Much like a version of the famous Mark Twain quote “rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated” the rumors about the demise of Legacy Pines were also exaggerated and also wrong.

Now there is a plan in place for the golf course and a development to share the location off Ashmore Bridge Road which will end the rumors.

The clubhouse at Legacy Pines housed both the golf course operations and the Hejaz Shrine Club.

When the clubhouse burned down over a year ago the Shriners were besieged by developers to sell the property and move.

“Everybody in the world was knocking on their door to turn the course into home sites,” said Anthony Anders, who through a lease agreement with the Shriners had first right of refusal if the property was to be sold.

Anders and former PGA Tour golfer Tommy Biershenk leased the property  five years ago to operate the golf course, but kept open the possibility of developing the property for other uses.

While Biershenk has scrambled to keep the golf course operating at a high level from temporary facilities for the last year, Anders was working behind the scenes.

Anders has been a developer for over 20 years, although he may be best known for his days as a NASCAR championship  race car driver.

In his last year behind the wheel, Anders won 30 races and the NASCAR Whelen All-American National Title. 

When the Shriners decided to sell  to Anders, who had already developed a large tract of property at the entrance to the golf club, he exercised his option.

His company Legacy Pines Development, LLC bought the property for around $5 million and began planning for the best use of the property in the middle of a very hot development area on Ashmore Bridge Road.

The Bonnie Brae golf course, just up the road, had been closed for years and recently began being developed for home sites.

Rumors started to fly that Legacy Pines would be next to close and the course developed for home sites.

An erroneous report in the Greenville News that the course would go away added to the confusion.

“I looked at developing the property, but when I reviewed the topography almost half of the golf course couldn’t be developed,” said Anders.

Over 100 acres of the course is in a flood plane or had a grade too steep to be used for anything else.

So instead of bulldozing the golf course, Anders put together a plan to build around it and had it approved by government boards and authorities.

“I decided we could develop the area around the course with townhomes and some parts of the course with custom homes, but the golf course was going to stay,” he said.

Now that the biggest decision has been made, Anders has set out to put a plan in place to rebuild what was lost in the fire and add to it.

In addition to his time as a champion race car driver and developer, Anders, grew up around a family golf course and is using that experience to plan for the future improvements at Legacy Pines.

He intends to meet with members to get their  reaction to some of his ‘thinking outside the box’ ideas for the club.

“We are working on a master plan right now that will include the clubhouse and other amenities at the course,” said Anders.

When the plan is completed Anders expects it will include a new clubhouse, swimming pool and a soccer field.

“Have you ever heard of a club with a soccer field? We are going to have some things for the entire family to enjoy using the club and making it a part of their lives,” Anders said.

When the construction is completed Anders expects the club to include not only traditional golf members, but social members as well.

As owners instead of just leasing the course, Anders’ and Biershenk can begin making the kind of improvements they believe will make a good course even better.

“Given the regulations today you could not build this golf course here. We have it and it is going to stay and be even better now that Legacy Pines Development, LLC owns the property,” he said.

Hopefully Anders’ commitment to the golf course will end the rumors of it closing.