Mississippi’s oldest golf course to be sold in auction

GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - Mississippi’s oldest golf course could end up on the auction block. The Great Southern Golf Club is set to be sold to the highest bidder next month, unless its debt can be paid.

According to Ellis Hill, president of the club’s board, the club owes about $4.8 million dollars. Back in 2019, the club filed for bankruptcy to restructure that debt, which has accumulated since Hurricane Katrina destroyed the course in 2005.

Hill said the club currently negotiating with two interested potential buyers. He said both have said they would like to keep the golf course as a golf course. Hill is also hopeful one of the deals will come through before next month’s auction.

“As you can imagine, with this club having been here since 1908, and so many people in the community have known about it all their lives and have such fond memories, we just know it would break our hearts for the club to close obviously and we’ve been trying so hard to keep it open,” said Hill.

And not only will Hill miss the golf course, but also the lifelong golfers.

“It’s been here so long that we’d like to keep it as a golf course, not see no condos, or houses or anything like that come in here, it means a lot to everybody in the neighborhood and on the Gulf Coast,” said golfer John Reynolds.

The public auction is scheduled for May 14th at 11 a.m. at the east door of the Harrison County Courthouse.

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