JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Panther Creek Golf Club, a well-respected course off Chaffee Road on the Westside, closed suddenly on Monday, and employees cite a lack of business for it shutting down.

 

All morning Tuesday, golfers who came by to play a round were greeted by locked gates.

 

Friends Alan Reinmuth and Kevin Eoff drove to the course after hearing good things about it.

 

"My buddy told me it was great and everything," said Reinmuth. "We just wanted to come out here and check it out."

 

But when they showed up, they saw locks, chains and a '"Sorry, we're closed" sign.

 

"I just asked the guy that was driving the tractor what's going on," said Eoff. "'I said is it closed for good?' and he said 'As far as I know.'"

 

Channel 4's Vic Micolucci tracked down a representative for the course to find out why the course suddenly shut down.

 

"I got a call Sunday night saying we're going to shut the doors and we're going to close up shop," said Ken Arsenault, who was the course superintendent for Panther Creek Golf Club.

 

He said the course just had not been doing well lately, and the owner had to close its gates before losing any more money.

 

"I think the economy has a lot to do with it," said Arsenault. "I mean I've talked to many, many superintendents who are saying golf is down."

 

Another possible reason for the loss of business is that Chaffee Road, which leads to the course, is under construction, making it a mess for motorists.

 

Arsenault said that 25 to 30 people lost their jobs as a result of the closing.

 

Kent Curley, who owns the course, did not want to comment, but neighbors who shared this community with the course for years were sad to see it go.

 

"I liked living next to a golf course," said Molly Brady, who lives a few doors from the course's clubhouse. "I'm not a golfer, but I liked the idea. You always had nice people going by and they kept the place landscaped nicely."

 

Some people are worried closing the course could hurt the neighborhood by driving down property values. But most will just miss the good company, including more than two-dozen employees now without jobs.

 

"I'm going to miss all the staff and the regulars that came out to play golf and miss playing that golf course," Arsenault said. "I didn't think it was going to happen that fast, but it happened."

Jacksonville Area #322 played their first tournament there this year.  Very unique course, sad to see it go.  Interesting note: You had to pass a skills test in order to play from the tips!!