Cypress Knoll Golf Course Closing Tomorrow

Golf Group of Palm Coast is throwing in the towel on another of the Grand Club courses they bought from Crescent Resources (Landmar) in November 2011.

Cypress Golf Course in Palm Coast - Google EarthPALM COAST, FL – June 16, 2016 – GoToby.com has learned that employees have been told the Cypress Course, formerly known as Cypress Knoll, will be closed tomorrow. Golf Group of Palm Coast purchased the Cypress Course, Pines Course and the closed Matanzas Course from bankrupt Crescent Resources for $2,000,000. Crescent operated locally as Landmar Group. The three courses were collectively know as the Grand Club.

Landmar had begun to redevelop the Grand Club. Pines and Cypress were each closed for a year to refurbish the courses. Cypress got a new clubhouse and the Pines clubhouse was upgraded. But the real estate bubble burst just about the time they closed Matanzas for its makeover. Work on Matanzas never commenced. Then the bankruptcy.

Since the purchase in November 2011, Golf Group of Palm Coast has been shedding assets. The closed Matanzas Course was sold for $266,750 in October 2014. Golf Group of Palm Coast held a mortgage on the property which they ultimately sold at a discount to Jim Cullis. The note has since been paid in full, but Matanzas remains closed. It’s HIGHLY unlikely that Matanzas will ever return as a golf course.

For the past few years, Golf Group of Palm Coast has continued to operate Cypress but has leased the Pines Course to Firinn Group LLC. The Pines Course remains open. One former Cypress employee told GoToby.com that Firinn Group might reopen Cypress in the near future. GoToby.com has been unable to confirm this rumor.

Both Cypress and Pines courses show outstanding tax liens for $19,576 and $22,613 respectively representing delinquent 2015 property taxes. They are not alone in their tax dilemma. Grand Haven Golf Course, owned by Escalante, has an outstanding tax lien of $78,800 for the 2015 tax year. The Cypress Course was opened in 1990.

6 replies
  1. Jo
    Jo says:

    Member Letter

    Members received an email confirming what Toby said. The club will close tomorrow, However the owners of the Pine Course will allow CK members to play at that course at member rates for the rest of the year. A meeting for CK members only is set at Pine Course next Monday.

  2. Cypress course resident
    Cypress course resident says:

    Will the city force the owner to mow?

    Just great…February closed on house on the 13th green. Amazing view since the other side is a greenway. So will this turn out like Mantanzas and its overgrown and an eye sore? With all the critters that will come with it?

  3. Diane
    Diane says:

    Cypress Knoll Golf Course Closing

    I am saddened to see the news. As a homeowner on Matanzas Golf Course, I feel the pain of all the residents who live on the Cypress Course. Yes, you will see critters, ponds will become overgrown, and it will be a fight to keep the fairways mowed.

  4. George Edward Chuddy
    George Edward Chuddy says:

    Cypress Knoll – Four Sisters – The Smithsonian

    For the newer Palm Coasters – I meant to add that documents for the Cypress Knoll Golf Club are in the Levitt & Palm Coast Reference Collection in the ‘ The Smithsonian ‘.

    I’ll have to look at the documents and disc that the owners of ‘ Garfield ‘ prepared and send a CC to me with the original going into the Smithsonian Collection. ( We’re hoping in the future that the Palm Coast Arts Foundation will secure permission from ‘ Garfield ‘ to show this to all of you in a presentation )

    As an aside; when I was communicating with ‘ Garfield ‘ they told me that much of the documents about Garfield and Palm Coast Project was ruined in a flood they had. Since I am Steward of much I sent all the ‘ Garfield ‘ documents to them to replace what was lost in their flood. It was very disappointing initially but…now they have copies which better enabled them to prepare the documents and disc that went to ‘ The Smithsonian ‘. It was ‘ Garfields’ bicycle Tour of Palm Coast ‘.

    Neat huh !

