When Shari Hodson heard The Lakes Golf and Nation Membership in Boiling Spring Lakes was going in the marketplace, she fearful about its future.
Hodson lives on gap No. 7 and performs the course recurrently. She knew the course’s earlier proprietor, Steve White, was getting curiosity primarily from housing builders.
“We wished to save lots of the golf course,” she stated.
That’s when she and three different folks obtained collectively and bought it. The deal closed in November 2021, and since that point, the group has been centered on making enhancements.
One of many first issues they plan to do is construct a brand new clubhouse. At present, they’re working out of the entrance of the previous clubhouse constructing. From the street, it appears to be like like enterprise as traditional, however a stroll behind the constructing reveals how badly the ability was broken by Hurricane Florence. The clubhouse used to have a restaurant and bar, and now all that continues to be is a pile of rubble.
Shari Hodson, one of many new homeowners of The Lakes Golf and Nation Membership, exhibits the place the brand new clubhouse shall be, overlooking the 18th inexperienced, on Thursday, March 9, 2023. (Renee Spencer/StarNews)
The brand new clubhouse shall be positioned throughout the road, overlooking the 18th inexperienced. Hodson stated the ability shall be 6,600 sq. ft. and embrace a prep kitchen and grill space, a bar with tables, and an out of doors patio. It would additionally function safety cameras and restrooms with digital locks, which is able to permit gamers to entry these amenities even after the clubhouse is closed.
Hodson stated cart barns shall be positioned on both sides of the brand new clubhouse.
“The good factor is that they received’t need to cross South Shore Drive,” she stated. “Typically that may be hectic.”
With all permits in hand, Hodson hopes development on the brand new clubhouse will start quickly, however she stated getting employees is now the problem. The undertaking is about six months delayed. Nonetheless, she hopes the primary section, surveying and putting in the silt fencing, will occur within the subsequent few weeks.
Whereas the group has been planning, they’ve additionally been making repairs, changing sections of the cart path that washed away throughout Hurricane Florence. Hodson additionally famous the fairways “obtained clobbered” with the course shedding about 1,000 bushes. Regardless of the damages, she stated the course was solely closed for a few months.
“The entire members got here with chainsaws and helped clear the bushes,” she stated.
She stated the group’s help is what helped the course open so quickly after the storm, and he or she believes that group spirit and the quantity of native funding make the course an financial driver for the group.
After the clubhouse is accomplished, Hodson stated they wish to construct a driving vary. Even with the enhancements, she stated they plan to stay true to earlier proprietor Steve White’s mission of holding golf accessible and inexpensive for these in the neighborhood.
“We simply wish to make sure that the course continues to be right here for folks to take pleasure in,” she stated.