Looking for Investors/Development Partners – Oklahoma Golf Course + Residential Devel

Barrett Porter · 2026-09-20T12:48:45-07:00

I’m researching a potential ground-up golf course development in Oklahoma and looking to connect with investors who have experience with land development, golf courses, residential development, or larger real estate projects. The concept is a roughly 272-acre property with good terrain and a strong location. The idea would be to develop an 18-hole golf course that uses the natural elevation and terrain instead of trying to flatten the property. We would also build ponds for irrigation and water management, along with a driving range/practice facility. The bigger part of the plan is developing residential lots around the course. The goal would be to have the residential development help fund the golf course construction rather than trying to finance the entire golf course upfront. I have a real estate background and experience with hands-on construction/development work, so I’m comfortable being involved in the project rather than simply putting an idea on paper. I’m still in the research and planning stage. I’m not looking for someone to blindly fund an idea. I’m looking to connect with people who understand development financing and would be interested in looking at the numbers and potentially partnering if the deal makes sense. If you have experience financing or developing golf courses, residential communities, large land projects, or similar developments, I’d like to hear how you would structure something like this.

G. Brian DavisPro Member

Investor · Hatboro, PA · Member since 2016 · 3k+ posts · 890 votes

1mo

That’s a big project. I’d be most interested in the residential side of the numbers. If the plan is to use lot sales to help fund the golf course, I’d want to know how much it costs to get each lot ready, what you realistically think you can sell them for, and how long you expect it to take.

I like the concept, but I’d be careful about making the deal dependent on everything going perfectly. Development costs can move pretty quickly, and lot sales can take longer than expected.

If the numbers still work with conservative assumptions, I’d keep digging.

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Henry ClarkPro Member

Developer · Member since 2020 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes

1mo

OP we are small potatoes doing 75 to 80 acre country subdivision lots but a lot is scaling.

Golf is on the downside
Determine your inventory and price point and how does it fit with the location? Example can your market handle 150 $250,000 lots plus 200 $150,000 lots?
Water and sewer? Do you have enough water if private wells. Or do you have access to city or county water and is there enough pressure? Our county requires minimum 2 acres for private water well and sewer system separation. If 2 acres you won’t have enough lots for the project viability.
Is there an existing stream or intermittent? Then US Corp of Engineering gets involved. It was going to cost me $120,000 for the “Right” to build 1acre pond. Plus there has to be enough Stream abatement or mitigation credits for you to buy. My stream as only about 2 inches deep by 18 inches wide. Still had to work with the Corp.
Any Indian historical sites?
Any major bridges needed?
How close is fiber optic service?
How close is electrical service?
Your profit doesn’t come till the last 30 or 40% of sales. Since this is a Longterm project your success will be determined by the over all economy in your location during that time frame. What does your crystal ball say?

I would look at the above items before going to the next level of analysis.

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Jay HinrichsBusiness Member

Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes

1mo

other than the very basic utilities due diligence and land use approvals.

I would look at Discovery land company and their projects.. they anchor them with a top flight ( think big dollar) name brand architect.

that would be the first move in my mind once you know you have a by right site by that I mean its properly zoned and Utls are there and can be tapped into.

Architect is going to do a prelim design and you can see how it lays out.. But as Henry mention golf is for sure over its prime.. Discovery has made these project basically a cult following and VERY high end.. However extremely profitable for the company..

If your in an area like OKC which is not a really big dollar market.. can you realistically afford to build a golf course and get a premium for lots. so thats where I would start of golf course folks and your banker or capital will want a report from 3rd party expert validating that if you build it they will come and they will pay what its going to take..

I think if you are of the mind I will build the lots first and promise the golf course that is going to be a non starter.. I have seen the golf course go in and then the club house come later that is pretty standard.. but sell lots at a premium and then just promise the golf course. I would think you will need a very big money partner backing that promise to even sell lots.

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Nicholas FloydBusiness Member

NY · Member since 2026 · 324 posts · 104 votes

2w

Barrett, that’s an interesting concept. I like the idea of using the residential development to help finance the golf course rather than taking on the entire cost upfront. With a project that size, I think having the right funding structure and development partners is going to be key.

I work in business funding, helping business owners access capital through business loans, lines of credit, SBA financing, and other funding options depending on the project. Something this large would likely require a combination of development financing and equity partners.

I’m curious, have you already secured the land or are you still evaluating the property? And have you put together an estimated budget for the different phases of development?

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Noah WrightBusiness Member

USA, Nationwide · Member since 2024 · 328 posts · 122 votes

2w

Doing the research before asking anyone for money is the right order, and your hands-on background will matter to any partner who looks at this. On the lender side of this, the course itself is the hard piece to borrow against, because most lenders see a golf course as special-purpose collateral with a thin pool of buyers if things go wrong. Lot development is easier to finance, usually in phases with release prices, so part of each lot sale pays down the loan before the next phase gets funded. One structure that often helps on a project like this is the landowner putting the land in as equity for a share of the deal instead of selling it for cash. Has the owner shown any interest in that?

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Max Comperatore

Technology · New York, NY · Member since 2026 · 48 posts · 8 votes

3d

Barrett, Henry and Jay gave you the risk list. Here is the arithmetic that decides it.

Carve 165 acres for the course, corridors and ponds from your 272 and you have roughly 100 gross residential acres. At 60% efficiency and 8,000 sf lots that is about 275 sellable pads. Horizontal infrastructure runs $45k to $55k per pad here, so $13M to $15M before a single vertical, plus $3M land and 12% softs, putting lot basis at $18M to $20M. At a $110k blended finished lot price gross is $30M and margin is $11M, a 36% spread. Layer $15M of golf on it and margin goes to negative $4M. Jay's caution, in dollars. The course cannot be a cost center carried by lot proceeds.

Debt proof: 60% LTC on horizontal is $8.5M. At 8.5% over 25 years the debt constant is 9.66%, so $820k of annual service starts before your first closing. A 1.25x DSCR floor forces release prices at 115% of pro rata allocation, and Henry is right that profit sits in the final 30%. Underwrite the S-curve carry, not the sellout.

So golf is funded by initiation capital, not lots. 150 founding members at $20k deposits is $3M of equity against an $8M to $9M course scope. Noah's land-as-equity structure is the only version of this I would touch.

Barrett, will the landowner take zero cash at closing for a back-end promote, and what is your top verified finished lot comp with golf frontage?

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Looking for Investors/Development Partners – Oklahoma Golf Course + Residential Devel

Looking for Investors/Development Partners – Oklahoma Golf Course + Residential Devel

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