PGA golfer finds comfort off the course

News

PGA golfer finds comfort off the course

Familiarity and a great golf course nearby drew PGA Tour golfer Heath Slocum and his wife, Vicky, to their five-bedroom home in Alpharetta.

Text by CHRIS REINOLDS: Professional golfer Heath Slocum and his wife, Vicky, bought their five-bedroom home in 2006 after moving here from Pensacola, Fla. Familiarity -- Vicky grew up in Alpharetta -- and a great golf course nearby, Hawks Ridge in Ball Ground, lured them to the area. The home is about 7,500 square feet on 1.5 acres, plenty of room for their daughter Stella to explore.

Heath, a three-time All-American at South Alabama, joined the Nationwide Tour in 1997. A year later, he was stricken with colitis and took almost two years to recover. He rejoined the Nationwide Tour in 2001 and earned his PGA Tour card by winning three times. He played in the 2008 Masters but did not qualify this year. He now raises money for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America and will sponsor a junior golf tournament at Hawks Ridge in July.

The great room is one of Vicky's favorites. She says it showcases the more modern style she likes. The crystal chandelier has a transitional flavor, says Cynthia Davis of CCD Interiors in Roswell, the Slocums' designer.

Hands down, the couple's treasured artwork is the lively pictures by photographer Lena Hyde. Since Stella is an only child, mugs of her sweet face are everywhere you turn.

The Slocums stay away from trendy style. "We're very casual people. We didn't want anything fancy. We don't anyone to feel if they broke something it can't be replaced," Vicky says.

The multiple verandas sold the Slocums on their home.

Cynthia Davis added warmth to the Slocums' new home. The couple told the designer they wanted things to be comfortable and casual. "Their house is more of a traditional home with a European-type flair. [Vicky] has a lot of sense of style, a more transitional, cleaner look," Davis said. Plus, she noted, with a young child in the home, the furnishings had to be durable.

The breakfast room overlooks the wooded backyard, one of the home's selling points.

The family considers the kitchen the heart of the home and likes to congregate there. "I could cook all day if I had the free time," Vicky says.

Vicky's love of cooking extends to her professional-grade appliances. Since the family is on the road so much, they enjoy nesting and eating at home when they can.

The faux painting in the dining room adds a sophisticated touch while keeping it modern. Cynthia Davis used shades of brown, taupe and ivory as well as textures of glass, mirrors and dark wood to tie the rooms together.

Stella's chocolate, khaki and pink bedroom features whimsical animals painted on the walls.

The 1-year-old loves her rocking bunny. Stella and Vicky travel with Heath 30 weeks out of the year.

Vicky's favorite memory of their home was "finding out I'm pregnant on Easter Sunday '07."

The creatures extend into the bathroom, where they grow in size and fun. Stella's bath, one of seven in the home, is decorated in pink and khaki with gingham door pulls.

The upstairs hallway serves as an open office and loft area. Hints of a beach theme harken to the Slocums' former home in Pensacola.

The family likes hanging out in Stella's playroom. "It's very light and very fun. It's hard to believe it's a basement," Vicky says.

Heath's gym, complete with a miniature putting green, also is on the terrace level. Here, Stella shows off her golf skills. Her club is engraved with her birthday.

While the Slocum house doesn't scream golf, there are a few revealing items. Heath's office on the main floor is a cozy paneled study. A signed print by artist Emily James hangs over the fireplace and is a reminder of the 2008 Masters.

Heath has a collection of player money clips from his tournaments.

Framed scorecards, favorite golf moments and a proclamation of Heath Slocum Day in Milton, Fla., round out the room. Photos of Heath and good friend and fellow golfer Boo Weekley, as well as a series of gold putters marking tournament wins, hangs on one wall.

The stone bar on the terrace level has a pastoral mural.

"Heath spends most of his free time at Hawks Ridge fishing and playing golf ... and I spend any free time at Harry's [Farmers Market], riding horses and running," Vicky says.

1/23

Text by CHRIS REINOLDS: Professional golfer Heath Slocum and his wife, Vicky, bought their five-bedroom home in 2006 after moving here from Pensacola, Fla. Familiarity -- Vicky grew up in Alpharetta -- and a great golf course nearby, Hawks Ridge in Ball Ground, lured them to the area. The home is about 7,500 square feet on 1.5 acres, plenty of room for their daughter Stella to explore.

Today's Gallery Headlines

Epstein’s Abandoned Plane

PHOTOS: Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘Lolita Express’ jet

Atlanta United's home opener versus Real Salt Lake

PHOTOS: Atlanta United falls in home opener to Real Salt Lake

meachern, wheeler

Photos: Wheeler defeats McEachern in semifinal to advance to 6A state championship

north paulding, campbell

PHOTOS: North Paulding defeats Campbell in Class 6A girls semifinals

More Galleries

Jesse Jackson

PHOTOS: Civil rights icon Jesse Jackson found stage and home in Atlanta

Georgia students organize protests against ICE after Minnesota killings

PHOTOS: Snellville's Brookwood High School students rally and march against ICE

Ice storm warning

PHOTOS: Scenes from icy winter storm in Metro Atlanta

As storm inches closer to Georgia, metro Atlanta braces for ice threat

PHOTOS: Georgia readies for incoming ice storm