R.I.P great local courses

[Proam1]

Over the last decade, several of my favorite golf courses in/around Northern Delaware have been sold, or closed down. 
 

Three Little Bakers GC

Hercules CC

Chisel Creek GC
 

I’m sure this has happened all over the place, so what are some other courses we need to memorialize?

[aenemated]

Heh the little goat track I grew up playing back in the 80s and early 90s closed a couple years ago. My mom called to tell me and kind of approached it like the death of a family member.

 

"I have some bad news for you."

"Oh no - what happened?"

"Pine Burr closed."

" Wait what ... is that it? That needed a wind up?" 

 

It was barely a step up from an old tobacco field that someone dug 18 holes in but dang, I had an extraordinary amount of fun there as a kid. For $100/yr, juniors could walk and play all we wanted so mom would drop me and a buddy off on her way into work during summer break and we'd just play all day till she'd pick us up.

 

RIP Pine Burr! 

[lefthack]

There was a ghetto course here in town that I didn't know existed until it closed. 

[MtlJeff]

There used to be a great 36 hole public course just west of Montreal called "Golf Dorval". I think it even hosted some Quebec Am events. Was never in the best shape but was 36 holes of a pretty good layout and was affordable

 

I am sure i don't need to draw you a map here, but it was close enough to the city that the land became too valuable and was bought up by a couple of different places. 

 

The course still exists, but they had to get rid of 18 holes and frankenstein the rest of it. You had par 3's for example where you just dropped a ball 170yds out on an old par 5 LOL. 

 

Very similar story happened to another nice course called "the challenger" .

 

Courses too close to the city have no chance anymore. Beaconsfield, a course that's top 100 in Canada likely won't be around more than 5-10 more years. 

[jvincent]

@MtlJeff I learned to play at Golf Dorval and played it once after they converted it to 18. Frankenstein is a good description.

 

The original 18 holes there was a really good layout for a municipal golf course.

[GHIN n Juice]

Wingpointe Golf Course, Salt Lake City, UT.  A casualty of government greed.

[MtlJeff]

22 minutes ago, jvincent said:

@MtlJeff I learned to play at Golf Dorval and played it once after they converted it to 18. Frankenstein is a good description.

 

The original 18 holes there was a really good layout for a municipal golf course.

 

Me too, there and Golf Vaudreuil. I lived about 15 minutes from either place, so would drive to Dorval and than if busy go to Vaudreuil

 

The Oakville course @ Dorval was a really nice layout. I mean it was definitely in "muni" shape, but there were some quality holes. You don't see too many munis with 2 different 580+ par 5's. Plus 12 and 14 were quality par 4's on the back. #16 the par 3 over water was also really good. If it were around like that still i am sure i'd still play it a few times a year

[klebs01]

Can’t think of any good courses closing. In fact, I think we are net increase over the past 20 years, and mostly good courses around me. Not many neighborhood development course with poor business models though so that helps. 

[Abh159]

A course in my hometown closed a few years back after being open for almost 70 years. It was a great, old school layout (about 6900 yards from the tips with small, raised greens and narrow tree lined fairways) and it was always in fantastic shape. I loved playing there when I was growing up. 

 

When it was built it was in a very affluent area. However, over they years as the city kept growing and that part of town evolved the course ended up (through no fault of its own) being located in one of the most crime-ridden neighborhoods in the whole city. No one wanted to go out there anymore because you just flat out didn't feel safe and they ultimately went bankrupt. 

 

Last I heard a developer had bought it and was planning on building a neighborhood. That was 6 years ago and it hasn't been touched since. Now it's basically just a big, overgrown plot of land in the middle of a metro area.

Edited January 18, 2021 by Abh159

[ryu123]

Diablo Grande (Legends) in Patterson, CA and Stevinson Ranch, Stevinson CA were good courses.

 

[Chanceman]

Sagebrush in Canada is deceased as well. Apparently very good when it was alive.

[ryu123]

Chanceman,     Sagebrush near Merritt, British Columbia has new owners who are trying to re-open. (It was a great course before closing about 6 years ago.)

[jjr]

Pecan Valley, San Antonio

[Chanceman]

On 1/19/2021 at 10:08 AM, ryu123 said:

Chanceman,     Sagebrush near Merritt, British Columbia has new owners who are trying to re-open. (It was a great course before closing about 6 years ago.)

Any news on progress?

[Medson]

In San Francisco Bay Area,

• Sunol Valley closed in 2015. 
• Santa Clara closed in 2019. 

These are good local courses. 

[DrOldSchool]

On 1/17/2021 at 9:02 PM, Proam1 said:

Over the last decade, several of my favorite golf courses in/around Northern Delaware have been sold, or closed down. 
 

Three Little Bakers GC

Hercules CC

Chisel Creek GC
 

I’m sure this has happened all over the place, so what are some other courses we need to memorialize?

UDel grad here. Used to love playing 3LB when I could afford to back in the day. Awkward start on a par 3, but loved it from there. Was very sad to see it fall apart after I moved away.

 

What happened to Chisel Creek? I was never a big fan of it. But surprised it closed.

 

Used to play Brantwood in Elkton a lot since it was more affordable, and you could go to a liquor store right after the 4th or 5th hole. Sad to see it long gone too.

Edited January 22, 2021 by DrOldSchool

[ArtMBgolf]

Delaware also lost the private courses, Cavaliers + Brandywine.  
I don't know what happened to Chisel Creek. Maybe it closed at the end of 2019. 
If they hung on, courses were later packed solid from around July to cold weather. 
 
A new course open in Middletown, DE.  Links At St Annes.  I have not played it yet.   
 
Rock Manor is better now (rebuilt) than it was when I started to play.         

[NCLancer]

In the northern Adirondacks we lost Loon Lake Golf Club.  Fairly wide open front 9 and a tighter back nine cut through trees and camps.  Not fancy and somewhat rustic yet we always enjoyed a day there.        

[DrOldSchool]

22 hours ago, ArtMBgolf said:

Delaware also lost the private courses, Cavaliers + Brandywine.  
I don't know what happened to Chisel Creek. Maybe it closed at the end of 2019. 
If they hung on, courses were later packed solid from around July to cold weather. 
 
A new course open in Middletown, DE.  Links At St Annes.  I have not played it yet.   
 
Rock Manor is better now (rebuilt) than it was when I started to play.         

Summer 2000 I lived in the cruddy apartments by Cavaliers. Would climb the chain link fence in the woods and putt at dusk. It was only a matter of time for it to go given the location and everything around it growing so much.