This Ohio golf course will close for good in October, continuing a disturbing trend: ‘We tried our best’

Another golf course in Northeast Ohio will close its doors for good this fall, according to a statement released by the owners on Tuesday.

The Sanctuary Golf Club in North Canton, about 25 minutes south of Akron and just a few miles from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, will close for good in October.

According to a story at our network partners, the Canton Repository, staffing issues forced the final closure, although the course had not made money since it had opened in 2001, and had been pared down from two courses to one in advance of this final step:

McKinley Development Co., a partnership of DeHoff Development Co. and Lemmon Development, said the 18-hole public golf course was never profitable and is facing increased staffing issues and significant capital investment because of aging equipment.

“The economics of running a golf course has changed dramatically over these last several years,” Bill Lemmon said in a prepared statement. “Although we tried our best to make it work, it was no longer sustainable.”

McKinley Development acquired the Sanctuary, formally known as the Bob-O-Link Course, in 2001 when it purchased the land from the Paul Weber family. The south golf course, purchased a few years later, was developed into a mixed-use residential development for single-family homes, villa homes and multifamily units.

Lemmon came up with the name change to The Sanctuary when the north course was reconfigured in 2003 and 2004. The name alludes to a back-to-nature feel of wetlands on the back nine.

The plan is to maintain the course through the 2023 golf season, then close the course permanently in October, the company said.

Daniel Gambone of Hoover tees off on the second hole during their match against GlenOak at the Sanctuary Golf Club on Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021.

“We know the Sanctuary has been a beloved golf course by many in our community,” Bob DeHoff said in a prepared statement. “It was a difficult decision and one we did not take lightly.”

There are no immediate plans for development, according to the company, which said McKinley remains optimistic that future plans for the property will have a positive impact in the Plain Township and North Canton communities.

This continues a disturbing trend of closures in the area, many in the last few years. According to another story from the Repository, here’s a list of other area courses in danger or already closed.

As the crow flies, The Sanctuary is:

• Six miles southwest of Seven Hills, which went up for sale in March after 50-plus years as a golf course.
• Five miles northwest of Skyland Pines, which closed in 2021 to make way for an Amazon hub.
• Five miles northeast of Tam O’Shanter, which closed its 36 holes in 2018 and was repurposed into residences and a park.
• Two miles northwest of Edgewood, which shrank from 18 to nine holes after First Christian Church acquired the land in 2002; the remaining nine holes closed in 2013 to make way for housing.
• Seven miles east of Rolling Green, whose 18 holes near Canal Fulton closed in 2016 amid plans for a residential development.
• Seven miles southwest of Lake View, a nine-hole course in Hartville that closed in 2017.