So many things in life seem easy to the uninitiated. Juggling. Unicycling. Giving a toast. Playing golf. And, yes, to some golfers even, building a golf course. A nice piece of land with pretty views, ...

If you’ve always dreamed of building and owning a golf course, here’s a way to finally make it happen: earn a fortune in another field, then pour a portion of those proceeds into your passion project.

Getting into the family business wasn’t something Cynthia Dye McGarey ever planned on doing. Many of her family members had become involved in golf course architecture. Most famously, her uncle is ...