One of two city-owned golf courses will close later this month to make way for residential and retail development.
Pine Oaks Golf Course, located at 2201 NW 21st Street, has been an Ocala mainstay for more than three decades. With more than 477 acres on its grounds, the property will cease golf operations in the next few weeks because of the demand for affordable housing in the community.
“We’re very excited about the possibility of redeveloping Pine Oaks Golf Course into affordable, single family homes, rental properties and retail development” said City Manager John Zobler during a presentation to the Ocala Chamber and Economic Partnership on April 17.
According to Zobler, the city is focused on “doing things that make sense,” and getting out of businesses that don’t necessarily help the community’s financial sustainability.
“There are 26 golf courses in Marion County. There is not a need for the city to be in this type of business. This is an excellent example of the discipline needed to be fiscally sustainable as a city. Stop doing things that don’t make sense, and start doing things that do make sense,” said Zobler.
If you have not yet played golf at Pine Oaks Golf Course and would like to do so before it closes, you still have a little time left. The course’s website will continue taking reservations at https://www.pineoaksocala.com/