We reported some weeks ago that an 18 hole established golf course and the surrounding 630 acres were up for auction.  The Highlands, in Franklin, West Virginia sold for $4,600,000 on July 17 to a group from The Woodlands in Texas.  Six bidders registered.  The price seems quite fair -- easy for us to say, since we can't afford the price -- given what it costs to build a golf course these days. 

    If you are saying, well shucks, I could have bought it for $4.6 million, you have other opportunities.  For example, Cooper's Creek Golf Club and its adjacent 429 acres are available, according to an ad in today's New York Times, for $4,185,000.  Cooper's Creek is located close to Interstate 20 about halfway between Columbia, SC, and Augusta, GA, a nice part of South Carolina.  The par 72 course plays to 6,600 yards at the tips and a rating of 71.0 and slope of 131.  The architect is listed as R. Chase; we can't say we ever heard of him, but add $1 million to your payment for Cooper's Creek and you can put the name R. Jones or T. Fazio on your course.

    We hope to make a detour on our trip north in early August and play Cooper's Creek.  If so, look for further observations here.

    Almost one-third of coastal residents in the U.S. southeast and Texas would not abandon their homes, even if ordered to do so in the face of an impending hurricane, according to a Harvard University poll released this morning.  That is an increase from about one-quarter in last year's poll.
    The telephone poll, which surveyed 5,000 residents living within 20 miles of a coast in eight states, also determined that 78% of the people who would stay behind believe their homes would withstand a significant storm.  More than half thought roads during an evacuation would be too crowded, and more than a third believed their personal safety would be an issue.  
    The safety concern recalls the horror stories about New Orleans residents who sought refuge in the Superdome in the wake of Katrina.  It is sadly telling that many of us would rather spit in the face of, say, a Category 4 hurricane than to hunker down in a shelter with our fellow man.
    Those who want to live on the coast but are worried about having to make the decision to stay or leave do have some options.  Some coastal cities have much better track records when it comes to storms than do others.  In the last 100 years, for example, the geographically blessed Savannah has suffered just one storm that packed winds over 80 miles per hour, and that one came across the panhandle of Florida to whack the Georgia city in the backside.  No really big Atlantic storm has reached the city, which is the most western of all east coast cities.  Before any hurricane can snuggle its way into Savannah's harbor, the gulf stream moves it up the coast.  Savannah's gain is Charleston's loss.
    More details about the Harvard study can be found at the university's School of Public Health web site [click here].