New Albany Country Club will remain a golf course

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July 9, 2009

Investment group hopes to have course ready for play by month’s end

By DANIEL SUDDEATH The News and Tribune Thu Jul 09, 2009, 02:11 PM EDT

A group of investors settled with MainSource Bank on Wednesday and have taken over the former New Albany Country Club property along Graybrook Lane.

The investment team is headed by Cary Hammond, who ran Old English Golf Course in Crawford County for the past six years, and includes former country club members.

“We basically took possession of the golf course [Wednesday],” Hammond said from the clubhouse office at the golf course. He was overseeing groundskeeping work, as the staff is making sure they don’t lose control of the landscaping of the course during the transition.

The course has been purchased, but there are still some remaining details to be finalized before it goes to the investment group officially. So the investors could start preparing the course to reopen, Hammond said MainSource provided a lease agreement to the group until the purchase is finalized.

“MainSource wanted to see it stay as a golf course, so they were willing to work with us in that fashion,” Hammond said.

He believes the course will reopen by the end of July. But there will be notable differences — mainly the fact the nine-hole course will be public, as opposed to a private country club.

And Hammond said the prices will be affordable — an average fee between $20 and $26 to play 18 holes with a cart depending on the day of the week.

“This will be open to everybody. It will be a public golf course and anybody and everybody is welcome to play,” he said.

Hammond will continue his work at Old English and there will be a partnership between the two courses, with memberships possibly being offered in the future to include both venues.

The New Albany course will feature different leagues Monday through Friday, Hammond said. They likely will include church, business and men’s leagues.

As for a name, Hammond said the investors are still conducting market research to see what fits best. There will not be a restaurant in the old country club lounge area when the course reopens.

Instead, Hammond said they hope to introduce a sports bar-type establishment inside the club house that would serve hamburgers, chicken wings and pizza, along with beer and mixed drinks.

He added the group wants to expand the clubhouse to include a deck where players can sit and enjoy a beverage or a meal.

The country club shut down in June in part because of a drop in memberships. Hammond believes opening the 67-acre course to the public will make it a popular destination, as Cherry Valley Golf Course is the only links open in New Albany.

With its multiple doglegs and lengthy par-five holes, Hammond said the layout of the course is exceptional.

“This course is truly a championship course; it just happens to be only a nine-hole course,” he said.

Hammond declined to unveil how much the group paid for the property, but said it would be a long-term investment that the team feels will be profitable.

MainSource attempted to sell the property at a sheriff’s auction with a $400,000 minimum asking price, but no bids were received.

SO YOU KNOW

• The golf course will feature rates between $20 and $26 for 18 holes with a cart and will be open to the public. Owners hope to have it ready for play by the end of July.

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