EAST STROUDSBURG -- A well-known country club will soon breathe new life after it closed down due to financial difficulties.
Great Bear Golf and Country Club will reopen next year under new ownership.
Charlie Kirkwood owns Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort near Delaware Water Gap.
The resort just celebrated its one hundredth anniversary and has been a popular tourist destination for just as long.
The resort is always adding new options to its growing success.
Now, Kirkwood is adding more property as he just bought Great Bear Golf and Country Club down the road. The purchase includes the club house, tennis courts and most importantly the golf course.
"It`s a Jack Nicklaus course, that`s a very famous name in golf and it`s one terrific course. So we were aware of it. It`s right near here, less than three miles away," said Kirkwood.
Great Bear Golf and Country Club has been sitting empty for the past year after it closed due to financial troubles.
For former club member Ray Steele, he`s pleased Kirkwood is taking over great bear, and believes Kirkwood has the vision to make it successful once again.
"As far as I`m concerned he`s a good man and he`s local and a good businessman. I`m sure he will do his best or his utmost to keep the course in great shape and get members and make a success of it," said Ray Steele of Bushkill
Although Kirkwood just purchased the property, he`s already looking into its future. Not only to restore the golf course, but to also offer the club house as another wedding venue option for Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort.
"The great advantage it has over Shawnee is it's not very close to a river. We`ve had so many floods here at Shawnee, we`re very pleased it doesn`t have those kinds of problems," said Kirkwood.
"I think it`s a pretty place. My granddaughter had her reception here," said Steele.
Kirkwood hopes when the final touches are in place, many others will agree as well.