UPDATE: DECATUR - Golf courses are part of a declining trend around the country. Because of the decline, it's causing the Decatur Park District to scale back.
Scovill Golf Course will remain open until October 29, concluding the 2017 golf season. After that, it will be closed for good.
Jerry Coon, the President of the "Big Dummies Golf League" has spent countless hours playing at Scovill Golf Course and says he doesn't want to see it close.
"I was glad to see there was a time element involved, that it wasn't just cut and dry closed" admitted Coon, after hearing the board's decision.
After months of discussion and community input, the Decatur Park District Board of Commissioners made the decision to close the course.
"I'm glad we finally did it. We don't have the golfers," explains Bob Brilley, the Decatur Park Board President. "Our average aged golfer is 61 years old and any time one of them passes away, no one ever replaces them. The junior golf program is picking up, but we can't wait that long."
The decision comes after analyzing data; board members reported finding golf round trends declined by 62% since 1990.
The board also cited problems with the golf course's irrigation system.
"The irrigation system is 30 years old. You can put new pumps in, but is that going to blow the old lines out?
 says Brilley.
The board says if the irrigation system fails before the closing date, the course will close within seven days.
Replacing the irrigation system would cost $775,000, a cost the board isn't willing to pay.
As for Coon, while the board says their decision is final, he's staying hopeful.
"If the rounds pick up and it looks there's a positive movement towards more golf, maybe they'll reconsider and keep it open another year or just keep it open, period," says Coon.
Decatur Park District says they do not know what the golf course or banquet hall will be used for once it closes.
The banquet hall will be open through the end of the year.
WAND News will have more on this story as it develops.
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DECATUR - The Decatur Park Board will keep Scovill Golf Course open for the season, as long as their irrigation system doesn't fail.
On Wednesday, board members were tasked with deciding if they should keep the course open or close it indefinitely. The board decided to keep the course open for the season as long as the irrigation system doesn't fail. If the irrigation does fail it will close at that time. Otherwise the course will close on Oct. 29 for good.Â
For the last 10 years the numbers of golf goers has been dwindling. A recent study showed that numbers were down by nearly 7,500 in 2016.Â
Rumors about the possible closure started to circulate earlier this year. At this time it's not clear what the land will be used for once the course closes.Â
