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By KATHY COPELAND / For the Reporter

HARPERSVILLE — “It’s been a long time coming but this facility is proof that hard work pays off,” said Mayor Don Greene on Tuesday, Sept. 16, addressing the excited attendees of the ribbon cutting ceremony at the golf and country club known as The Meadows at Harpersville.

Joining the celebration were staff and board members of the Shelby County Chamber, town of Harpersville staff and councilmembers including Martin Dates and Janet Gill.  There were also many family, friends and staff that participated in the commemorative moment.

Briefly explaining the history, Greene said, “Even though the land was donated to the town, the project was a liability, the town had no way to maintain the property.”

In March 2017, the Council approved a 20-year lease to Cardwell Golf LLC and now look at the “beautiful amenity offered to our citizens and those residents in surrounding communities.”

It has taken about two years for Anthony Cardwell and his brother-in-law, Donald Tate, to diligently clear trees that had created a forest on the property donated to the Town in 2012.

The Cardwells and Cardwell Golf LLC have turned the forest into a breathtaking 200-acre golf course, a practice facility with driving range and a Bar & Grill called Big Amp’s.

Anthony and Jennifer Cardwell, owner/operators, were all smiles as they posed for the ribbon cutting official photo.  Afterwards, Jennifer announced, “We already have several golf tournaments on the calendar.”

The course offers wide fairways and ample greens planted with Sunday Ultra-dwarf Bermuda, which provides golfers the perfect putting surface.  Jonathan Seale, Harpersville’s municipal clerk, said, “I played this course last week and was surprised how beautiful the course has turned out to be; it’s a great golf experience.”

Golf is apparently not the only “game in town” as the saying goes.  The Karaoke Friday Nights have a reputation of their own.  Denise Bartee of Vincent said, “I have been here several times with my daughter, her husband and friends from Sylacauga and we have a blast.  The food is amazing here too.”

Greene echoed the compliments to the chef calling out the cheeseburger as one of his favorites, not forgetting to also plug a neighboring business “The Coffee Shop” for their excellent hamburgers, as only a good politician can do.

Following the ceremony several of the attendees decided to try out the food for themselves, the special on the menu, BBQ nachos and bread pudding for dessert.

Check out The Meadows at Harpersville on Facebook for daily activities and menu item specials.  They will be offering golf clinics and other fun activities in the future.  Even if you are not a golfer, coming out to this facility for a meal or Karaoke Night is worth the drive, with a wrap-around porch where you can prop up your feet and enjoy the view of mountains in the distance of “these beautiful rolling greens, what’s not to like?”