Cary · Holly Springs · Apex · Fuquay-Varina
Golf-Course Homes in Southwest Wake: The Club Neighborhoods, Compared
Southwest Wake's golf-club neighborhoods are 12 Oaks and Sunset Ridge in Holly Springs, and Preston, MacGregor Downs and Lochmere in Cary. In the 12 months ending Oct. 26, 2026, 12 Oaks had the most $800K+ sales of the five, 39, and Preston the highest median, $1,300,000, per Wake County records. Club membership is its own decision.
By Leonna Weiss, Weiss Choice Realty at KW Legacy · Last updated:
The short list
Which Southwest Wake neighborhoods are built around a golf club?
Five neighborhoods in Southwest Wake have a golf club inside or at the heart of the community. Each club was checked on its own website on Nov. 13, 2026, and the sales come from Wake County's qualified-sales file.
| Neighborhood | Town | Golf club | How the club describes itself | Home sales, past 12 months | $800K+ sales | Median of the $800K+ sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Oaks | Holly Springs | The Club at 12 Oaks | Private club; Nicklaus Design Group course | 89 | 39 | $1,075,000 |
| Preston | Cary | Prestonwood Country Club | Privately owned; 54 holes | 50 | 37 | $1,300,000 |
| MacGregor Downs | Cary | MacGregor Downs Country Club | Private; 18 holes, opened 1967 | 16 | 15 | $1,025,000 |
| Sunset Ridge | Holly Springs | Devils Ridge Golf Club | Private; 18 holes | 39 | 16 | $924,750 |
| Lochmere | Cary | Lochmere Golf Club | Semi-private; members and daily play | 36 | 19 | $1,040,000 |
Sales: Wake County qualified sales, single-family detached, one-parcel deeds, Oct. 27, 2025 – Oct. 26, 2026; one Preston deed under $100,000 is left out as a non-market sale. Neighborhood boundaries follow the names in Wake County parcel records, so Preston and Sunset Ridge include many named sections. Club descriptions are from each club's own site, checked Nov. 13, 2026.
Apex doesn't have a neighborhood on this list. If you want Apex at $800K+, start with my Apex realtor page. One correction you'll see on older listings in Fuquay-Varina: the Crooked Creek Golf Club closed in 2015, and in 2018 Wake County commissioners approved buying part of the course for a park, so Crooked Creek is no longer a golf-club neighborhood.
The clubs
How do the golf clubs differ?
The Club at 12 Oaks · Holly Springs
- Private club with a course by Nicklaus Design Group.
- Offers Premier Golf and Lifestyle memberships.
- Social membership is mandatory for 12 Oaks homeowners; golf is a higher level. See my 12 Oaks guide.
Prestonwood Country Club · Cary
- Privately owned and operated, since 1988.
- 54 holes of golf and 15 tennis courts.
- The club says owning a home in Preston is not required for membership.
MacGregor Downs Country Club · Cary
- Private club on Lake MacGregor, opened in 1967.
- 18-hole course designed by Willard Byrd.
- Like 12 Oaks, it is an affiliate of Concert Golf Partners, and both clubs advertise "One Membership, Two Great Clubs." Ask which courses your level includes.
Devils Ridge Golf Club · Holly Springs
- Private club run by Invited, inside Sunset Ridge.
- 18-hole course designed by John LaFoy, with golf and social memberships.
- Sunset Ridge's pool and tennis are a separate club, The Club at Sunset. See my Sunset Ridge guide.
Lochmere Golf Club · Cary
- Semi-private, also run by Invited.
- Takes both members and daily-fee golfers.
- Good fit if you want to play near home without a private-club commitment. See my Lochmere guide.
I don't publish club dues or initiation fees here. Clubs change them, so get current numbers from the club's membership office before you make an offer.
Prices
What does a golf-course home cost in Southwest Wake?
These figures only count the $800K+ sales in each neighborhood, so you can compare homes at the same level.
| Neighborhood ($800K+ sales only) | Median price | Median heated sq ft | Median lot | Median year built | Median $ per heated sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preston (37 sales) | $1,300,000 | 3,483 | 0.43 ac | 1995 | $368 |
| 12 Oaks (39 sales) | $1,075,000 | 3,547 | 0.25 ac | 2015 | $289 |
| Lochmere (19 sales) | $1,040,000 | 3,396 | 0.41 ac | 1988 | $323 |
| MacGregor Downs (15 sales) | $1,025,000 | 3,234 | 0.66 ac | 1981 | $339 |
| Sunset Ridge (16 sales) | $924,750 | 3,248 | 0.53 ac | 2001 | $288 |
Wake County qualified sales, Oct. 27, 2025 – Oct. 26, 2026. Heated square feet is Wake's figure and can differ from MLS. Medians with an even count are the midpoint of the two middle sales.
Two patterns stand out. Cary's club neighborhoods cost more per square foot, and their homes are older, mostly from the 1980s and 1990s. 12 Oaks and Sunset Ridge give you more house for the money, and 12 Oaks has the newest homes of the five. For a head-to-head on price, the closest match is Cary against Holly Springs. My Apex vs. Holly Springs vs. Cary page covers the town differences, and my 12 Oaks vs. Preston vs. MacGregor Downs comparison goes deeper on those three.
