The course is reopening in the city of Johnsonville, S.C., and club leaders say they’re hoping the site will become a major attraction and help the city grow. After being open for more than 40 years, the club’s owner filed for bankruptcy protection in 2010 and the golf course has been closed ever since. Golf professional and general manager of the Wellman Golf Club Harold Perry, said he’s planning on holding amateur and professional golf tournaments in the hope of attracting people from all over the globe; they even have a team from Las Vegas interested in playing.

The city of Johnsonville, S.C. is reopening the Wellman Golf Club after being closed down for more than 10 years, WPDE reported. The club’s leaders say they’re hoping that the golf course will become a major attraction and help the city of Johnsonville grow.

For more than 40 years, the Wellman Club welcomed members and the public to play on its 18-hole course, WPDE reported. In 2010, however, the club’s owner filed for bankruptcy protection and the golf course has been closed ever since.

The course in 2022 hired renowned golf course architect Rees Jones to rebuild the site.

Golf professional and general manager of the Wellman Golf Club Harold Perry, said his team is certain the club will be successful this go-round because it has the support from people in the city, WPDE reported. He’s planning on holding amateur and professional golf tournaments in the hope of attracting people from all over the globe; they even have a team from Las Vegas interested in playing.

“We’re going to have spectacular events out here, that’s what we’re looking to do,” Perry said. “We want to increase not only the awareness of the Wellman Golf Club, but we also want to make the people that are here that are supporting us feel like our guests.”

Florence County purchased the golf course property in 2020 and in the following year entered into a 50-year ground lease with the city for the purpose of the city’s construction and operation of the golf course, WPDE reported.

Florence County voted to give the city of Johnsonville $3.9 million of the penny sales tax to reopen the golf course.

Golf committee chairman Gary Arthurs has been a part of the club since 1978 and says he’s seen firsthand what the club could do before it, unfortunately, went under, WPDE reported.

“Wellman held on until about 2000 and once it was done in 2000, they decided to focus on the core business which their core business at that time was polyester so …that’s how we became obtained by somebody else. It was sold to a group out of Richmond, Virginia,” Arthurs said.

He tells WPDE it will be properly managed this time around, and will not only be successful for his team but for merchants in the area.

“I think it’ll spur new business in town,” Arthurs said. “It’s going to help our merchants in town that are right here on Highway 41 with people coming and going with gas even if they just stop by and play and say I didn’t know you guys had a golf course in Johnsonville so it’s going to spur a lot of economic interest for us.”