  5. George Edward Chuddy
    George Edward Chuddy says:

    Origins and Federally ORDERED Consumer REDRESS fo

    ( For the newer Palm Coasters below is a three page letter excerpt from the gartantuan Documents in the Official Records of the United States Federal Trade Commission pursuant F.T.C. C-2854 and Federally ORDERED ‘ 15 Year Compliance Report ‘ with Federal Exhibits A and B.
    You will see the origins of the Levitt & I.T.T.’s ‘ Four Sisters ‘ Golf Courses, later to include the River Club Golf Club a.k.a. Grand Haven Golf Club ).

    I guess I won’t attent the meeting; of late I am not a member of any of the Four Sisters anymore because what little money I have I am putting into the Historic Restoration of my Levitt & I.T.T. ‘Santa Rosa’ Model – an Official State of Florida Heritage Historic site with Historic MARKER; I am 100 Historically accurate with the exterior and I have slowly but surely been restoring the ‘ Safari ‘ Interior. I hope you understand. When Toby came by to visit he was very kind and did not laugh; he kindly said…’ …that’s o.k. – it is a work in progress…’.

    Should any new Palm Coasters want to see our efforts in Levitts and I.T.T. Showcase Golf Course Neighborhood – here are some of our small accomplishments – Levitt & I.T.T. State of Florida MARKER site at 29 Casper Drive – complete with Official Historic MARKER; mine , Levitt and I.T.T. ‘ Santa Rosa ‘ Model complete with Official Historic MARKER at 13 Clark Lane; also Historic Structure – Palm Coasts’ ‘ First Bible School House ‘ on Cerrudo Lane, ‘ This Old Palm Coast House’ on Clark along with ‘ Villa Elizabeth ‘ also on Clark Lane. We have others in the pipeline since it takes massive amount of research and documentation to submit an Application to the State of Florida Historic Preservation Offices . We only have out kitchen tables and floors to work off of but we are slowly but surely trying very hard – we live at Staples xerox machines.

    ********************************************************************

    ( Below – Officially Federally STAMPED: RECEIVED DEC 04, 2989 – F.T.C. )
    I.T.T. Community Development Corporation
    Executive Offices
    Palm Coast, Florida 32051-0001
    Telephone (904) 445-445-2675

    Richard Braunstein
    Assistant General Counsel

    December 1, 1989

    Federal Trade Commission
    Atlanta Regional Office
    Room 1000
    Atlanta, GA 30367

    RE: Federal Trade Commission decision and Order issued December 10, 1976 ( Decision and Order) – In The Matter of International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, ITT Community Development Corporation and Palm Coast, Ind.

    Dear Sir:

    The following is in response to the reporting requirement set forth in the unnumbered paragraph on Page 16 of the Decision and Order.

    From an historical perspective, in 1969, I.T.T. Community Development Corporation (CDC) began a master plan of a community now known as Palm Coast. As a significant step in the process, in 1974, CDC entered into an Agreement with Florida’s Division of State Planning for the purpose of developing a Comprehensive Land Use Plan ( CLUP) as a logical and effective process to guide and control the orderly development of Palm Coast. The CLUP is a five volume, 14000 page guide for residential, commercial, industrial and public service growth for 42,000 acres. The development plans extend to the 21st Century for a community which is capable of supporting 224,000 people.

    In accordance with the CLUP and consistent with the Decision and Order, of the 48,000 total available acreage, the 42,000 acres mentioned above are planned for community development, including

    Federal Trade Commission
    Page Two of Three
    December 1, 1989

    + 46,000 registered homesites ( 43,000 of which have been sold), 4 industrial parks, shopping centers and various amenities.

    Since 1980, all homesite infrastructure improvements, i.e. roads ( 533 miles) have been completed by CDC. In addition, CDC has constructed an extensive water management system designed to replenish the area’s water table that included 46 miles of freshwater canals and another 23 miles of saltwater canals bordering many homes and homesites leading to the Intracoastal Waterway. Water and wastewater plants operated by Palm Coast Utility Corporation have consistently won numerous state awards for operating excellence.

