[Matt Schoolfield]

I only have a couple: Bluebonnet Hill in Austin (closed Jan 2020), and Fleming's version of GGPGC which had it's moments, even if the Blasi update is fantastic.

[Stewart Abramson]

I just took a look at Google Earth and  the NLE Sugarloaf Mountain Golf Course appears to still  be overgrown some 10+ years after it closed following the great recession. All of the residential streets and infrastructure in the neighboring residential development had been constructed in 2007, but it appears that  only six homes have been built in the community that I believe was planned to have 100+ homes. With the extreme residential growth in this part of Florida over the past  5-10 years I'm surprised that the Sugarloaf neighborhood has not been developed and with the busy tee sheets in central Florida area post- Covid, I wonder if there would be a way to resurrect the golf course. It was one of the best options in the area and several lesser courses that closed in the aftermath of the recession have reopened and are very busy.

[MCirba]

Mike:


You'll have to take High Pointe off your list; nine holes opened there last week, including the original 10th through 15th.  The rest of the new holes will be open in the fall.

Tom,


Very happy to take it off the dead list.   I'll now consider it a "restoration/redesign" many years in the making.   


Congrats!!

[Joe Zucker]

I only have a couple: Bluebonnet Hill in Austin (closed Jan 2020), and Fleming's version of GGPGC which had it's moments, even if the Blasi update is fantastic.

Closing Bluebonnet was sad.  I played there regularly in 2019 and it was always packed. One of the few walkable courses in Austin that is not a muni.  The city refused to renew their 30 year water rights from 1990 and they had no other options.

[Rob Marshall]

I only have a couple: Bluebonnet Hill in Austin (closed Jan 2020), and Fleming's version of GGPGC which had it's moments, even if the Blasi update is fantastic.

Closing Bluebonnet was sad.  I played there regularly in 2019 and it was always packed. One of the few walkable courses in Austin that is not a muni.  The city refused to renew their 30 year water rights from 1990 and they had no other options.

Was Bluebonnet formerly Circle C?

[MCirba]

ACE Club, designed by Rees Jones, died September 2, 2001. I worked there. I played it on its final day. The entire site was plowed under and a redesign by Gary Player (including an additional 50 acres or so) was put in its place. Player's design is wonderful in its current Union League identity but Jones' course, which replaced the original Eagle Lodge in the mid-1980s, was VERY good.

Mark,


There have been three different golf courses on basically the same site with likely a fourth in the making.


The course was first known as Roxborough Country Club (designed by Herb Jewson) in the 1920s, then later (1982) became Eagle Lodge, designed by Rees Jones (who used a number of existing hole corridors), and then the Ace Club built a new course in 1999 with Gary Player and Warren Henderson (with some additional land), and now the course is owned by the Union League and Gil Hanse/Jim Wagner have been engaged.   It will be interesting to see what gets done.

[Matt Schoolfield]

I only have a couple: Bluebonnet Hill in Austin (closed Jan 2020), and Fleming's version of GGPGC which had it's moments, even if the Blasi update is fantastic.

Closing Bluebonnet was sad.  I played there regularly in 2019 and it was always packed. One of the few walkable courses in Austin that is not a muni.  The city refused to renew their 30 year water rights from 1990 and they had no other options.

Was Bluebonnet formerly Circle C?

No, Bluebonnet Hill was on the way to Manor (pronounced: "May-nor") by Decker Lake (now pronounced: "Lake Walter E. Long"). You can find out the basic information for Bluebonnet Hill on the wiki: https://golfcourse.wiki/course/former_site_of_bluebonnet_hill_golf_club-austin

Circle C is now known as Grey Rock GC: https://golfcourse.wiki/course/grey_rock_golf_club-austin

More info from Golf Texas: http://www.golftexas.com/circlec1.htm

[Tim Gavrich]

Haven't seen a lot of representation of Connecticut's NLE courses here, so I'll list those that I've played:


Canton Golf Course (Canton) - Family-owned 9-holer built in the 30s I believe (run by Walter Lowell, who was a Hartford County golf legend) that is now a shopping center although the ghost of the old par-3 2nd hole still sits grown over across the street from the shops. Had a cool par 4 with a green in the sky and the 9th was a neat little drop-shot par 3.


Country Club of Woodbridge (Woodbridge) - Very solid Orrin Smith course that I only played once but enjoyed. I remember the greens being particularly good.


Pistol Creek Golf Club (Berlin) - Built in 2000, generally agreed to be too awkward a piece of property for a decent golf course. I used to have a t-shirt that said "I lost my [BALLS] at Pistol Creek."



Tower Ridge Country Club (Avon) - This one breaks my heart to this day because I played dozens of rounds there growing up. Originally called Cliffside, it was a 1950s Geoffrey Cornish course on the side of Avon Mountain that had some quirky and unique holes that overall worked pretty well. Some fearsome greens and thrilling downhill shots, including a 244-yard drop-shot par 3. The short par 4 that sat highest on the hill, #6, was a really interesting hole where you had to lay up in the right spot or you'd have a terrible angle into the green, even with a wedge. Anytime I'm back in CT I avoid driving past it because I don't want to see it growing over. Lots of happy memories there.


Tradition Golf Club at Windsor - Played a high school match or two here; don't really remember it.


