The Courtland (Ala.) City Council voted unanimously to close the golf course, which opened in 2001 at a cost of $5 million, and made just over $9,000 during the month of July, down by $40,000 from the revenue made during the same month last year. The course will be auctioned at a future date.

Golf enthusiasts in and around Lawrence County, Ala., now have one less course to choose from when planning their next outing, the Moulton (Ala.) Advertiser reported.

The Courtland (Ala.) City Council voted unanimously to immediately close Valley Landing Golf Course on August 7. The course is owned by the city, which has been plagued by deepening financial straits since the closing of International Paper, the town’s biggest source of jobs and revenue. As of January 1 of this year the city no longer received any money from the company, which was a few years sooner than expected, the Advertiser reported.

As such the council has had to make many changes and cuts in an effort to save money and keep the town from going bankrupt. Valley Landing opened in 2001. According to Courtland Mayor Clarence Logston it cost the city over $5 million to build. The town is still paying $12,000 a month on the course. The decision was made based on the lack of revenue Valley Landing was bringing in, which was not covering the course’s costs, the Advertiser reported.

One city employee said the course brought in just $712 last week from Sunday through Saturday, and made just over $9,000 all told during the month of July, which was down around $40,000 over the revenue made during the same month last year, the Advertiser reported.

The council voted to lay off all five employees remaining at the course. One full-time employee will be kept on by the city for two weeks, with remaining vacation time compensated for, the Advertiser reported.

Conditions at the course have been going downhill since the departure of former superintendent McClane Bryant, who was the only employee with the necessary certification to spray certain chemicals onto the greens that helped keep them healthy, according to Logston. The greens were even cracking in places, the Advertiser reported.

Valley Landing has been for sale on the market for a few months now. The council voted Monday night to auction off the course at a future date to be determined, the Advertiser reported.