The residents and former members of Brick Landing Plantation in Ocean Isle Beach, N.C., are growing weary of waiting on the fate of their golf course, but at least things are finally moving in some direction.
Any parties interested in purchasing the course have until the close of business Monday to submit a bid that surpasses the $1.3 million bid by Carolina Bank at an auction Aug. 20.
The bid by the bank, which foreclosed on the golf course in early July, was the only one received at the auction. But there is a 10-day period for upset bids to be received by the court, and an additional 10-day period will follow the receipt of every higher upset bid, if there are any.
Brick Landing, a 23-year-old scenic 18-hole layout designed by Mike Brazeal featuring holes along the Intracoastal Waterway and a grand clubhouse on the water's banks, has been closed since January, when a sign on the clubhouse said the course would be closed for the month.
A judge issued an order of foreclosure in early July against its owners, who include course designer and architect Dan Maples, the course's managing partner who became a partner in the course more than four years ago.
The foreclosure was against Ocean Isle Beach Plantation, LLC, a partnership between Maples and Whistler Investment Group of Raleigh, N.C., and was for defaulting on a $5 million loan received in 2005 from the Greensboro-based Carolina Bank.
Work has recently been done on the clubhouse and some areas of the course.
Although the golf course situation appears to be nearing resolution, Brunswick County is also attempting to rectify an issue with the Brick Landing subdivision's sewer system.
Brunswick County was appointed the emergency operator for a waste water treatment plant there after it was in need of repairs and its former owner walked away from it, according to assistant county attorney Jana Berg.
The North Carolina Utilities Commission asked the county to get involved a few months ago to oversee operation and repairs of the system, and Berg said it is working to take over the system.
She said the county is acquiring easements and setting up a special assessment district to connect the subdivision to the county system for a permanent solution. Once that happens a moratorium on building permits at Brick Landing will be lifted, and some development could begin turning vacant land into lots to for sale.
Heckman's friends step up
The Grand Strand golf community is banding together to offer a great outpouring of support - as would be expected - for teaching and club pro Mark Heckman.
Heckman, 47, who has been working in the golf market for about 25 years, has been battling a fast-moving cancer that began in and around his kidneys.
A benefit tournament is being played at noon Sunday at River Hills Golf & Country Club. Despite the event being hastily arranged in a matter of a few weeks, 46 four-person teams have registered, which is far more than organizers anticipated or planned to allow.
"In the short amount of time we've been putting it together, this has been rather amazing," said River Hills head pro David Spoone. "I was skeptical we could do it, but I don't know why I was. There is a ton of people out there that really support and love Mark so it's been really good."
Heckman began working in the Strand golf market at River Oaks Golf Club, was a pro at Heather Glen, spent 15 years as the head pro at River Hills, and had most recently been teaching at Possum Trot Golf Club at the Mike Passmore's Simply Great Golf Academy.
He was instrumental in helping North Myrtle Beach High School win back-to-back state high school boys golf championships in the mid-2000s. He ran numerous free junior clinics and often worked with members of the golf team in those years, including standouts Sam Lyons, Patrick Lundy and Trevor Muffley.
River Hills general manager Harriss D'Antignac, River Hills assistant pro Geoff Appleby, who was Heckman's assistant for nine years, Passmore and Eagle Nest Golf Club head pro Kent Chismar are among those worked to put Sunday's benefit tournament together. "A lot of people have really come together and supported him," Spoone said.
Heckman is hoping to make an appearance at the event with his longtime wife, Leesa.
He suffered from a sore back for some time and thought it was just a pulled muscle or something from his swing, but he was diagnosed a few months ago with cancer. He is reportedly without insurance.
Though the captain's choice golf event is sold out, donations will still be accepted at the event and beyond.
SI execs plan celebration
Sports Illustrated executives will commemorative the meeting at Pine Lakes Country Club in 1954 that led to the creation of the magazine with a dinner and golf outing at the club Wednesday.
Attendees are expected to include current SI managing editor Terry McDonell, former SI managing editor Mark Mulvoy and John Marin, who ran the meeting of Time-Life executives at Pine Lakes when the concept of Sports Illustrated took life.
"It's always good to kind of get back to your roots a little bit," SI Golf Group publisher Dick Raskopf said.
Patriot Golf Day nears
The fourth annual Patriot Golf Day will beLabor Day weekend (Sept. 3-6) at hundreds of golf facilities in the Carolinas, including at least 25 on the Grand Strand.
Patriot Golf Day events will benefit the Folds of Honor Foundation, an organization that provides scholarship opportunities to the families of soldiers who have been injured or killed in the line of military duty.
Events range from a simple $1 addition to greens fees to Patriot Golf Day tournaments and clinics. Throughout the Carolinas last year, 405 facilities raised nearly $200,000 to account for roughly 10 percent of the total donations nationwide in 2009. The Burroughs & Chapin family of courses collectively raised $27,000. Participating locations can be viewed at patriotgolfday.com.
Major Dan Rooney, Program Leader for the Folds of Honor Foundation, started Patriot Golf Day after he finished his second tour of duty in Iraq and recognized the need to provide support to the families of his comrades killed and injured.
U.S. Kids have solid start
The inaugural tournament of the U.S. Kids Golf Myrtle Beach Local Tour at Whispering Pines last Saturday attracted 38 players.
It was the first in the eight-tournament series for boys and girls ages 6-14 that is being run by founders of the fledgling Myrtle Beach Junior Golf Foundation. There are 42 players registered for today's second event in the series at River's Edge Golf Club, according to tournament director Russ Brown.
The U.S. Kids Golf Foundation has established more than 60 local tours around the U.S. and Europe, and regional championships precede the U.S. Kids World Championships and Teen World Championships at Pinehurst Resort.
Adams family rules
Good luck to anyone in the field of the fifth Carolinas Mixed Team Championship next Saturday and Sunday not named Adams.
Forty-two teams, including four-time defending champions Anthony and Debbie Adams of Asheville, N.C., will participate in the event at Ocean Ridge Plantation's recently-renovated Panther's Run Golf Links.
The Carolinas Golf Association event is a 36-hole four-ball stroke play competition with a Championship and Tournament divisions.
The tournament division plays a shorter course. Men in the Championship Division playing from tees measuring approximately 6,600 yards, and the ladies' course covering approximately 5,600 yards.
Ocean Ridge has hosted the event five straight years. In 2006, the husband-wife Adams duo shot 67-67--134 at Panther's Run to win by one stroke.
In 2007, they shot 62-65--127 at Lion's Paw to win by seven strokes. In 2008, they won in a playoff at Tiger's Eye, and last year they won by four strokes with a 65-68--133 at Lion's Paw.
To view Blondin's blog, "Green Reading," or Q&A Forum "Ask Al,"go to TheSunNews.com.
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