Desolation Row, march 10, 2017

     Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Links at Novadell, which claimed to offer “magnificent golf, superb amenities, and outstanding service,” went belly up on the last day of last year. The Don Charles-designed, 18-hole track was only 14 years old. An online reviewer once complained that Novadell was “perhaps the flattest 18 holes of golf I’ve ever played,” but he conceded that it was “an inexplicably fun golf course.”

     Alexandria, Louisiana. Time has run out on Alexandria Golf & Country Club, a venue that was said to be “a big piece of the community for many years.” The club’s debut came in 1945, and it thrived into the early 21st century, as a local newspaper says that it served as “a showcase for many young golfers who found fame and success later.” The group included Dow Finsterwald, Gay Brewer, and David Toms. Alexandria began fending off competitors in 2002, when two public courses opened in the area, and by 2007 it fell into a serious decline. The few remaining members played their last rounds late last month.

     Brewton, Alabama. Hoping to save $150,000 a year, elected officials in Brewton have voted to close Dogwood Hills Municipal Golf Course. The vote was initiated by the city’s mayor, who claims that the nine-hole, 80-year-old track has only 50 regular players. “Golf is a declining sport,” he said in a comment published by the Brewton Standard. The mayor is thinking about building ball fields or a pool on the property.

     Corvallis, Oregon. Just before Christmas, Doug Hoselton closed the golf course that had been in his family for nearly 60 years. Marysville Golf Course had faced financial difficulties of late, and Hoselton wants to retire. “It was a great golf-development golf course for entry-level golfers,” the golf pro at another local course told the Corvallis Gazette-Times. “I’m sad to see it go, I really am. It’s been here a long time, and it’s been a great asset to the community.” Hoselton’s grandparents built the nine-hole, Fred Federspiel-designed track in 1958. The property’s 93 acres will likely be leased to a farmer.

     Redding, California. Redding Rancheria has drawn the curtain on what it once called the “Biggest Little Country Club in Northern California.” The venue is River Tasalmi Golf Club, which opened in 1990, as River Bend Golf & Country Club. The tribe purchased River Bend in 2010, to serve as an amenity for its Win-River Casino, but the property’s nine-hole, executive-length track didn’t pull its weight. The tribe hasn’t announced a closing date, but it appears that the decision is final.

     Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Late last year, a long-suffering golf complex in suburban Albuquerque met its unfortunate but seemingly inevitable end. Jhett Browne turned out the lights for the last time at his Club Rio Rancho, a venue that was reportedly burdened by nearly $3.8 million in debt. Albuquerque Business First reports that Browne, who bought the club in 2014, intends to turn it over to its lender. The club had operated since 1970, with an 18-hole course that had been co-designed by Desmond Muirhead and Gene Sarazen. It added a Lee Trevino-designed nine in 1987.

     Wilmington, North Carolina. Despite complaints from local residents, it appears that the struggling Echo Farms Golf & Country Club is doomed to become a subdivision. Late last year, Matrix Development Group, the club’s owner, requested permission to build more than 500 housing units on the 139 acres that had operated as an 18-hole golf course since 1974. Matrix bought Echo Farms and its Gene Hamm-designed layout in 1995 but has concluded that the purchase “wasn't a prudent investment.” It may eventually change its mind, however, because Wilmington is said to be the center of “a booming housing market.”

     Cleveland, Mississippi. This summer, state-mandated budget cuts will force Delta State University to pull the plug on Derrall Foreman Golf Course. The nine-hole track had operated since 1932. By closing the course, the school expects to save $250,000 a year.

     Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Over the next few years, Cherry Valley Golf Course will become a wildlife refuge. The 18-hole, nearly 50-year-old track was recently purchased by the Nature Conservancy, reportedly for $1.7 million. The conservancy intends to hand the course over to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which will return the 193-acre property to something resembling its “natural” state. No word yet on when the park will be open to the public.