Why has °®¶¹´«Ã½ decided to close the golf course to the public?
While °®¶¹´«Ã½ recognizes the course’s important history, the university also realizes its needs continue to evolve and the timing is right to explore other uses for the property. After much consideration, the university announced on June 29 that it has made the difficult decision to close the public golf operations for The Claw at °®¶¹´«Ã½ effective September 5, 2023.
Several factors led to our decision, including:
- An opportunity to reimagine the property for a use that more closely aligns with the mission of the university.
- The course is no longer the official home of the °®¶¹´«Ã½ men’s and women’s golf teams and it’s not used as their primary location for full course practice or competitions. After the course closes for public play, °®¶¹´«Ã½ will continue to use the existing golf team complex on site that provides practice facilities, locker rooms and study areas for the varsity golf teams.
- In recent years the course has lost nearly $200,000 annually, as operating costs have far exceeded revenues. The course operations have required °®¶¹´«Ã½ to inject cash each year to keep it open, and those financial resources could be used elsewhere to better support our students.
- The clubhouse and golf cart storage facility have aged to a point that they have been forced to close in recent years. Rebuilding these facilities would likely require a multimillion-dollar investment from the university.
How will the °®¶¹´«Ã½ men’s and women’s golf teams be impacted?
The course is no longer the official home of the °®¶¹´«Ã½ men’s and women’s golf teams and it’s not used as their primary location for full course practice or competitions. After the course closes for public play, °®¶¹´«Ã½ will continue to use the existing golf team complex on site that provides practice facilities, locker rooms and study areas for the varsity golf teams.
Can the public continue to play the course until the closing date?
Yes, the course will remain fully operational until September 5, 2023.
Will members be refunded for any payments already made that extend beyond the closing date?
Yes, members will be refunded a prorated amount. Please contact John Sparrow at jsparrow@troon.com for more information.
Will the golf course land be used to build °®¶¹´«Ã½â€™s on-campus stadium?
No. °®¶¹´«Ã½ has already selected a site for the stadium located on the east side of the Tampa campus known as Sycamore Fields. More information is available here.
When will °®¶¹´«Ã½ decide how the golf course property will be used?
No timeline has been established. No decisions have been made and no initial plans have been created for the future of the golf course site. °®¶¹´«Ã½ looks forward to determining how to repurpose the land to better serve students, faculty, staff and the surrounding area.
How big is the golf course portion of the North Fletcher Property?
The golf course property is 120 acres, including 80 acres that is irrigated and mowed.
How will this impact the °®¶¹´«Ã½ Forest Preserve?
Closing the golf course will not impact the Forest Preserve land. The decision does not change the university’s commitment to maintaining the natural environment in the preserve.