Blackthorn Golf Club
South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana · South Bend / Michiana golf market
- Access
- mixed
- Holes
- 18
- Architect(s)
- Michael Hurdzan, Bill Boswell
- Golf access
- Bundled
Thinking About Living in Blackthorn Golf Club?
Get connected with a local real-estate specialist who understands Blackthorn Golf Club and the surrounding South Bend / Michiana golf market.
Blackthorn Golf Club is a Michael Hurdzan (with Bill Boswell) design that opened in 1994 on a 226-acre, rolling, heavily wooded site in South Bend, and was ranked Golf Digest's No. 4 Best New Public Course upon opening; it later carried a Golf Week ranking as Indiana's No. 1 municipal course (2013) before transitioning away from municipal ownership around 2015. For most golfers, Blackthorn functions as a premier public/semi-private course reached via green fees. What elevates it to a genuine golf-living anchor is The Reserve at Blackthorn, a small developer-built subdivision (Place Homes Inc.) offering home sites directly on the course's 'Blarney Hole.' Per the developer's own site -- corroborated across two independently-worded searches -- residents of The Reserve receive two complimentary golf memberships to Blackthorn Golf Club per household, along with exclusive access to a lighted chipping and putting green within the community and maintenance-free landscaping (mowing, trimming, edging, snow removal) as part of residency.
Golf & Course
Blackthorn opened in 1994 as a Michael Hurdzan (with Bill Boswell) design across 226 wooded, rolling acres, playing to a par-72 over roughly 7,136 yards, with an Irish-cottage-style clubhouse. It earned Golf Digest's No. 4 Best New Public Course honor at opening and was later rated Indiana's No. 1 municipal course by Golf Week (2013) before a change from municipal to private operation around 2015.
Membership & Access
Does buying a home here include club membership?
The general public plays Blackthorn on a semi-private/public green-fee basis. Only homeowners in The Reserve at Blackthorn subdivision are documented as receiving bundled, complimentary golf memberships (two per household) as part of residency -- a meaningfully different access tier from ordinary public play, and the basis for this anchor's barrier_to_entry qualification.
Living in Blackthorn Golf Club
The Reserve at Blackthorn is a small subdivision developed by Place Homes Inc. with home sites sited directly along the golf course; individual home sale/listing data points found this session ranged from roughly $424,000 to $875,000, with maintenance-free living (lawn care and snow removal) bundled into residency.
Lifestyle & Amenities
Beyond bundled golf memberships, The Reserve at Blackthorn residents have exclusive rights to a lighted chipping and putting green within the community, plus proximity to the University of Notre Dame, South Bend International Airport, and the Indiana Toll Road.
Location & Surrounding Area
Blackthorn Golf Club and The Reserve at Blackthorn sit in South Bend, St. Joseph County, in Indiana's South Bend/Michiana sub-region -- geographically distant from both Hamilton County/Indianapolis Metro and Northwest Indiana's Chicago-exurb market.
Interested in Homes in Blackthorn Golf Club?
We can connect you with a local real-estate specialist who knows the community, nearby golf communities, and the South Bend / Michiana market.
What Buyers Should Verify
- Confirm the exact current terms of the two-free-memberships benefit (golf-only vs. full privileges, any annual renewal or transfer conditions) directly with the developer/HOA.
- Confirm whether The Reserve at Blackthorn is fully built out or still selling home sites.
- Confirm current HOA fee amount and frequency.
Notable
- Blackthorn was Golf Digest's No. 4 Best New Public Course upon its 1994 opening and later Golf Week's No. 1 municipal course in Indiana (2013).
- The Reserve at Blackthorn residents reportedly receive two complimentary golf memberships to Blackthorn Golf Club per household -- confirmed via two independently-worded searches both citing the developer's own site.
Considering a Move to Blackthorn Golf Club?
Whether you're comparing Blackthorn Golf Club with another South Bend / Michiana golf community or you're ready to start looking at homes, US Golf Living can connect you with a local real-estate specialist.
US Golf Living provides independent real-estate research and can connect consumers with real-estate professionals. Golf membership, availability, fees and approval are determined independently by the applicable club.