Andalusia Country Club hosts an exciting season of men’s, women’s, niners’ and couple’s golf events.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANDALUSIA COUNTRY CLUB
Andalusia Country Club has set the stage for upscale desert living. It has all the ingredients homeowners in the luxury market are seeking — stunning mountain and golf course views, a peaceful environment, brilliant starry nights, world-class amenities, fun activities, impressive architecture and finishes and an attentive staff waiting to serve and please. It’s the perfect backdrop for enjoying the desert lifestyle to the fullest. But the secret sauce, the key ingredient that makes this symphony of luxury living come alive, is the magnanimous people the community attracts. It’s the sense of community that truly makes Andalusia special.
A well-established, vibrant community, Andalusia will celebrate 15 years in 2021. Founded by The Drummond Company, the development was purchased by Sunrise Company in 2018, which infused new life into the community, including 2019 renovations and enhancements of the resort-style pool area, the inspiring fitness center and a lighter, brighter modern design update to refresh Tapas restaurant, a five-star dining experience about which the members can’t say enough good things. New signature yellow umbrellas and patio cushions at the pool and Sports Club set the tone for a sunny, cheerful atmosphere amidst an often-cloudless, azure sky.
Andalusia has been called “my” happy place, an adult day camp, winter camp and a retreat. While the world slowed down this past year, many found a haven at Andalusia, and as of November, the community has sold 60 homes so far this year.
Andalusia also recently announced an exciting new opportunity to enjoy the Andalusia lifestyle at a price point under $1 million. Construction will begin in February 2021 on the Club Villas, a collection of 35 free-standing modern villas from 2,300 to 2,600 square feet, located at the heart of the community surrounding the Sports Club. Six models of larger homesites and homes are also available spanning 3,280 to 5,131 square feet priced from $1.1 to $1.8 million, all featuring golf course views. Each home includes a Sports Club membership for members to enjoy fitness, dining, tennis, pickleball, bocce and the resort-style pool along with a robust calendar of social events.
Golfers at Andalusia love the no tee time program, offering the flexibility to walk on and enjoy a round whenever they want.
Ideally situated at the base of the picturesque Santa Rosa and Coral mountains, the wide-open Rees Jones golf course provides a spectacular desert setting.
With majestic mountain views everywhere you turn, golfers are amazed not only by the breathtaking beauty — but also by the expansive fairways and impressive elevation changes to challenge every level of play.
Andalusia Country Club Head Golf Professional Lindsey Winch and his team organize an exciting season of events for the club’s nearly 200 golf members, including three major invitational tournaments, other tournaments, the club championships and weekly programs. Andalusia also has a ladies’ member liaison to welcome new golf members and introduce them to other members.
Pickleball is hugely popular at Andalusia — the first club in the desert to add pickleball courts. Not surprisingly, it has the desert’s largest pickleball program and a growing tennis program. Sports Club Director Blake Wilcox’s enthusiasm is contagious. An avid pickleball player, Wilcox won a gold medal in the 2017 National Pickleball Championships in mixed doubles and a silver medal in the 2018 men’s division.
Ramon and Kelly Baez at the Club’s annual end of the season party.
Spectacular alfresco dining with cozy fireplaces and twinkle lights by night, mountain views by day.
Andalusia’s world-class Sports Club offers eight pickleball, seven tennis, and two bocce courts.
During the season, a favorite community event is the Vlasic Classic pickleball tournament, complete with an award jar of Vlasic pickles. Last season the club offered a Links, Dinks and Drinks event combining golf with pickleball for the increasing number of golfers who are taking up pickleball.
“We’re still pinching ourselves,” said homeowner Ramon Baez. “How did this even happen? We didn’t even know about Andalusia. For us to just fall into it, we were blown away.”
Initially, he and his wife, Kelly, were looking for homes in Rancho Mirage or Palm Desert but couldn’t find anything that suited them. Having expanded their search to La Quinta, Andalusia Country Club came into the radius and they are so glad it did. The Baezs had three criteria for their new desert home. Andalusia fit the bill in every respect: a gorgeous view, a community with a genuine sense of community and a well-appointed kitchen with a large pantry for entertaining.
“We didn’t want to move into a neighborhood where we never saw anyone. We really wanted to be in a community that was active and has amenities like golf, tennis and pickleball. And we like the hikes they organize. We met some of our closest friends on an Andalusia group hike.”
— Kelly Baez, Andalusia member
“We didn’t want to move into a neighborhood where we never saw anyone,” said Kelly. “We really wanted to be in a community that was active and has amenities like golf, tennis and pickleball. And we like the hikes they organize. We met some of our closest friends on an Andalusia group hike.”
“If you want to be private, you can, but if you want to be involved, it’s available,” added Ramon. “There aren’t people on your door every day like a cruise ship, but it’s there for you to enjoy.”
Seasonal junior tennis camps are a hit with kids as well as parents.
The Baezs divide their time between La Quinta and Coeur d’Alene. They have lived in Andalusia for four years now and experienced the transition of community ownership to Sunrise Company in 2018. “Sunrise Company is clearly engaged. They have tremendous communication with the members,” said Ramon. “They even held a focus group to lay out their short-term, mid-term and long-term plans and to find out what we really want — what will be a draw for residents to be further out of town and come to south La Quinta. We participated in the focus group and they did a really nice job with that and they’ve already acted on our suggestions.”
The resort-style pool area offers stunning views for swimming and basking. There’s even a separate kiddie pool.
Soon-to-be new homeowners, Martin von Känel and his girlfriend, Jules Silva, of Torrance are building a semi-custom home at Andalusia, which will be completed by the start of next season — just in time for Martin’s 60th birthday bash.
“I can’t tell you how excited we are to be here. This development is really a gem to me. It’s Shangri-La,” said Martin. “We are looking forward to making this our primary residence that is welcoming and comfortable for entertaining family, friends and clients.”
The two were searching for a desert home and just hadn’t quite found what they wanted. While playing golf in Palm Desert, a fellow golfer mentioned Andalusia Country Club. “Once we got there, and saw the sculpture of the Andalusian vaquero and drove through the impressive entrance and saw the impeccably manicured grounds, the beautiful golf course and the pool area which looks like a resort, I told Jules, this is the place we’re going to buy a home.”
Eight impressive models showcase the indoor/outdoor flow of Andalusia’s spacious floor plans.
Expansive patios and spacious homesites with magnificent views set the backdrop for entertaining at home.
Enjoy a leisurely lunch with friends in the ladies’ lounge.
Martin is not an impetuous man. He is a wealth management advisor and a helicopter pilot, both requiring foresight, planning and accuracy. He knew immediately he found what he wanted at Andalusia. It may sound cliché, but this story of love, at first sight, is repeated time and again at Andalusia.
A compass helped Martin find his true north at Andalusia. His lot near the number 6 tee box is magnetic 352 degrees north. “We wanted a community with a fabulous golf course, within our price range and a north-facing backyard so we can be outside even in the summer. When we hit all three — trifecta — done, sold.”
The couple looked at resales, signature homes and opted to build a new home, giving them the option to customize their home. Having chosen a Spanish exterior elevation, they are working with Andalusia’s on-site design center to select contemporary interior finishes.
From a sunrise walk through the community’s several-mile walking and biking trail to recreational and social events such as wine tastings, parties, game nights to cooking classes, Andalusia offers a well-lit stage for its all-star cast to interact in the grand performance of life.
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