For nearly 50 years, the Carolina Shores Golf & Country Club was the green heart of this small town on the Brunswick County line near Calabash. The course closed in November 2024, and the question neighbors have been asking ever since is what comes next. As of this month, there’s an answer. On Oct. 12, the Carolina Shores Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the first phase of The Forest at Carolina Shores, a new neighborhood planned for the former course. Here’s what was approved, what’s still pending, and what it means if you own a home nearby or are thinking about buying in this corner of Brunswick County.
What the town approved
According to reporting from On the Green Magazine (Oct. 13, 2026), the roughly 150-acre property is planned as a 109-home community on one-acre lots. Those lots fit the property’s existing zoning as a Conservation Recreation District, so the plan didn’t need a rezoning. The town approved both the master plan and Phase 1.
The Brunswick Beacon reported on Oct. 22 that Phase 1 includes 25 single-family lots along existing roads, with no new roads or utility lines required. The approval came with a condition: the developer has to get its outstanding state stormwater, erosion control, and fire marshal approvals before the town signs off on the final plat for recording.
Who’s building
The property was bought by JMM Land Development, led by Mike Matheny, who owned the course before its most recent operator. Ryan Homes is under contract to build the houses. Matheny told commissioners his company will prepare the lots, and Ryan Homes plans to build a model home and presell houses before starting construction on individual lots.
How we got here
This wasn’t the first plan for the site. On Feb. 9, commissioners voted 3-1 to deny a request to rezone the property for 119 single-family homes on lots smaller than an acre. That plan included a pool, amenity center, pickleball court, open space, and 19 retention ponds as part of a larger stormwater approach. After that denial, the owners went back to a one-acre-lot plan that the existing zoning already allows.
The environmental question neighbors are raising
The biggest concern from nearby residents hasn’t been house styles or setbacks. It’s what decades of golf course maintenance may have left in the soil. The developer submitted two Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessments. A Phase 1 is mostly a review of records, site history, and visual conditions. A Phase 2 involves actual sampling. According to the Beacon, neither Phase 1 recommended moving on to a Phase 2. One suggested shallow soil testing if the Brunswick County Health Department required it, and the town administrator said in September that the county would not.
Some neighbors pooled money to hire an outside firm to review the newer assessment. At the Oct. 12 meeting, a geologist from that firm recommended soil sampling near former chemical storage areas and on selected tees, fairways, and greens. It’s worth being precise here: his findings do not show that contamination exists. They suggest more investigation is warranted. Commissioners approved Phase 1 after also asking about drainage, dead trees near existing homes and ponds, and whether more fire hydrants will be needed. Matheny said the team is working with fire officials on the hydrant question.
What this means for nearby homeowners
If your home backs up to or looks out over the old course, your view and surroundings are going to change over the next few years. A few things to keep in mind:
- Watch the state approvals. Stormwater and erosion control permits are the next milestones. Drainage has been a concern in this area, so those permits are worth following.
- Keep showing up. Residents at the October meeting urged the board to get written commitments on maintenance, wildlife, future amenities, and road damage. Town meetings are the place to ask.
- Selling soon? Buyers will ask what’s happening on the course. Knowing the facts (one-acre lots, 109 homes total, 25 in Phase 1) helps you answer clearly instead of guessing.
What this means for buyers
One-acre lots are less common in newer Brunswick County subdivisions, so this plan could appeal to buyers who want room between houses. If you’re thinking about buying a new home here once presales begin, or a resale home next to the old course, do your homework:
- Ask for the environmental reports. You can ask the builder or developer for copies of the site assessments and read them yourself before you sign.
- Consider your own testing. If soil or water quality matters to you, and it should, talk with your attorney and inspector about what testing makes sense during your due diligence period.
- Look at drainage and flood risk. Check the property’s flood zone and ask how stormwater will be handled for your lot.
- Read the builder contract closely. New construction contracts are written by the builder. Have someone on your side review them.
A bigger Brunswick County trend
Carolina Shores isn’t alone. On the Green counts it as at least the ninth golf course to close in Brunswick County over the past 26 years, including Brierwood in 2017 and Farmstead in 2021. If you’re paying a premium for a golf course lot anywhere in the county, it’s fair to ask how healthy the course is and what the zoning would allow if it ever closed.
FAQ
How many homes are planned at The Forest at Carolina Shores?
109 homes on one-acre lots across roughly 150 acres, with 25 lots in Phase 1, according to local reporting.
When will construction start?
No date has been announced. The developer still needs state stormwater, erosion control, and fire marshal approvals before the town signs off on the Phase 1 final plat.
Is the old golf course contaminated?
No one has shown that it is. Two Phase 1 assessments didn’t recommend further testing, while a consultant hired by neighbors recommended soil sampling. Buyers should review the reports and decide what testing they want during due diligence.
Thinking about buying or selling near Carolina Shores?
From Carolina Shores and Calabash to Sunset Beach and Ocean Isle, the South Brunswick market is changing fast, and the details of each neighborhood matter. We can help you sort through new construction, resale homes, and the questions that come with land that’s changing use. Reach out to Aspyre Collective and let’s talk about your next move.
