Vince Mancuso and Eva Neumann are homeowners at the Greenbrier Sporting Club.
The couple's full-time residence is in Bethesda, Md. Both make their living in Information Technology marketing. They have two daughters, aged 22 and 24, who have graduated from college.
Vince grew up in California and Eva in Washington, D.C. Eva's twin sister and her family, which includes a 13-year-old nephew and twin 5-year-old nieces, live nearby and are also big fans of The Greenbrier Sporting Club.
"We didn't start out searching for a new home directly," Vince recalled. "In hindsight, our decision to build at the Sporting Club was influenced by our visits to The Greenbrier, our love of the outdoors, and that the drive to West Virginia was around 3 1/2 hours through some of the most beautiful countryside on the East Coast. We also realized we wanted a comfortable stress-free environment where we could set aside big-city pressures and enjoy our free time." 
Eva and Vince stayed at the hotel on their honeymoon in December 1996. Although it was winter, they played a round of golf, hiked to one of the ridges behind the hotel in a beautiful snowfall, and enjoyed the elegant comfort of getting away. They returned several times a year, sometimes with friends or business associates.
In 2000, they visited the new sales office and started to think about investing in property at the Sporting Club. By returning frequently they came to know the people and the area around Greenbrier Valley.
"There is a noticeable peace coming up the mountains and into this valley that we experience every time we drive here," Vince said. "In 2003, we visited Lewisburg for the first time. It is a hidden jewel: small town, friendly, historical and artistic. Lewisburg is one of the reasons we decided to build here."
They bought a lot in 2001 and expect to complete their home by the end of February. They decided to build a cozy, yet spacious cottage-style house and found the Fairway Cottage development right for them. Their home is on the 14th fairway of the Meadows Course and 100 yards from Howard's Creek. The neighborhood is almost entirely built out with 16 homes on 19 home sites.
They participate in almost every available activity: golf, golf tournaments, fly fishing, hiking, nature walks, sporting clays, tennis, dance lessons, cooking demonstrations, bunker tours, drives in Greenbrier State Park.
"The club course (The Snead) is friendly but challenging with benign fairways and treacherous greens," Vince noted. "Coupled with the three courses at The Greenbrier, the variety is exceptional, especially considering they are all within walking distance of each other and the hotel.
"I usually play every day we are here in season and at least once a trip, weather permitting, in the winter. Continuing a tradition of our first trip in December 1996, I played December 27, 2008 in 65-degree weather.
"The clubhouse at the Lodge is beautiful and has a great view of the 18th hole and the mountains. There are two exceptional practice facilities (hotel and Sporting Club) with two large tee areas each so there are no availability issues. This goes for tee times, too."
When they bought the lot, the Snead course and many other facilities were in the planning stages, so the couple was putting a lot of faith in the developers' promise to meet The Greenbrier standards.
"We think they have exceeded them in several ways," Vince said. "The course is well designed and beautifully maintained. The Lodge is elegant and comfortable. But the real surprise was the addition of the Summit Lodge a year ago at the peak of the mountain. Because of its altitude and view, it provides a third destination choice beyond the Club and the Hotel. It is a nice mountain lodge with an excellent menu."
Once time allows, Eva expects to become involved with the local animal shelter and Vince to participate on golf committees. Several friends have inquired about and visited the club.
As the number of members grows, Vince expects to see the club plan more outings for golf events and get-togethers beyond the usual member-guest and championships. "It would be nice when there is enough golf traffic to have a halfway lunch stop on the course," he said.
Asked what they would say to Boomer-aged couples or families considering purchasing a home at The Greenbrier Sporting Club, Vince concluded: "This is a great alternative to city life, especially for families with young children. The involvement with outdoor pursuits is probably unmatched this side of the Rockies. The choice of golf courses or mountain home sites should appeal to varied tastes. But it is not close to a big city. One has to want to get away, in style, of course."
