said, “We are having the times of our lives,”! You too can enjoy the lifestyle you’ve been looking for at Harbor Hills Country Club. So what are you waiting for?

Bern's Steak House

We all remember the movie, Goodfellas, which was a 1990 American Gangsta movie about wiseguy’s. The film begins with a pivotal night-time scene that introduces the film's three major characters. It is a major turning point for each of them. Three organized crime mobsters are in a white-top car cruising down a freeway. An inter-title notes the location and time: New York, 1970:
• Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) - the driver
• Jimmy Conway (Robert DeNiro) - in the passenger's seat
• Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci) - in the back seat

While these guys pictured above nowhere near Gangsta status they did have a good time out the other night. There first stop was at a local horse track Tampa Bay Downs and continued at World Famous Bern’s Steak House.

Harbor Hills Country Club President Michael Rich along with Harbor Hills Country Club members Tom Harper, George Schwartz and Geo Mayer indulged in fine aged beef and a nice bottle of vino. Bern’s Steak House has been around since the 1950’s when Bern Laxer opened the restaurant. It is known for their vast wine selection and perfectly aged steaks. After dinner they relaxed upstairs in a private booth with a Bern’s signature dessert and fine after-dinner spirits.
It doesn't get any better than this.

Large Mouth Bass Caught at Harbor Hills Country Club

In just a few short weeks the Sunshine Showdown will hit the Lake Harris Chain and the best of The Elite Series of The Bassmasters tour will be looking for that ever so popular largemouth bass. The last time the Elite Series came to the Harris Chain of Lakes. Mike McClelland had a 3 day total of 59 pounds, 2 ounces for the win. The Harris Chain of Lakes is made up of nine lakes that total about 76,000 surface acres in Central Florida, including Lake Griffin which borders Harbor Hills Country Club. As the pro's get ready, Harbor Hills own resident Mr. Gentalen found this 9 pound whopper at the bottem of Orange Canal earlier today. Just a few months ago Bill Murn landed a 9 1/2 lb Largemouth Bass. If your into the big one, there is no better place to find them. For more information click here.