CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — Apple Mountain Golf Club, the only public golf course in Habersham County and a longtime hub for local golfers and student-athletes, remains busy and operating as usual, but its long-term future is uncertain as the entire Apple Mountain property is set to be sold at auction early next year.
The golf course, which continues to draw steady daily traffic and serves as the home course
for both the Habersham Central High School golf team and the Truett McConnell University golf team, is part of a larger property owned by Holiday Inn Club Vacations that includes the now-closed Apple Mountain Resort.
According to the club’s general manager, the golf course will continue normal operations through the end of the year. Beginning Jan. 1, the course will transition to a daily-fee-only model, with all existing memberships ending Dec. 31 and no new memberships being offered.
The shift comes as Holiday Inn Club Vacations prepares to sell the entire Apple Mountain property, including the golf course and former resort, as a single entity at an auction scheduled for Jan. 15, 2026.
Resort closed, property positioned for sale
Apple Mountain Resort, which primarily served timeshare owners, officially closed following its final scheduled checkout on Oct. 22. The closure was part of a broader corporate decision by Holiday Inn Club Vacations to exit several former Silverleaf Resorts properties nationwide.
Holiday Inn Club Vacations notified timeshare owners in April this year of its intent to remove certain resorts, including Apple Mountain, from its network as part of what it described as a “rightsizing” effort. The company cited declining usage and sustainability concerns at some properties and said affected owners would be offered options to transfer their ownership interests to other resorts within the system.
Timeshare owners learned of the planned closure months before the shutdown, while people familiar with on-site operations said golf course staff were not informed until August that the resort would close in October and the property would be sold.
Golf course and resort tied together
Although the golf course predates the resort — the course was built in 1994 — the two properties have been operationally linked for years. Information obtained by Now Habersham indicates the property relies on shared septic infrastructure that serves multiple components of the development, with lines running beneath the golf course, complicating any effort to separate the assets.
As a result, the golf course and resort are being marketed and sold together.
The golf course itself is operated by a management company and not directly by Holiday Inn Club Vacations, but ownership of the land and facilities remains with the resort owner.
Strong play, lingering concerns
Despite the uncertainty, those familiar with the operation say the golf course has been well maintained and has experienced increased play and higher golf-related revenue this year. The course was reported to be in good condition, and rounds were up compared to prior periods.
That performance, however, was not enough to alter the owner’s broader decision to sell the property as part of a portfolio-level strategy.
Employees face uncertainty as the sale approaches, with questions remaining about whether jobs will continue under a new owner. At the same time, golfers will still be able to play beyond the end of the year under the daily-fee model.
The looming sale has also raised concerns among local golfers about whether the course will remain open long term. Any buyer would have the option to continue golf operations or shut them down.
If the course were to close, Habersham County residents would be left without a public golf option, forcing players to travel to surrounding communities such as Toccoa, Clayton or Homer — often at higher cost.
Questions remain
As of now, it is unclear who the buyer might be or what future use is planned for the property.
A check of Habersham County court records found no bankruptcy filings or liens associated with the property. Now Habersham has filed an open records request with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Gainesville and requested additional information from Holiday Inn Club Vacations. No responses had been received as of publication.
For now, golfers continue to fill the parking lot and tee off as usual, even as the future of one of Habersham County’s most visible recreational assets remains unresolved.
