The Big Move: Uprooting and Finding a New Country Club Home

For Martin Walters and his wife, Stephanie, the journey to finding their home at Gulf Harbour Yacht and Country Club began with a friendly invitation.

As owners of a financial services company in Louisville, Kentucky, the Walters had clients and friends in the Fort Myers area, whom they would visit on occasion. 

They began to consider buying a second home in Southwest Florida and started looking at properties. Then during one particular trip, their real estate agent, a Gulf Harbour member, invited them to the club for a Friday evening cocktail party.

“So I said, ‘yeah, those are two of my favorite things: cocktails and parties. so let's just go,’” Martin recalls. “So we went and it was amazing how friendly and nice everyone was.”

That night of country club living made an impression. And with each trip back and forth from Louisville, the Walters found themselves drawn to the scenic beauty and welcoming community of Gulf Harbour.

“We were like, ‘Oh my God, this is great. We're meeting a ton of people,’” Martin remembers. “So we ended up coming back the next year, two or three times; for a week or a long weekend, or a couple of weeks. And then we were itching for the season to start so we could get back.”

Making the Move

Martin and Stephanie (or Stepi, as she’s known to her friends and family) finally decided to take the plunge. They purchased a Gulf Harbour property, intending to use it as a vacation retreat.

“We fell in love with the idea of having our getaway here,” he says. “So we found a small home that was facing the golf course and bought the membership at the same time.”

That was in 2018, which seems like another lifetime ago for the Walters. 

Since that time, they’ve sold their investment company, taken an early retirement and swapped the small home they purchased six years ago for a larger forever home at Gulf Harbour.

Looking back, they wouldn’t have done it any other way. 

The “come as you are” culture at Gulf Harbour–without pretense in any corner of the club–was just what they were looking for. 

“Nobody cares whether you're rich or not. If you have a good attitude and want to have fun, this is the place for you to be,” Martin says. “It’s just been great.”

A country club can provide that sense of belonging, especially for retirees. And the Walters were thrilled to discover a supportive and inclusive environment at Gulf Harbour, making them feel right at home.

But the experience of uprooting their lives in Louisville and making the permanent move south was not without some sacrifice. 

Family Ties

Martin and Stepi have grandchildren in northern Kentucky. Their daughter Shelby and son-in-law Kyle have two children, Tucker and Wesley, who stole their grandparents’ hearts and made it difficult to leave the Bluegrass State. 

“The problem is we had our first grandkid,” Martin says, recalling when Tucker was born the same time they were considering the move. 

“But we realized we weren't going to see him every day, they’re two hours away,” he said. “So now we’ve got a two hour flight and it's all worked out.” 

After making their home at Gulf Harbour, the Walters enjoy frequent visits from Shelby and the children. And for young Wesley, his grandparents’ Florida home has amenities and activities that keep him wanting more.

“He’ll say, ‘I want to come and go in the pool, Poppy. I want to ride on your golf cart, Poppy. I want to go out to the island’–all the stuff that he loves to do here,’” Martin says with pride.

The Walters have another daughter, Lacy, who lives in St. Petersburg and visits them most weekends. Those visits have allowed her to spend enjoyable family time and create close friendships with other Gulf Harbour members.

“She knows so many people here. So, when she comes on the weekends, our friends will say, ‘Hey, Lacy's coming to town, let's go out on the boat or let’s have a board meeting,’” Martin says, referring to another emerging tradition at the club where six to eight couples gather in the club boardroom for dinner and lively conversation. 

For Martin and Stepi, the opportunity to be part of the community and make social connections has been a significant benefit of joining a private club. By forming strong bonds with like-minded individuals, the Walters found it easy to connect with new people and build lasting friendships.

And as for concerns over leaving friends and family behind, Martin recommends embracing the transformation, but taking it slow. 

“You don't have to be here permanently if you've got some other draw somewhere else,” he advises. 

Martin now runs the Ambassador Program at Gulf Harbour, where members introduce new members to the broader community and the club’s offerings.

Through his interaction with new members, he hears familiar concerns of creating an entirely new lifestyle and starting over in a new place. But he also sees couples and families embrace their new homes much quicker than they expected.

“One of the couples said, ‘You know, I just can't see being here more than a couple of weeks at a time, because I'm just so connected to my grandkids.’ And three days in, I said, ‘Well, how's the grandkids?’ And they’re like, ‘What grandkids?’ he says with a laugh. “So they’re already saying, ‘yeah, that whole two weeks is not enough.’”

A Place to Belong

The Walters fully embrace the activities and events at Gulf Harbour. Martin and Stepi are both active on the golf course, as you might expect. Meanwhile, Stepi, along with a friend, started a bunco group to have fun and bring members together.

“Now they have over a hundred people on this list that want to play bunco," Martin says. “So even in the off season, they're filling the room.”

Aside from leading the Ambassador Program, Martin started a bourbon club at Gulf Harbour, which meets at the Marina, on a large porch overlooking the yacht club.

“Being from Kentucky, we're big into the brown water,” Martin concedes. "I'm not much of a cigar guy, but they wanted to throw that in. So we’ve got a bourbon and cigar group.”

What started as a gathering of four now welcomes 25 or more members who enjoy sampling some of Kentucky’s finest batches. 

“It's not a formal thing. It's just ‘bring a bottle’ and that gives people an opportunity to taste different things,” Martin says. 

It was a big decision for the Walters’ to pull up stakes on their longtime home in Kentucky. But joining a private club like Gulf Harbour has provided a soft landing and a fulfilling and enriching experience.

By embracing the community, participating in activities and enjoying Gulf Harbour’s many amenities, the Walters have created a new and exciting chapter in their lives.

“We just feel like the most grateful people in the world because we have fun every day,” Martin beams. “We've got a ton of friends here. The club is awesome; plenty of activities, golf, beautiful neighborhoods, it’s fantastic.

“And there's just really nothing to complain about. It's just a cool place to be.”