By Alan Blondin
The Sun News

GROWING LIST OF COURSE CLOSINGS

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Belle Terre Golf Course may be the one of the next and newer courses wiped from the Myrtle Beach golf landscape.

Course co-owner David Singleton acknowledged the property is under contract to be sold, and it appears it will cease operations by Nov. 11.

"Things are developing relatively rapidly right now," Singleton said. "We're in the process of trying to nail down some loose ends. Until things progress to the next stage I'm not at liberty to say anything else."

Singleton, a co-owner with retired medical doctor Hal Holmes, cited a confidentiality agreement in not naming a buyer or closing date of the agreement.

"It's just a business decision," Singleton said. "We think we're making a very good business decision."

Singleton and Holmes are the latest owners to apparently bail out of a market that is saturated with more than 110 courses.

The rising value of real estate, a housing building boom in the area and decreased profits in the golf market since the 1990s largely due to overbuilding have led the owners of at least a dozen local courses to consider selling to developers.

Belle Terre's battle for its share of the market was hurt by the building of S.C. 31 into its property beginning in 2000. The road took both nine holes of an executive course that accompanied the 7,013-yard par-72 championship course and the course's high-profile entrance road off U.S. 501. The remaining nine holes of the executive course closed last October.

Belle Terre's director of marketing has informed package providers the course won't be accepting tee times past Nov. 11.

The property is zoned RC/HC, which is Highway Commercial and Resort Commercial, which allows resort-related commercial uses, several residential uses including multi-family condos and single-family homes, and low-scale businesses such as offices, restaurants, grocery stores, etc., that might comprise a town center. So there's a chance the developer won't need a zoning change from Horry County Council, depending on their plans.

If Belle Terre closes as scheduled, it will be the second Rees Jones design on the Strand to do so. Gator Hole, one of his first solo works in 1980, became a shopping center and housing development in 1999.

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Redeveloping the Strand

Several Grand Strand golf courses have closed, are contracted to be sold, are in sales negotiations, or have requested a zoning change to allow for possible redevelopment in the past six years.

Burning Ridge West | Myrtle Beach, closed 9 holes in June for housing

Robbers Roost | Myrtle Beach, closed in 2003, undeveloped

Crown Park | Longs, closed 9 of 27 holes in 2003, contracted to become homes

Gator Hole | North Myrtle Beach, redeveloped in 1999

Raccoon Run | Myrtle Beach, will close Aug. 14 for housing

Belle Terre | Myrtle Beach, expected to close Nov. 11 for redevelopment

Bay Tree Plantation | North Myrtle Beach, at least 36 of 54 holes will close for housing May 16, 2006

Green Acres | Aynor, sale pending

Winyah Bay | Georgetown, closed in January for housing

Calabash Golf Links | Calabash, N.C., expected to close in November for housing

Marsh Harbour | Calabash, N.C., closed in 2002, undeveloped

Ocean Harbour | Calabash, N.C., closed in 2001, undeveloped

Ocean Isle Beach Golf Club | Ocean Isle Beach, N.C., sales offer received

Angels Trace Golf Links | Sunset Beach, N.C., negotiating with potential buyers