In August the Gulf Shores, Alabama community was shocked to learn that a deal was pending to sell one of the most popular golf courses in our area. The Woodlands course, developed 11 years ago, was a spectacular course that fronts the main artery (Hwy. 59)into our resort area. The owner of the course also owns two other popular courses and has worked with other courses to form the Gulf Shores Golf Association. This partnership with 9 golf courses and 14 accommodations companies, including Meyer Real Estate, has proved to be a powerful marketing tool to promote Gulf Coast golf. The marketing campaign has been more comprehensive as a joint venture than any one company could have accomplished on our own.
As a generous gesture to pay back the community for years of support, The Woodlands owner offered four days of free golf to area business owners and employees. Even though I did not think I could find the time to play I worked out my schedule and took off one afternoon in mid-October to celebrate the last few days of the course.
What a glorious day it was. My playing is no better than it usually is but that was not the point. Just being outside, enjoying nature, the perfect fall weather and the extraordinary beauty of this golf course was the point.
So what happens next? Well the developers who purchased The Woodlands plan to build retail developments along the Highway 59 frontage and create a wonderful area for homesites with lots of common area greenspace on the balance of the acreage.
The customers who frequent The Woodlands will be given the opportunity to play the other two Craft Farms courses, Cotton Creek and Cypress Bend. Both are fabulous golf courses designed by Arnold Palmer and are in excellent condition.
Another nearby course in Perdido Key, Florida has been undergoing redesign and upgrading since major damage last September from Hurricane Ivan. This wonderful golf course, Lost Key, also designed by Arnold Palmer will open by Spring 2006. The course was formerly judged by the average golfer as just too hard to play and commonly was called "lost ball" because of the narrow fairways and abundant wetland hazards. The redesign has taken all these negatives into account and will be much more user friendly.
We are so blessed to have mild weather so that we can enjoy the game of golf year round. And we are blessed with so many great golf courses at reasonable prices. To learn more about Meyer Real Estate's golf packages click http://www.meyerre.com/rentals/packages.htm.
My next opportunity to play golf will come soon when the annual Zoolabration Golf Tournament will be played at Peninsula on November 16th. This fun event will benefit the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo which opened last Friday after a year of repairs from Hurricane Ivan, Dennis & Katrina.
So golf is good in the coast and I'm finally able to take advantage of this fabulous area amenity.
