TARBORO —
Sunday, June 17, 2012 will go down as a day Edgecombe County historians and golfers will not soon forget.
On that day, a few clouds made for a picturesque scene over the historic Hilma Country Club golf course. The greens were as immaculate as they have ever been and the course was filled with golfers from opening to closing.
At around 11 a.m., a large black bird about the size of a hawk circled around the eastern portion of the course until it slowly disappeared.
Perhaps that entrance and exit was symbolic of the slow and painful demise of the facility.
To the dismay of many, Hilma Country Club Golf Course closed Sunday, although the swimming pool and pro shop will remain open.
Financial woes forced owner Roy Butler to close the historic nine-hole course that reportedly was established in the 1890's and was widely recognized as the second oldest golf course in the state.
Closing the course was hard for Butler.” I did everything that I could to keep it open," he said while sitting on the porch of the pro shop.
"Times are tough. We don't have the members to cover our bills."
Butler explained the land where the golf course sits belongs to the heirs of Henry Clark Bridgers. Its name was originated by combining the first letters of the names of the children of Gov. Henry Toole Clark — Haywood, Irwin, Laura, Maria and Arabella — who lived on the estate in 1861.
Butler was leasing the property from the Bridgers heirs and therein lies the problem. Hilma fell behind on the lease agreement.
Butler said he has not completely given up on possibly reopening, but the chances appear to be very dreary.
"If the town and the county could give us a tax break or something like that, we may be able to reopen," Butler said. "If we can't do it within three weeks, then we will not be able to do it because it will take too much money to get the greens back in shape. Maybe we can come up with an agreement where they will allow me to cut the grass until we can come up with a solution. I don't know."
The closing of Hilma will place a hole in Tarboro's rich history, according to Edgecombe County historian Monika Fleming.
"It has been around for more than 100 years," Fleming said. "As one of the oldest golf courses in the state, I hate to see it close, but I understand why. We had some outstanding golfers who played on the course, one of them being Harvie Ward (a Tarboro native). He grew up playing on that course."
Ward went on to become a two-time amateur champion. As an amateur he reportedly beat legendary golfers Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Ward came back to time to visit Hilma, including his last trip in 2001.
Tarboro resident Bob Harper took a picture with Ward during that visit. When Harper heard the news about the closing, he was saddened the golf course he called home was closing.
"For many years, when we said that we were going to play golf, everybody knew that we were going to play at Hilma," Harper said. "We sometimes went to other courses, but Hilma was home to us.
"I don't know where we are going to play now. Hilma will be greatly missed."
Dale Whitley, of Tarboro, was a member of Hilma for 30 years. One of his most memorable moments was a hole-in-one he shot several years ago. That moment, however, seemed to have been overshadowed by Hilma's closing.
"I'm very disappointed that it had to come down to this," he said. "I hope that somebody will find a grant or something to reopen it.
Bob Davis, of Tarboro, who played with Whitley and Jack Reitzel Sunday was also saddened.
"Its a sad day for Tarboro more so than golfers. We will find another place to play, but the history of this golf course is unprecedented," Bob Davis. "Not only in North Carolina, but the United States. To me its more of a historic site than a golf course."
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Tarboro resident Dale Whitley drives to another hole Sunday at Hilma Country Club Golf course. Whitley and his crew, including Jack Retziel and Bob Davis, played their last round of golf at Hilma on Sunday. The course closed because of financial woes.
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Edgecombe Events May 20
Edgecombe Events should be submitted by noon the day before publication. Items eligible include notices of local meetings and activities of non-profit organizations, clubs, schools and civic groups in the community. Information should be brief and typewritten, neatly printed or via e-mail. Questions? 823-3106 or e-mail: events@dailysoutherner.com. Leave a daytime contact phone number.
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