Dear Members, Friends, Patrons, Staff and Neighbors:

It is with mixed emotions that I formally announce the OFFICIAL CLOSING of Hillsboro Pines Golf Club in Century Village Deerfiled Beach.  April 15, 2013 was our last day of operations.  I wish I could tell you that this decision was solely the result of a bad economy.  It is true that the past several years have been very tough on the golf business.  However, our business has suffered more damage at the hands of our neighbors in Century Village East (CVE).  Unfortunately, the net result is that one of the best little golf courses in Broward County has gone the path of so many other courses.  And, along with its closing, nearly 30 hard-working people have lost their jobs.  And more importantly, CVE has lost one of its most significant amenities forever.

For as long as Fairway Investors, LLC has owned the course, it has failed to turn a profit.  In fact, the majority owner has personally funded the losses with more than $2 million dollars of his own money.  After purchasing the course in 2006 with the intent to develop a portion of it, in 2008 Mr. Bast abandoned those plans opting instead to keep the course and improve it with a multi-million dollar, state-of-the-art driving ranging facility.  However, in 2011 several hundred self-serving, misguided and misinformed residents marched against the plan and eventually sued the City of Deerfield Beach to prevent the improvements from being made.  Since that time, some of those same CVE leaders have plotted, schemed and boycotted to destroy Hillsboro Pines Golf Club.  Those efforts have included instructing Kent security to deny access to and deter golf course customers at the Village gates, making false disparaging comments about the restaurant and golf course at COOCVE, MM, REC and Area Chair meetings, allowing residents to park in designated restaurant and golf course parking spots, encouraging residents to boycott the restaurant citing plastic plates and a modest 15% gratuity as reasons, and harassing and abusing customers and employees of the golf course with vitriol on a daily basis for absolutely no reason at all, among others.

With the business losing money and the plans for improving the course with a state of the art driving range facility blocked by the Village... the owners resolved to sell it or close it down.  The land was listed for sale in December and we have had tremendous interest in the market.  More than a half dozen offers have come in from a variety of buyers... all developers with plans that include cemeteries, residential housing, health care related services, and mixed use commercial developments.   Every plan calls for converting the golf course and all required that we shut it down.  

As you may know, Andrew Waldman, the owner of the golf course at Century Village West Palm Beach, closed that course down in 2009.  After a long and expensive battle, the WPB City Commissioners voted 4-3 to remove Waldman's Deed Restriction (requiring the property to remain a golf course in perpetuity) and allow him to develop the land into a mixed-use residential community with assisted living facilities and retail shops.   Fortunately, our land is NOT deed restricted.  The most likely fate of this  land is that it will eventually be developed...  if the Village does not purchase it. 

In closing, I want to say that my 3 years here have been an interesting journey.  To all our supporters, employees and long-time members, I say thank you so much for your friendship and support.   To the thousands of public golfers who have played here over the years - the ones who stopped me daily and told me that the golf course has "never looked so good" - I am truly grateful to have met and served you.  To those of you who ate at our restaurant daily and the groups that played here regularly - specifically the Francophones and Lodi groups, as well as the Lowther Tournament participants and Junior Golf Association of Broward County - I will truly miss you.  And finally, to every golfer who appreciated all the hard work and money we have invested over the past seven years- thank you.

Thank you for your support!  Thank you for your loyalty!  And thank you for your friendship!

Sincerely,

Robert Smith

President and General Manager