Two signs on the clubhouse door of the 18-hole Land O’ Lakes, Fla., golf club told golfers that the property was “temporarily closed until further notice,” though no indication of the closure is made on the club’s website. One of the property’s three co-owners declined to comment on the matter, though county tax records indicate that the club had been struggling financially.
The closure of Plantation Palms Golf Club in Land O’ Lakes, Fla., left some golfers high and dry, the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times reported.
“We’ve got a match on the 27th,” said Rock Ridgeway, coach of the Land O’ Lakes High School boys’ golf team, after finding two signs on the clubhouse door announcing that the 18-hole course had “temporarily closed until further notice.” Ridgeway was unaware of anything amiss as recently as last week, the Times reported.
Golfers who showed up Saturday found they couldn’t hit the links, but the club’s website gives no information about the closing. Jason Ray, one of three co-owners of the course, was out mowing the grounds on August 12 and declined to talk with a Tampa Bay Times reporter.
A woman who answered the door at the clubhouse said she was confident the course would reopen at some point but declined to comment further, the Times reported.
Though the closing happened abruptly, records show the course has had financial problems for some time. The company that owns the golf course, MJS Golf Group LLC, owes Pasco County $83,000 in back taxes on about 15 different parcels for 2011 and 2012, said Gary Joiner of the Tax Collector’s Office. The current owners bought the course in 2011, the Times reported.
Steve Pitts, owner of Steve’s World of Golf, who operated a pro shop at Plantation Palms, said he pulled out of Plantation Palms about three months ago after the owners had not paid about $34,000 owed to his company, the Times reported.
Pitts said the course, which is public and draws golfers from across the Tampa Bay area, has a good reputation for quality. Situated on 148 acres, the course features a clubhouse and restaurant. It has many elevation changes with greens framed by pine trees, water and large sand traps, the Times reported.
Pitts, who sued the three co-owners, referred to the team as “high quality” owners and said he was confident the course would reopen, the Times reported.
“They’re working to do what needs to be done,” Pitts said.
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.