Before you buy
What should I check before buying a home on a golf course?
- Is club membership required, optional or not offered with the home? It differs by club. In 12 Oaks, social membership is mandatory for homeowners. At Prestonwood, the club says homeownership in Preston isn't required for membership.
- Who owns the club, and what happens if it changes hands? Clubs are businesses. Crooked Creek's 2015 closing is a local reminder that a course view isn't guaranteed forever.
- HOA and club costs are separate. Get the HOA's current assessment schedule and the club's current rates in writing. Compare both before you compare total monthly costs.
- Look at the lot from the course side. Walk the hole behind the house and check where tee shots and cart paths land. Do it at a busy tee time, not on a quiet evening.
- Check the parcel's town on Wake County iMAPS. All five neighborhoods are under town planning, but confirm the specific parcel before you rely on town services or rates.
How I work
Working with me on a golf-community home
I'm Leonna Weiss, with Weiss Choice Realty at KW Legacy in Apex, and I work with buyers and sellers across Southwest Wake. For golf-community buyers, I pull the closed sales for the exact section you like, so you can see what a fairway lot actually sold for. For sellers, I price from the same dated sales. I also help you sort out the club and HOA questions before the offer, not after. If you're weighing the higher end more broadly, see my Southwest Wake luxury market page, or read about me.
Questions people ask
Frequently asked questions
What are the golf-course communities in Southwest Wake?
12 Oaks (The Club at 12 Oaks) and Sunset Ridge (Devils Ridge Golf Club) in Holly Springs, and Preston (Prestonwood Country Club), MacGregor Downs (MacGregor Downs Country Club) and Lochmere (Lochmere Golf Club) in Cary. Crooked Creek in Fuquay-Varina lost its course when the club closed in 2015.
Which golf community in Southwest Wake has the most $800K+ sales?
12 Oaks in Holly Springs. It had 39 single-family sales of $800K+ in the 12 months ending Oct. 26, 2026, at a median of $1,075,000, per Wake County records. Preston in Cary was close behind with 37, at a higher median of $1,300,000.
Do you have to join the golf club if you buy in 12 Oaks?
Yes, at the social level. Social membership in The Club at 12 Oaks is mandatory for homeowners, and golf is a higher membership level. Confirm current terms and costs with the club.
Do you have to live in Preston to join Prestonwood Country Club?
No. Prestonwood Country Club says homeownership within the Preston development is not required for membership.
Is there a public golf course in a Cary neighborhood?
Lochmere Golf Club in Cary is semi-private. It takes both members and daily-fee golfers, according to the club's website.
Is Crooked Creek in Fuquay-Varina still a golf community?
No. Crooked Creek Golf Club closed in 2015, and in 2018 Wake County commissioners approved buying part of the former course for a park. The neighborhood remains, but the club does not.
Looking at a home on the course?
Tell me the neighborhoods and the price range. I'll bring the closed sales for those sections, plus the questions to ask the club.
Sources
Where these numbers come from
- Wake County Department of Tax Administration records: Qualified Sales, Past 24 Months (file stamped Oct. 31, 2026; latest sale Oct. 26, 2026), services.wake.gov. Single-family detached, land-and-building sales on one-parcel deeds, Oct. 27, 2025 – Oct. 26, 2026. Neighborhoods are matched by the names in Wake County parcel records: TWELVE OAKS (Holly Springs), PRESTON (Cary, no townhomes), MACGREGOR DOWNS (Cary, without MacGregor West, townhomes or villas), SUNSET RIDGE sections (Holly Springs) and all Lochmere sections (Cary).
- The Club at 12 Oaks: About (Nicklaus Design Group course) and Membership (Premier Golf and Lifestyle memberships), checked Nov. 13, 2026.
- 12 Oaks social membership requirement: Leonna Weiss, confirmed Oct. 24, 2026, as published on the 12 Oaks guide.
- Prestonwood Country Club: home page (since 1988, 54 holes, 15 tennis courts) and About Us (privately owned; homeownership in Preston not required), checked Nov. 13, 2026.
- MacGregor Downs Country Club: About (private, opened 1967, on Lake MacGregor), Golf (18 holes, Willard Byrd) and Membership, checked Nov. 13, 2026.
- Devils Ridge Golf Club (Invited): club page (private, John LaFoy course) and Who We Are (in Sunset Ridge), checked Nov. 13, 2026.
- Lochmere Golf Club (Invited): club page (semi-private, memberships and daily play), checked Nov. 13, 2026.
- Crooked Creek Golf Club closing: WRAL (June 18, 2018: commissioners approve buying part of the former course; closed 2015).
Weiss Choice Realty, brokered by Keller Williams Legacy
1483 Beaver Creek Commons Dr, Apex, NC 27502 · Call or text (919) 648-0458 · leonna@weisschoicerealty.com