Black Forest, Wilderness Valley Sold In IRS Auction
Black Forest, one of Tom Doak’s early designs, and its sister course, Wilderness Valley, have reportedly been sold at an IRS auction, according to the Petosky News. The two courses once were jewels in the Gaylord, Michigan golf mecca crown.
Wilderness Valley was designed by Michigan Golf Hall of Famer Al Watrous.
I last played Black Forest in 2009 and thoroughly enjoyed it. However, more recent reports from GolfBlogger readers suggested that the courses had fallen into disrepair.
The two courses sit on 548.45 acres just outside Gaylord. They initially had been scheduled for auction by SVN Auction Services, but were instead seized by the IRS for failure to pay taxes.
The property was bought by Hamrick Holdings of Grand Rapids.
This also isn’t the first time Black Forest and Wilderness Valley have been up for auction. In 2011, they were two of a group of six courses auctioned off by then-owner Osprey Properties.
Hopefully, Hamrick Holdings intend to get the courses up and running again. I have a hard time imagining that the land would be slated for a housing development. There’s lots of land in Northern Michigan and not that many people.
It would be a shame to lose a Doak course. Michigan already has lost High Pointe, in Williamsburg, which was Doak’s first design.
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Oh we are going to get it back into shape very soon.
After years of working for ezgo. I moved to gaylord to work for wilderness valley. It was like moving back on time.made me want to live outside. The owner was a boss that we only wish most would like to work for. The staff. Employies were like family. I moved back down state. A move i wish i never made i hope whoever .takes over . please dont ruin it keep it simple enjoyable. Affordable.