DAWSON SPRINGS, Ky. — After it was announced in November that the Pennyrile Forest State Golf Course might close, Dawson Springs officials, residents, and many golfers of surrounding communities have voiced their concern.
Christian County Judge Executive Jerry Gilliam attended a meeting at the Pennyrile Forest State Park, where Gilliam and employees were informed that the golf course could close at the end of 2024.
After it was announced in November that the Pennyrile Forest State Golf Course might close, Dawson Springs officials, residents, and many golfers of surrounding communities have voiced their concern.
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Many have taken note of how surrounding courses have received funding, even noting how Lake Barkley received $17 million for renovations, while their course hangs in the balance. Yet, Pennyrile Forest State Park has received nothing in way of fixing up their own golf course, which some former employees speculate would be less than a quarter of that.
When asked, Dawson Springs Mayor Jenny Sewell said that locals are worried, yet hopeful. She and other officials have been holding discussions with the state, hoping to showcase the importance of their golf course and the impact a closure would have on the community.
Sewell said that Dawson Springs has noticed how other state parks have received funding for their courses and other amenities, yet nothing has been given toward the Pennyrile Forest State Park Golf Course.
“We feel like, more or less, that it has been bled dry,” Sewell said. “We are interested in the golf course to be put in a position to where it can be very successful. The golf course is a big part of our community, and is an activity that people rely on having here. Not only in Dawson Springs, but in the region.”
Pennyrile Forest State Golf Course, a treasure to locals.
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Weeks ago, Dawson Springs Schools Superintendent Leonard Whalen voiced his own concern to reporters, saying that this could put their golfing team in a particularly tight spot. The Pennyrile Forest State Golf Course has been the Dawson Springs Panthers’ home course for quite some time. Not having the convenience of a local course would cause complications and potentially put the team in jeopardy. The Dawson Springs Panthers have ranked highly across the state, which is even more incentive to keep it open, according to Whalen.
However, Executive Director of Tourism for Kentucky Anita Hatchett said that it would not be closing on such a date, releasing the official statement:
“As of now, there is no official decision regarding a potential closure. The Department of Parks is actively exploring all possible options for the future of the golf course. Commissioner Meyer continues to engage with local leaders and community members to gather input on the best path forward. Built in a floodplain, the golf course suffers from significant damage during rain events, washing out the cart path, damaging bridges, and causing other damage, leading to long closures and expensive repairs to make the course safe and playable. With these challenges, the course is the least played and lowest quality among the Kentucky State Parks golf courses. Kentucky State Parks remains dedicated to our mission of making our parks a vibrant and welcoming space for all to enjoy.”
Despite the statement, many locals, officials and even former employees of the park have challenged the claims, voicing their frustration with the lack of transparency regarding the 18-hole course. The golf course has been a pillar of the community since the 1960s and, according to them, has required minimal upkeep compared to other courses owned by the state.
The golf course lodge requires a low number of employees to operate, according to former employees.
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As a former state park employee and a frequent user of the golf course, Jeff Jennings said that although the park has flooded before, the frequency of it is once every four to five years.
He just hopes that the park and state will simply inform the public on what to expect in the days ahead. Avid golfer Rick Bowles feels that there are efforts to either close the course, or keep it from being better.
“We do see other courses getting all kinds of help, every day of every week,” Bowles said. “This course is so easy to maintain, it sells itself. It just needs to have done what should have been done a long time ago.”
Dawson Springs Mayor Sewell said that in recent meetings, the area would happily come up with additional investment, remedies, or anything needed to try to sustain it. She feels that the focus needs to shift to what things are right with the golf course, regarding upkeep, and that is worth the investment.
“People need to remember that this area has been hit with two tornadoes since 2021,” Jennings said. “This course, if we lose it, it is just another part of our community that is gone. That is why myself, Rick Bowles, Joe Roberts, Mayor Jenny Sewell and many others are trying so hard to keep it. When we heard it, it was like it was a rug being pulled out from under us. It felt like it was being done behind our backs.”
