Bay Point GC will be the fourth course to reopen in Panama City Beach, which was hit hard by the Category 4 hurricane that struck the Panhandle on October 4, 2018. Hombre GC decided to close for good after the storm.
The number of open golf courses in Bay County, Fla., has decreased drastically after Hurricane Michael hit the state’s Panhandle region in October 2018, WJHG/WECP of Panama City, Fla. reported.
The Panhandle courses that are currently open are Signal Hill Golf Course, Shark’s Tooth Golf Club and Holiday Golf Club – all in Panama City Beach, according to the WJHG/WECP report. Those courses said they have seen a major increase in business in recent months.
“It has been very busy every day—we’re just having to fit people in as much as we can and are trying to accommodate those who don’t have tee times,” said Chip Vickers, Signal Hill’s Course Manager.
For the golf courses, extra business is always welcome, WJHG/WECP reported. But for dedicated golfers, having more people on the course is not necessarily a good thing.
“I would say the average golfer is impacted because the fewer number of golf courses we have out here, the greater number of golfers we have on the courses that are open,” local golfer Mike Pinfold told the station. “So there’s a bit of a problem sometimes with the wait.
“But by and large, I think we’re all grateful that we’re down here and playing on the courses that are open,” Pinfold added.
Bay Point Golf Club in Panama City Beach suffered major damage to its two courses from Hurricane Michael but plans to reopen its Nicklaus Course on March 1, WJHG/WECP reported.
“We are probably more anxious than anybody out there about getting back open and being able to get people back on the golf course,” General Manager Ryan Mulvey told WJHG/WECP. “And now we have such a phenomenal product, which we think is one of the best courses in the Florida Panhandle.”
One Panama City Beach course—Hombre Golf Club—decided to close for good following the devastation received by Hurricane Michael.
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