Columbia-area golf course files for bankruptcy
The Blythwood Country Club, formerly known as The Windermere Club, has filed for bankruptcy.
Owner John Bakhaus said last Thursday’s Chapter 11 filing was intended to restructure the course’s finances — particularly mortgage debt and property taxes — not as a prelude to closing.
“Operationally, things have been very good recently,” he said. “We don’t owe anything to vendors. We’re churning along and continuing to invest in the course.”
Several Columbia-area golf courses have struggled in recent years, because developers built too many courses or failed to maintain them, experts say. One, The Golf Club of South Carolina at Crickentree, was closed and is now being turned into a controversial housing development.
But ironically, the advent of the coronavirus pandemic has helped business at Bakhaus’ course and others across the industry, the owner said, as people look for ways to get out of the house, socialize and still be safe.
“It’s been a blessing for the whole industry,” he said. Golf “is something people can do recreationally and still social distance.”
The course near Blythewood has been under a financial strain since a sale of the course failed in September.
Since then, Bakhaus has upgrade the course, designed by the legendary Pete Dye, and made other improvements to try to boost its use.
Greens on the 18-hole course were upgraded this spring from bent grass to ultra-dwarf Bermuda, which is more compatible with Columbia’s scorching summers. It’s the same grass used at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, where the PGA Tour’s Wells Fargo Championship is played.
“We made this greens conversion last summer and they have come in beautifully and people love them and that has helped as well,” Bakhaus said.
Also, the course, like most Midland’s courses, have instituted coronavirus safeguards such as no communal water coolers, no bunker rakes and disinfecting carts after every round, among other precautions.
Bakhaus said a ruling on the bankruptcy is expected in about two weeks. And even if it denied, the course would continue to be open for play.
“We’re in close discussions with another investor,” Bakhaus said.