Other NLEs I've played outside of CT:


- Cahoon Plantation (VA)
- Winyah Bay (SC) - I broke 100 for the first time there; one of several Myrtle Beach-area NLEs I've played
- Vista Links (VA) - Our secondary home course when I was in college; what a bizarre saga with the way the town financed it. Too bad; the 2nd hole was one of the best par 5s I've ever played.
- Doral Great White (FL) - Kooky but I thought it was pretty interesting because it was decidedly different than anything else at the resort/in the area
- The Balsams Coashaukee - Played it when I was 7 or so; it was the little executive course that went with the 18-hole Donald Ross Panorama course
- Paradise Point Scarlet (NC) - The sporty course at Camp Lejeune, where we played a college event each year. It had small upturned greens but was short and scoreable. Seemed like a perfect smaller course that would appeal to a lot of its clientele on/around the Marine base; a shame that it's not in operation...

[Pete_Pittock]

Updating my list from page 1.  Mostly in Oregon

Marysville    Oswego Lake GC (nor Lake Oswego Country Club)    Juniper (original location)    Ontario
Olalla Valley       Red Mountain       Bay Breeze      Kah-Nee-Ta       Reames

Also Lakeview Par 3 Challenge (WA)    (included in Confidential Guide)
Sheraton-Makaha (HI)


That is 38 of 600ish.  The cruelest thing is that I have two holes-in-one and both courses appear on this list - Colwood National (hole#4)
and Smith Rock ( hole #1) 

[Chris_Blakely]

Adding a few more to my list of courses that I have played that have closed:


The Natural at Beaver Creek closed end of 2023 underrated Jerry Mathews course
The Legends of Indiana – Dye Course par 3 (back 9 closed 2023)
Hawk’s Nest at ATI Ohio State closed end of 2022
Spuyten Duyval 2019 (27 holes sold to Secore Metroparks of Toledo Metroparks – not a welcome addition locally as they own too much land and can not afford to maintain without local tax levies)
Shawnee State Park closed in 2019, was part of Ohio State Parks system and was about as far south as one can go to golf in Ohio.  Jack Kidwell and Dr. Michael Hurdzan course.
Shawnee Lookout Jack Kidwell and Dr. Michael Hurdzan course.
Stonewall Germantown, NC
Blackhawk Galena, OH Jack Kidwell course sold for housing.
Rustic Hills Medina, OH, fun 9 hole course.
Glenn Dale George Cobb course in the DC suburbs that closed in 2019
Hunter’s Oak Queenstown, MD at one time was 27 holes
Whetstone Caledonia Caledonia, OH course built in 1971 closed and sold for farming
Links at Lake Erie (Monroe, MI) closed and sold to Amazon
Skyland Pines (Canton, OH) closed and sold to Amazon
Cherrywood PA closed in 2019
Chisolm Hills outside of Lansing, MI
General’s Ridge Manassas Park, VA
The Greens at Greenville, PA
Harland Glen, MI closed 9 holes
Hickory VFW, Hermitage, PA
Krendale, Butler, PA closed 9 holes
Mahoning Valley PA
Seven Hills OH
Bennington GC MI
Pine Lakes, Mount Gilead, OH closed and turned into campground
The Signature at West Neck VA near VA Beach; Arnold Palmer course
Lincoln GC Grand Rapids, MI built in 1922 and greens were very similar to several other 1920’s courses I have played in Michigan that have an architectural pedigree.  Only course I have played that also had a bowling alley
Oakland Hills (not that one) Battle Creek, MI
Nansemond River Suffolk, VA closed and sold for houseing
Silver Lake CC Rockford, MI closed 2019
The Brassie Chesterton, IN Jim Fazio course
South Shore Cedar Lake, IN built in 1928 allegedly by Chick Evans.
Tree Links Bellefontaine, OH course had a great hilly layout built on the highest elevation in Ohio
Gleneagles Red / White Lemont, IL 36 holes
Auman Timbers Dover, OH John F. Robinson course built on some of the wildest terrain that can be found in southeastern Ohio.
Vista Links Buena Vista, VA
Sanctuary North Canton, OH
Sweetbriar – Original closed 9 of 18 holes
Spring Valley Elyria, OH Harold Paddock course replaced by Nicklaus’ Valley of the Eagles
Hawthorne Valley Solon, Ohio closed 2019
Tanglewood Perrysburg Township, OH
Sleepy Hollow Clyde, OH build in 1961 sold and turned into campground
Mohican Hills Jeromesville, OH Jack Kidwell course closed end of 2023
Moundbuilders Newark, OH will close at the end of year.

Chris

[Jim O’Kane]

As an architect, nothing makes you feel older than having NLE courses on your resume.  I have three, a no fee par 3 in a subdivision, Centenial in Ackworth, GA (now under Pulte homes) and Great Southwest, a renovation now under warehouses in DFW.

Jeff, Centernnial was yours?!
When I first moved to Atlanta in 95, I lived in Little 5 Points. Centennial was my "home" track. I'd drive my butt up there a few times a month to play. I loved that course. Well done on that design. So many good holes and a lot of fun to play. I was crushed when it closed.

Thank you for building it and giving great memories in my head, that unlike the course, are still there.

[Joe Bausch]

In the Bausch Collection, it is 32 courses NLE for me. In my golf lifetime, it is probably close to 60 (15 or so from Myrtle Beach!).

[Ronald Montesano]

Chris, no course should ever let you play it. You are like a charm for bad days ahead!!


Westwood Country Club in Amherst, NY
The Pit in Pinehurst area
Goose Creek in Virginia beltway area
Pistol Creek in Middletown CT area
Dartmouth College course in New Hampshire


That's five for starters. I don't know that I've played that many more. I hope that no more close.

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