Put together a world class, 18-hole public golf course, lush greenery, stunning views and beautifully designed homes, and you have DarkHorse Golf Club, Nevada County’s pre-eminent golf community.
From June 17 to July 30, DarkHorse, at 13450 Combie Road, Auburn, will be one of the featured communities in the national Street of Dreams that showcases exclusive communities. Four homes will be featured, from 6,000 to 9,300 square feet, valued at $3.7 million to $4.5 million. The homes will be fully furnished, offering those who attend a chance to see the latest trends in building materials and interior design. DarkHorse Properties Director of Sales and Broker Terry Williams expects 40,000 people to visit the Street of Dreams.
Being chosen for the Street of Dreams is the latest success for the golf community which began as a concept in 1990. “The Street of Dreams will raise the property values of all of South Nevada County,” says Williams, since it brings further prestige to the area.
Each of the four Street of Dreams homes are unique – Mediterranean/Tuscany, Tahoe Contemporary, French Country and English Tudor are featured, with interior design and furnishings complimenting each style. Visitors will also see dramatic outdoor living area design, with infinity pools and other upscale amenities. “The builders have really capitalized on the outdoor space since we live in an area conducive to outdoor living,” says Williams. The homes sit above the 17th fairway and afford sweeping views across Lake of the Pines toward the Sacramento Valley.
Ed Fralick, the developer of the DarkHorse Golf Club, is one of the builders in the Street of Dreams. Others are Brian Thomas Construction of Granite Bay, partnering with Michael Holland-Masterpiece Construction, Rosene Classics of Meadow Vista and Jensen Custom Homes of Auburn. “These are some of the finest builders working in the Sacramento and Foothills region,” says Williams. All of the Street of Dreams houses can be purchased.
Tickets will be priced at $12 weekends, $10 weekdays with discounts for seniors and children. For information on ticket availability call (530) 269-1858 or visit www.streetofdreams.com. The DarkHorse show is listed as Sacramento 2006.
World Class Golf
DarkHorse’s 18-hole golf course, designed by Keith Foster, is open to the public, and has been rated No. 85 in the top 100 golf courses in the United States by Golf Magazine, says Williams. While most golf courses cover about 100 to 130 acres, Williams explains, DarkHorse covers 240 acres. Golfers enjoy the mature oaks and pines and rich greenery that winds throughout the 1,000 acre community. Green fees range from $39 to $69 in the winter, and $49 to $79 in the summer.
Luxury Living
When the project was being conceived by Ed and Chad Fralick, who bought the property in 1990, they decided the golf course should be designed first and the homes would be situated around the course layout. The result, says Williams, is a planned 300-home community that gives a sense of peacefulness and privacy. Since the homes sit above the fairways they have the scenic views of the greens without being too close.

DarkHorse has released the first 175 of the homesites. As of May, eight families were living in the community, 120 lots have been sold and, including the four Street of Dreams, at least 15 are under construction or planned to start building this year.
“It’s a major summer for us since so many things are coming together, the Street of Dreams, the new homes going up, the golf course in use, and we have been approved for funding for our new 30,000 square foot clubhouse,” Williams says.
Lot sizes range from one third of an acre up to 10 acres. The average size lot is one half to three quarters of an acre, ranging from $340,000 to $560,000. Home sizes vary, but on average are about 3,500 square feet and there is some spec building in the $1.4 million to $2 million range, says Williams. Buyers are a mixture of young families, retirees and baby boomers “making their escape from the Bay Area and Southern California,” Williams says. The local schools are excellent, he says.
The new clubhouse, expected to be open in the late 2007 to early 2008 timeframe, will include a special events wing with capacity for 325 persons, and a 6,000-square foot deck that will have extraordinary sunset views across the fairways.
Another popular amenity is the lake and outdoor amphitheatre below the clubhouse. It can accommodate 200 to 250 people for weddings and other events. Concerts have been held on the stage which extends over part of the lake.
“DarkHorse is really like a destination resort," says Williams, since it is tucked in to the rolling hills behind Lake of the Pines, “and we’re open to the public.”

Old Auburn Road- GV
Zip code: 95945
Elevattion: 2400 ft.
Location: Northern California, between Alta Sierra and Grass Valley on Hwy 49.
Population: 10,922

Public Schools:

Nevada Union High: 9-12
Bear River High: 9-12
Bitney Springs Charter High: 9-12
Magnolia Intermediate: 5-8
Union Hill Elementary: K-8
Lyman Gilmore Middle School: 6 -8
Cottage Hill Elementary: K-5
Alta Sierra Elementary: K-5
Hennessy Elementary: K-3
Pleasant Ridge Elementary: K-5

Colleges/Universities nearest to Old Auburn Road:

America River College (About 49 Miles)
California State University-Sacramento (About 58 Miles)
Sierra College (NC Campus, -10 Miles, Rocklin Campus- 30 Miles)