ORANGE PARK, Fla. — A golf community with no golf course. That’s the case for the former Country Club of Orange Park, which went out of business earlier in March.
Residents are hoping Clay County Commissioners will step up to help.
The undulating greens are overgrown. The parking lot is empty. The former Country Club of Orange Park Country course is waiting in limbo.
John McCormack has lived on the course for about 20 years and said he wants to see a new owner before the property is too far gone to repair or maintain.
“At some point, it’s going to become tougher,” McCormack said, “Right now, I think it’s still possible with greenskeeping and chemicals to maintain the course.”
McCormack explained at the height of membership, some 500 people belonged to the club. Right around the time of its closure — about 100.
“There were some indications that the prior owner was struggling,” McCormack said.
McCormack, who is also the President of the Home Owners Association, said property value in the community is at stake with an empty club at the heart of the problem.
One plan, he explained, is to see if the county will buy the golf course or help find a party interested in buying.
“It’s a wonderful community,” McCormack said.