By: Jill Fox
A plethora of rumors and no straight answers have Heron Bay golfers up in arms about the future of their course.
The Heron Bay Golf Course is owned by ClubLink, which has a total of seven clubs in Florida, four of which are located in Broward County. After owning and operating more than 40 golf courses across Canada, ClubLink ventured into the United States in 2010.
In 2018, the Heron Bay course closed for the summer, then reopened from December until May 2019. Since closing for the season, it seems ClubLink has no plans to open the course anytime soon.
“I never thought this could happen in Heron Bay,” said Patrick Noud, who lives on the golf course, and has been a Heron Bay resident since 2004, as well as a golfer and ClubLink member for many years.
Noud said, he went to play golf at Eagle Trace, a Coral Springs course under the ClubLink umbrella, and the director of operations, Julian Gil, said they’re not reopening Heron Bay this year. When Noud asked if this was public knowledge, Gil said it was.
After numerous unsuccessful attempts to reach someone at ClubLink’s headquarters and confirm these rumors, they would only say that they have not yet decided on a reopening date for the Coral Springs and Parkland course.
Two other local ClubLink employees also said Heron Bay would be closed for the duration of the season but didn’t have any additional information.
Parkland Commissioner Stacy Kagan, who lives on the golf course as well, said she knew the course was being maintained but didn’t know whether ClubLink was reopening or closing the course.
Kagan said, at this point, there would be no reason for ClubLink to talk to the city because they own the property, and it has to remain that way for six-and-a-half or seven more years.
Although the future of the golf course remains uncertain, anyone who tries to change or develop the land will have to follow specific criteria due to a recent city ordinance and land-use restrictions.