Crooked Creek will remain open while options studied

By Willie Sawyers

A weekend of uncertainty for golfers at Crooked Creek Golf Community was eased Tuesday by owner Mike Nami, who said the course would remain open until he turns control over to someone else.

The clubhouse was closed this past weekend and the maintenance crew was laid off when a lease agreement fell apart, leading to speculation the entire course would shut down as well.

But Nami said the course will be maintained and remain open for play, with some cutback in services, while he negotiates with a management company to run Crooked Creek or sells it outright to members or other interested parties.

“There was never any thought of closing the course,” he said. “It will stay open while we look at all the options out there and try to stick something solid in the ground with whatever plans we come up with.”

The clubhouse will not be staffed during the week, but will probably be open to take tee times during the weekend as long as the weather remains good, he said. Volunteers will man the cart barn. Members are free to play as they wish.

“We still have a (course) superintendent,” Nami said. “We will still mow the greens and maintain the course, because if we don't, we won't have a course left and I don't want that. But it's slow this time of year. We can cut back on the clubhouse and some of the services.”

The golf community was thrown into disarray when a lease agreement between Nami and member Cecil Lewis fell through last Thursday. Lewis had been running the course under an oral agreement with Nami for about four months.

Neither Nami or Lewis would comment on what led to the breakdown of the lease agreement.

“It’s not anything that he (Lewis) did wrong,” Nami said. “He did the best he could. He had some good ideas, but in the end I think he came to the same conclusion that I did that there is just not enough member support.”

Lewis said he was thankful for all the support he received from the golf community while he was in charge.

“Hopefully, when all this settles down we will have the opportunity to run it again,” he said Monday.

Nami said he has been approached by some members who are attempting to attract investors to buy Crooked Creek. He welcomes the idea.

“I'm tired of losing tens of thousands of dollars each month,” he said, “Spending that kind of money is no longer an option for me. I would love for any members to step up and buy it from me.”

Nami bought Crooked Creek two years ago and quickly sunk about $6 million of his personal fortune into course improvements and other amenities, such as a restaurant, fitness center and training facility. About a year later amid a worldwide recession and a slowdown in golf, he realized he had overbuilt.

“I truly enjoyed making the changes in the course, but I don’t have the enthusiasm I once did because running a golf course is not my cup of tea,” he said. “That's why I’m want to turn it over to someone else, so they can take my idea and continue to make it the best course in Southeastern Kentucky.”

If the course is not purchased, Nami said the best thing at this juncture is to bring in a golf management company to run Crooked Creek. The management company could in place in a few weeks.

“I’ve never really had anybody in there that knows how to run a country club,” he said. “That may be the best option at this point, to see what they can do with it.”

Membership at Crooked Creek had been on a uptick recently. About 80 new members joined when Lewis dropped the yearly membership dues from $2,200 a year with a $5 cart fee, to a flat rate of about $1,700 per year. The club currently has about 280 members.

Nami said all membership dues paid under the lease agreement with Lewis will be honored. Any changes in the dues structure will be reviewed by the management company or whoever owns Crooked Creek next April, he said.

When asked if the recent uncertainty might discourage golfers from joining or prompt some to leave, Nami said there will always be a golf course at Crooked Creek.

“The course is not an uncertainty,” he said. “There will always be a course there. It’s the premiere course in the area. The only thing uncertain is who will be in charge.”

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