Members of the Evans, Ga. property played their final round on September 8th as many took time to reminisce. The decision to close the club was made due to the “delay and uncertainty of the ongoing litigation against Columbia County,” according to a letter sent to club members. The attorney for the club stated that…
County Not Off the Hook for Flooding on Jones Creek GC
A Georgia federal judge ruled that Columbia County, Ga., can’t escape claims over its alleged contribution to flooding on the Evans, Ga., golf course. Jones Creek Investors LLC alleges that the county’s neglect of a barren property adds significant runoff to a tributary that prompts flooding when it rains. A Georgia federal judge on July…
West Lake CC Repositions Itself as “Full-Family Club”
Under new ownership since May 2015, the Augusta, Ga., property has introduced casual dining options, spa services, a youth room and a kid-friendly water slide at the pool, and reports it is no longer hemorrhaging members. At the nearby Jones Creek Golf Club in Evans, Ga., General Manager Ray Mundy also emphasized the importance of creating a “lifestyle club,” noting that golf has become the “four-hour game in a four-second world.”
Standing the Heat
Making room for improvement in club kitchens translates to greater productivity and expanded dining options.
Jones Creek GC Sues County, Developers Over Stormwater Runoff
The Evans, Ga., golf course has been in litigation with more than a dozen businesses, arguing that development of the region has resulted in stormwater runoff destroying the golf course property. According to the club, a two-inch rain event now has the same impact as a nine-inch event due to the development.
IRS Battles Conservation-Easement Claims
Golf courses have accounted for some of the more contentious cases over the tax breaks, which allow people to claim a charitable deduction for giving away the right to develop land. Last month, the Internal Revenue Service won a challenge to a claim by two St. James Plantation golf courses in Southport, N.C., to receive nearly $8 million in tax breaks, with the judge noting that “patches of native vegetation and wildlife don’t justify seven-figure tax breaks.”
Champions Retreat GC Acquired by Tower Three Partners
Tower Three Partners and its affiliate, Heritage Golf Group, have acquired the Evans, Ga., property, which features three nine-hole courses designed by Palmer, Nicklaus, and Player.