The City of Cullman is the new recipient of an historically generous gift — one that places in municipal hands one of the area’s prettiest and best-known pieces of private property.

At its regular meeting Monday, the Cullman City Council accepted the donation of the Terri Pines golf course as a gift to the city from the McGriff family, who are transferring ownership of the golf course and all of its facilities, to be administered under the management of the city’s parks and recreation department.

Founded more than four decades ago by longtime Cullman businessman Bert McGriff, Terri Pines has served as a destination for out-of-town golfers, while slowly growing at its periphery as a sought-after residential development for homeowners who appreciate the course’s scenic views.

Designed by legendary golf course designer Tom Jackson, Terri Pines’ 18-hole course has earned a reputation among golfers for its greens as well as other golf amenities including a driving range with 25 hitting stations, a practice putting green, and a chipping green. Terri Pines will join Cross Creek Golf Course, which is located on the city’s southern fringe, as the second full-scale municipal course operated by the parks and recreation department.

Bert and his late wife, Berta Mae Holmes McGriff, had four children: daughters Terri and Cherri, and sons Barry and Jeff. The family originally named the golf course after Terri, highlighting the property’s abundant pine trees alongside a family-minded emphasis on its locally-owned heritage.

Bert McGriff passed away in the summer of 2020, but his adult children were on hand Monday for the city council’s announcement. Speaking on behalf of the family, son Barry McGriff told the city council that his father had always valued Cullman’s quality of life and leadership, and expressed his family’s confidence in Terri Pines’ stewardship as a city-operated amenity.

“On behalf of my brother and sisters, this is a very emotional night for us. But our father would be happy. This was his dream, of over 40 years ago, to help make Cullman better, and I think that it has been fulfilled,” said McGriff. “We feel that the city of Cullman will be able to take it to another level…I’m so excited as a citizen to say that our city will have two very successful golf facilities that will continue on for many years to come.”

Dale Greer, director of the Cullman Economic Development Agency, said it’s difficult to calculate the outsized role that Terri Pines has played, over the years, in showing potential corporate tenants — as well as prospective new residents — the Cullman area at its best.

“I wish there was a way to tell people in the community how important that facility was in economic development. It was the place that you took industry leaders…a place where you could sell the community and sit down at a quality facility. I can’t explain how important that was in our process, and I think the economic development office got a whole lot of credit for things that happened, over the last 30 or 40 years, at that facility. Terri Pines was unbelievably phenomenal in helping make that happen.”

At its last appraisal, Terri Pines was valued at $4.7 million. In addition to its golf amenities, the property also houses a country club house with restaurant and bar, four hard-surface lighted tennis courts, a tennis practice wall, and a nearby swimming pool area. The City of Cullman will officially take ownership of the property later this month.