MIDLAND, Texas — Nueva Vista Golf Club in Midland revealed Tuesday that it will be closing its doors for good, making the announcement in an email sent to members by Jon Crain. The golf course is set to officially close at the end of the day on Monday, July 24th.
There are still a lot of unknowns such as if the land has been sold, who is buying it and what will happen to the golf course and green space. However, one certainty from the announcement is that Midlanders are disappointed.
“I guess disappointment is just the best way to describe it," said Autumn Winkles, Executive Director of FORE Midland.
“It breaks my heart," said Richard Hamm, a concerned Midlander. "I mean I’ve enjoyed the golf course immensely over the years, and we’re sad to see it go.”
"I think it's unfortunate that it's closing," said Amy Stretcher-Burkes, District 4 representative on the Midland City Council. "I hope it stays a golf course. There [are] a lot of kids and a lot of individuals that use that and it's a sad thing that we'll be losing for the city."
At Nueva Vista Golf Club, golf itself is on the back nine.
As the golf course prepares to close in just under two weeks, for Midland residents, the space meant more than just a sport.
“My wife and I got back into the sport together, and it’s been something we can do together and often and we both enjoyed," said Hamm. "So, for our family – us personally – it was a great experience, and it will be dearly missed.”
“My husband and I were like ‘What are we going to do on date night? We go every week, what are we going to do?’," said Winkles. "I mean there [are] only so many movies you can watch and only so many restaurants you can go to. We decided to start playing golf so we would have something to do together.”
Winkles and FORE Midland have fought for years to try and preserve the land, and with it closing in on the 18th tee, it’s future is now uncertain.
“People matter, and I really felt that in Midland, and I am so disgusted to know that I was wrong, because it seems like – that at the end of the day – money is what’s going to rule," said Winkles. "And it’s going [to] all be about money and not quality of life, not green space, not saving a beautiful staple of Midland for the last 24 years.”
Strecher-Burkes mentioned that she received many concerned calls and texts Tuesday with the golf course located in her district. She also noted that as of right now the land is zoned as agriculture, so if changes are made to the land, it would first have to go through the zoning process with the city.