    The 4 Industrial parks mentioned above, currently home to approximately 35 companies, have been developed to balance the economic development of the community and provide employment . Some facilities are in the construction stage and negotiations continue with more than 30 additional industrial prospects. Exhibit A attached to this letter provides a complete listing of present industrial operations in Palm Coast.

    In the commercial area, in 1979, the Palm Harbor Shopping Center became a reality. The shopping center consists of 26 merchants and is anchored by a 36,464 square foot Publix Supermarket and Eckerds Drug Store. In 1987, CDC opened St. Joe Plaza, a new CDC shopping center which currently has 21 merchants. A new full service Wal-Mart Discount Department Store opened in 1988 in yet another shopping Plaza as a major store in a group of 19 stores and restaurants ( total 85,000 square feet). More recently, in the southern end of the community, another 85,000 square foot shopping center opened this year containing 20 merchants and is anchored by Winn Dixie Supermarket and Rite-Aid Drugstore. See Exhibit A for an extensive reference to the commercial enterprises in Palm Coast.

    On the government level, a $ 7.5 million Federal Aviation Administration (FAA ) facility opened in Palm Coast in 1987. The 133,000 square foot complex of dormitories, classrooms and support facilities train some 3,300 FAA managers yearly having a multi-million dollar impact to the regional economy over 20 years. In addition, the U.S. Postal Service has opened a new 21,000 square foot facility in Palm Coast. Within the last 18 months, the county government has expended in excess of $ 900,000.00 for the construction of a new main fire station and a recreation complex focused on an Olympic sized pool.

    Recreation has always been an important ingredient of Palm Coast lifestyle. CDC has constructed three 18 hole Championship Golf

    Federal Trade Commission
    Page Three of Three
    December 1, 1989

    Courses and the fourth Championship golf course is currently under construction. The Palm Coast Players Club, opened in 1986, is a 18 court tennis complex that is one of the few in the nation with hard court, clay and grass tennis playing surfaces. The Club earned the distinction of : 1987 Court of the Year” from Tennis Industry Magazine and the American Society of Landscape Architects. The Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club is a complete fitness facility with 25 meter heated pool, four tennis courts and comprehensive Nautilus Room. The Palm coast Marine, recognized as one of the finest harbors between Hilton Head and Fort Lauderdale, opened in 1979 and serves boaters with 80 slips and comprehensive services, including a ship’s store for supplies and gifts. The marine is now part of a resort setting on the intracoastal Waterway that includes CDC’s 154 room waterfront Sheraton and the Harbor Club Vacation Resort. Exhibit B attached to this letter provides a more in depth description of recreational facilities in Palm Coast.

    From an educational perspective, in 1983, Daytona Beach Community College opened a branch campus with an open air Performing Arts Pavilion. Currently, the County government is constructing a new $ 6 million Elementary School and is expending over $ 13 Million in renovations/ expansion at the Flagler/Palm Coast High School.

    “Florida Trend” magazine predicted Flagler County would, on a percentage basis, have the state’s fastest growth rate over the next five years. This is corroborated by U.S. Census Bureau figures which, based on a percentage basis, identifies Flagler County as the third fastest growing county in the nation during the 1980-1987 period with an 89% growth rate. Palm Coast, with its 7,552 dwelling units ( 6,784 single family and 768 multifamily) and its population of approximately 15,000 ( 40% of Flagler County’s total population) is the major catalyst behind this explosive growth rate.

    Very truly yours,

    Richard Braunstein
    RB /kh

  6. Ray
    Ray says:

    Sorry to hear.

    Sorry to hear this. We live on the Matanzas Course. So, I sympathize with those on Cypress. Actually, the course property up here looks great now! We’re looking forward to the future. I suppose Mr Landon was right when he remarked to a group of us that Palm Coast is saturated in golf courses, don’t tell me about golf courses. The area just can’t seem to support public courses.

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