The Claw at USF Golf Course to shut down this fall

No plans were announced for what the property will be used for once the course closes. ORACLE PHOTO/JUSTIN SEECHARAN

The Claw at USF Golf Course is shutting down its public operations beginning Sept. 5, according to a universitywide email from President Rhea Law.

The 120-acre property, located on N 46th St., will not be closing to make room for the upcoming on-campus football stadium, according to a USF FAQ page. The stadium will be located on Sycamore Fields.

Instead, The Claw’s closure is a result of financial loss and instability. The university was losing roughly $200,000 annually to operate the course, and would have needed to invest millions of dollars to rebuild the clubhouse and golf cart storage facility that were forced to shut down due to old age, according to the email.

The decision will not directly impact the needs of the USF men’s and women’s golf teams, as both teams have been utilizing the current on-campus golf facility as their primary location for full-course practices and competitions, according to the email.

Although new plans for the property have not been decided yet, Law wrote the USF Forest Preserve, located adjacent to The Claw, will not be impacted by the course’s closure.

Law wrote the university plans to honor the course’s 56-year legacy in the coming weeks before its closure with former golf team members, alumni and those who supported the course. No details were announced at the time of publication.