Inside the Triangle's Private Golf Club Communities: From Fairway Estates to $1.6 Million Mansions
The Triangle’s private golf club communities range from attainable $580K homes at North Ridge to $1.6 million estates at The Oaks in Chapel Hill. We analyzed county sales records across 14 private club neighborhoods to reveal where the biggest homes, highest price tags, and most renovation activity live.
Private club communities are the pinnacle of Triangle real estate. Beyond the golf, they offer gated security, resort-style amenities, and some of the largest homes in the region. But not all private clubs are created equal — the data reveals a surprising range in what your money buys.
The Data: Private Golf Club Communities
| Community | City | Sales | Median Price | Median Sq Ft | $/Sq Ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hope Valley | Durham | 132 | $540,000 | 2,342 | $255 |
| North Ridge | Raleigh | 134 | $580,000 | 2,532 | $231 |
| Wakefield Plantation | Raleigh | 83 | $592,500 | 2,761 | $207 |
| Bentwinds | Fuquay-Varina | 18 | $617,500 | 2,509 | $255 |
| Treyburn | Durham | 67 | $643,000 | 2,956 | $205 |
| 12 Oaks | Holly Springs | 175 | $750,000 | 2,900 | $259 |
| Brier Creek CC | Raleigh | 30 | $762,500 | 2,972 | $238 |
| Hasentree | Wake Forest | 79 | $972,500 | 3,704 | $265 |
| Croasdaile | Durham | 54 | $973,500 | 3,556 | $287 |
| Prestonwood | Cary | 165 | $1,100,000 | 3,105 | $330 |
| MacGregor Downs | Cary | 65 | $1,200,000 | 3,633 | $308 |
| The Oaks | Chapel Hill | 13 | $1,600,000 | 4,010 | $407 |
| Carolina Country Club | Raleigh | 1* | $3,370,000 | 8,239 | $409 |
*Carolina Country Club had only 1 recorded sale in county records over the past two years, reflecting its ultra-exclusive, low-turnover nature. Governors Club in Chatham County (27 holes, median homes above $1M) is not included due to data availability. Both remain among the Triangle’s most exclusive golf communities.
Best Value Per Square Foot: Treyburn & Wakefield
Dollar for dollar, Treyburn in north Durham and Wakefield Plantation in north Raleigh deliver the most house for your money among private clubs. Both come in around $205–$207 per square foot — comparable to what you’d pay in an average non-golf community.
Treyburn offers a median of nearly 3,000 square feet for $643,000, while Wakefield delivers 2,761 square feet for $593,000. Both feature mature Tom Fazio–designed courses and large, established homes. For buyers who want the private club lifestyle without paying a premium per square foot, these two stand out.
Largest Homes: The Oaks, Hasentree & MacGregor Downs
If square footage is what you’re after, three communities dominate:
- The Oaks (Chapel Hill) — Median 4,010 sq ft, with homes up to 6,775 sq ft
- Hasentree (Wake Forest) — Median 3,704 sq ft, with homes up to 6,780 sq ft
- MacGregor Downs (Cary) — Median 3,633 sq ft, with estates exceeding 9,000 sq ft
MacGregor Downs holds the record for the largest individual home in our dataset at over 9,184 square feet. North Ridge in Raleigh also has an outlier estate at 16,127 square feet, though its median is a more modest 2,532.
Where Owners Are Investing: Renovation Hot Spots
Building permit records reveal which communities are seeing the most renovation and improvement activity:
- Hasentree leads by a wide margin with 49 renovation permits totaling over $2.6 million in project value over the past two years. Homeowners here are actively upgrading — pools, additions, and full-home remodels are common.
- Wakefield Plantation follows with 19 permits and $2.2 million in renovation spending, suggesting mature homes getting contemporary upgrades.
- Wildwood Green (public course, covered in our companion article) shows 7 permits at $529,000 — notable given the small community size, indicating owners are reinvesting in these older homes (median year built 1990).
Communities with newer construction like 12 Oaks (2016) and Hasentree (2018) naturally show less need for renovation, though Hasentree’s high permit count suggests custom buyers who continue to build out their properties after purchase.
The Exclusive Tier
Four communities sit in a class of their own:
Carolina Country Club, Raleigh — The Triangle’s most exclusive golf address. With only 1 recorded sale in the past two years — a $3.37 million, 8,239 sq ft estate — Carolina Country Club barely registers in public records because homes here almost never trade. Located along Glenwood Avenue in the heart of Raleigh, the club’s small residential enclave commands $409 per square foot, matching The Oaks at the very top of the Triangle market. This is trophy real estate in the truest sense.
The Oaks / Chapel Hill Country Club — At a $1.6 million median and $407 per square foot, The Oaks is the Triangle’s priciest golf community by a significant margin. Straddling Orange and Durham counties near Chapel Hill, it commands the highest price per square foot of any community in our analysis. With only 13 sales in two years, inventory is extremely tight.
MacGregor Downs Country Club, Cary — At $1.2 million median with homes averaging 3,633 square feet, MacGregor Downs is Cary’s most prestigious golf address. The club dates to the early 1970s, and many homes have been extensively renovated or rebuilt. At $308/sqft, it represents the upper echelon of Cary real estate.
Prestonwood Country Club, Cary — With the highest price per square foot in Wake County at $330/sqft and a $1.1 million median, Prestonwood is the most active high-end golf market (165 sales). The three-course Prestonwood complex is one of the Southeast’s premier private clubs.
Governors Club, Chapel Hill — Though not reflected in our county data analysis, Governors Club in Chatham County features 27 holes of Jack Nicklaus–designed golf and regularly sees homes trade above $1 million. It’s considered one of the Triangle’s most exclusive gated communities.
The Most Approachable Private Clubs
Not every private club community requires seven figures. Several offer the private club experience at price points that overlap with the broader market:
- Hope Valley ($540K median) — Durham’s oldest and most storied country club, with a walkable neighborhood and mature tree canopy
- North Ridge ($580K median) — Two courses (Lakes & Oaks) in north Raleigh with active new construction pushing the median year built to 2019
- Wakefield Plantation ($593K median) — The former TPC Wakefield area, offering the best $/sqft ratio of any private club community
- Bentwinds ($618K median) — Fuquay-Varina’s best-kept secret, with a small, tight-knit community and competitive pricing
The Bottom Line
Private golf club communities in the Triangle span an enormous range — from $205/sqft at Treyburn to $409/sqft at Carolina Country Club and The Oaks. The key factors driving price per square foot are location (Cary and Chapel Hill command premiums), club prestige, and home age.
For buyers who value space and don’t mind a longer commute, Treyburn and Wakefield offer private club living at public-course prices. For those seeking the Triangle’s very best, The Oaks, MacGregor Downs, and Prestonwood deliver homes and clubs that rival anything in the Southeast.
Looking at a specific community? Get in touch — we can pull a detailed market report for any neighborhood in the Triangle.
Data source: Wake, Durham, and Orange county public property records (sales from February 2024–February 2026). Single-family residential sales only. Building permit data from Wake County Inspections.