The course sits on the banks of the Portage River, so it’s an excellent location for recreational boating such as canoeing and kayaking.

A steady decline in the number of golfers is forcing hundreds of courses across the country out of business. This was the case with the nine-hole Port Clinton (Ohio) Golf Course along State Route 163, which folded ten years ago.

The once finely manicured fairways are now overgrown with tall weeds, reports WTOL CBS 11 Toledo. But not for much longer.

The group ‘Ducks Unlimited” bought the 62-acre course and donated it to the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge for development into a nature preserve.

“We have so many wildlife facilities in Ottawa and Erie Counties and this just compliments them,” said Port Clinton State Representative Steve Arndt.

How the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service develops the land will come from recommendations at public forums and through letters and e-mails.

The course sits on the banks of the Portage River, so it’s an excellent location for recreational boating such as canoeing and kayaking.

Bob Morrison came to a public forum this weekend with suggestions.

“Exercise trails, open areas with wild flowers, natural grasses, butterfly gardens,” said Bob.

The sky’s the limit and this is not unusual.

Many abandoned courses across the country are being transformed into nature preserves.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to develop a golf course for the community because it has some of the infrastructure that’s there already. All we need to do is manipulate that infrastructure, plant native vegetation and turn it back over,” said Jason Lewis of the Ottawa Natural Wildlife Refuge.

Public input about new uses for the old course will continue to be gathered and a final decision is expected by the end of the summer.