The facility in Plaquemine, La. closed in April 2020 not long after the COVID-19 pandemic began. The site was then acquired by Bultra Properties from A. Wilbert & Sons in the fall of that same year. Since then, the club has experienced a gradual upturn and is “doing fantastic,” says Bill Greenfield, President of the Island Homeowners Association. He credited community members for taking action to ensure the club would reopen and operate. In 2021, The Island Homeowners Association paved the way to reopen the golf course and country club after Bultra opted against plans to reopen it.
Bill Greenfield, President of the Island Homeowners Association has helped oversee the resurgence of The Island Country Club in Plaquemine, La., which continues to operate at full throttle, the Plaquemine Post South reported.
It’s a stark contrast from April 2020, when the club shut down not long after the COVID-19 pandemic began.
The acquisition in fall 2020 by Bultra Properties from A. Wilbert & Sons led to a gradual resurgence of the country club after closure of the site, which originally opened in the 1990, the Plaquemine Post South reported.
“We’re doing fantastic,” said Greenfield, a Luling native who moved to Plaquemine in 2018.
At a time when some country clubs in the area shuttered due to maintenance costs and loss of membership, The Island CC is stronger than ever, the Plaquemine Post South reported.
Greenfield does not credit himself for the success. Instead, it’s the community.
“We went on faith,” he said to the Plaquemine Post South. “We knew we had a core group of people who were committed, and we still have a lot of hours of volunteerism. A lot of people continually donate their time to help maintain the course.”
The homeowners played the key role in the efforts to reopen the country club, the Plaquemine Post South reported. In 2021, The Island Homeowners Association paved the way to reopen the golf course and country club after Bultra opted against plans to reopen it.
The greens are in very good shape, and greens are the key to any course, Greenfield said.
The staff, led by 2022 PGA Professional of the Year for Louisiana Chris Burkstaller, has played a key role, the Plaquemine Post South reported.
“We’re very lucky to have him,” he said. “Not only does he keep the course in excellent condition – he also brings tournaments.”
The tournaments are a key to sustainability because of the revenue they bring to the course, and the parish, as well, the Plaquemine Post South reported.
Those tournaments include the Dow Tournament, a double-shotgun event in the fall, and the Olin Songs of Survivors Tournament to benefit wounded veterans through songwriting, the Plaquemine Post South reported. They pair volunteers with wounded veterans to write songs.
Public support has been the biggest change Burkstaller has seen since he came aboard in 2021, the Plaquemine Post South reported.
“The members always supported and got it off the ground, but the word of mouth and the people playing on the course and telling their buddies it reopened and it’s in great shape,” he said.
The database has swelled from 650 to 2,000 – and still growing, he said.
Burkstaller is also putting the foundation in place for the next generation of golf at The Island, the Plaquemine Post South reported.
A PGA Junior League is in place at the course, which serves as home to high school golf programs from Plaquemine, St. John and Brusly, the Plaquemine Post South reported.
Tournaments have helped attract golfers to The Island, but the homeowners remain the key element to its continued success, Greenfield said to the Plaquemine Post South.
“The reason we’ve been successful is that everyone wants the same thing,” he said. “Anybody who would market their homes here knows that the value of the home is so much better with this course in operation…Also, if nobody had a golf course and you look at your back yard, you’ll see nothing but fields of grass and rodents. Those are the things that motivate me to keep this golf course solid.”
The Island does not have to focus only on golf, he said.
It already has a swimming pool and weight room, but plans are on the board to resurface the tennis courts, the Plaquemine Post South reported. Playgrounds and a pickleball court could also become part of the mix.
The social committee has also played a key role, the Plaquemine Post South reported. Seasonal activities such as Christmas carols, pool parties, barbecues and pig roasts are among the popular activities.
“We try to give value to the homeowners by not just having neighbors, but having a community,” Greenfield said.
The continued development is geared toward a long-term future for The Island CC, the Plaquemine Post South reported.
“What helps our sustainability here is development of more of this land for homes,” Greenfield said. “We just started our seventh filing, and every one of those lots is paying lot dues – half of the home dues – and then once they sell a house, they pay house dues.”
Those are the developments Bultura will bring to fruition, the Plaquemine Post South reported.
The future is bright for the facility and the support of its community – and more support for golf – keep the wheels turning, Greenfield said.
“We don’t own the course – we lease it from Bultura, and you want to make sure you make enough money to support the leases,” Greenfield said to the Plaquemine Post South. “With time, we’ve had challenges in building roofs and repairing – those are major expenses. We’re continuously looking at finances, making prudent decisions on prioritizing and being able to sustain.”
Greenfield emphasized it’s not a small group of people who have kept the wheels turning for The Island, the Plaquemine Post South reported. The sense of ownership makes the difference.
“The backbone isn’t the board – it’s the homeowners stepping out,” he said. “They come and weed-eat the garden at the pool or rake the sand in different sand traps…We have very dedicated homeowners, and we had some naysayers in the past among homeowners when we raised the fees. I believe some of them who were against it have changed their views.”
It’s not just about The Island, however.
Greenfield wants the comeback to squash Plaquemine’s image as a city that guarantee long-term sustainability for its businesses, the Plaquemine Post South reported.
He recalled what lifelong Plaquemine resident Edward Earl Comeaux said when The Island CC closed in 2020.
“Edward stepped up at a meeting and said he was tired of seeing businesses leave Plaquemine,” Greenfield said. “We’re working to stop that.”
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