Dauphin Island golf course closing after 50 years

DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala. (WALA) - After 50 years, the only golf course on Dauphin Island will no longer be open for business. Monday, Isle Dauphin Golf Course was empty, as it will be in two weeks when it closes for good.

“I think it's pretty much financial,” said Mayor of Dauphin Island, Jeff Collier.

In addition to serving as part time mayor for Dauphin Island, Collier is the general manager of the golf club and has worked at the course for 35 years.

“I've worked there my whole life. That's the only job I've ever had. Not many people can say they have had one job their entire life, but I actually started working there when I was 15 years old.

"I’ve served as the gulf cart guy, the water guy, and worked my way up to golf professional and general manager. So I’ve been throughout the whole gammut in the facility,” said Collier.

Now, instead of hitting the golf course, the mayor is going to be hitting the computer, searching for a job.

“I’ll have to join the other 9 percent of Americans in the unemployment line I guess. The bottom line is I will certainly miss it. It’s something I’ve spent a lot of time doing, enjoyed it all, and hopefully, I can find something that will fit me equally as well,” said Collier.

He said there are a variety of factors involved in closing the course.

“The oil spill didn’t help matters. Then you have the global economic turmoil that’s going on. You’ve got a golf industry that’s been on the decline the past five to six years in general.

"It's just a though environment because here you have salt and water, and that’s coming over on the grass and that’s tough. It’s a beautiful place for a course, but that’s right on the front line when you have hurricanes and tropical storms, so that can be problematic too,” said Collier.

He said closing the course will have far-reaching effects on small businesses and on the island.

“We rely on certain amenities and attractions on the island to bring people here from a tourism standpoint, and the golf course offered one of those aspects,” Collier said.

Collier said he will miss what the course brought to the island and to his family.

“It's been a part of my life, my family's life. We worked there all along so it's been close, convenient and very personal to us," he said.

Even though the course is closing, other amenities like the grill, swimming pool and tennis courts will remain open.

The decision to close the course came from the Dauphin Island Property Owner’s Association, who Collier said owns and operates the course.