Residents and community groups urge town to preserve Black Mountain Golf Course

Dozens of residents on Wednesday urged the Black Mountain Town Council to preserve and reopen the full 18-hole Black Mountain Golf Course, emphasizing the course’s economic, historical and community benefits.

Speakers during the public-comment period described the course as a local landmark and a driver of business for downtown merchants, youth sports and charitable fundraisers, and asked the council to consider gap funding and partnerships with private management or a 501(c)(3) friends group to stabilize operations while longer-term recovery funds are sought.

The comments included written remarks read into the record by people who could not attend. Joe Tyson, who said he has lived in Black Mountain for 75 years, said the course is “important historically and economically” and urged the town to explore leasing or selling management to a professional golf management company. John Decker, identified as a PGA member and director of instruction, described the course’s central role in local history and in growing players who later won college scholarships.

Local volunteer leaders urged an immediate accounting of funding needs and asked the council for a statement of support while they organize a friends group to raise private funds. Alan Tripp, president of the newly formed Friends of Black Mountain Golf (a nonprofit working with the parks and greenways program), said the group supports gap financing to reopen the back nine and to restore infrastructure damaged by last year’s storm. Several speakers described existing volunteer workdays and said modest repairs — such as fixing bridges and cleaning fairways — could be done quickly if financing and permitting are in place.

Speakers also raised practical suggestions: offering different rates for out-of-town players to generate revenue, maintaining public-access and youth programs, and pursuing a hybrid model in which town ownership is paired with private or nonprofit management. Multiple commenters said the course supports tournaments that raise thousands annually for local charities and school teams.

Council members did not take action on the matter during the meeting. Several staff and volunteers said they are working on proposals and that the council would take up golf-course funding and a related budget discussion at a special session later in the month.

Ending: Council members heard similar public pleas but did not vote on policy changes at the meeting. Speakers said they will continue to organize volunteer work and to present formal proposals for interim funding and management options in coming weeks.