The Gobbler Hollow Golf Course and subdivision was sold at auction Saturday, during very aggressive bidding by local interested parties.

Beginning at 10 a.m. at the former TG's Restaurant, some 30 potential buyers gathered to make their best offers in competition with each other on individual and group-parceled lots in the auction, conducted by Granger and Associates.

Although some three hours of active bidding ensued on individual lots in the residential, garden home and commercial lots, and several times lots were bid to temporary high bidders', in the end, two buyers prevailed.

Long-time Greenville businessman Don Boutwell joined forces with retired insurance agent Wayne Killough, and together they cast the single winning bid, successfully buying the entire property for $560,000.

"I just came here to buy four lots," said Killough. "Don and I went to school here in Greenville together, and we just sort of met here today-and we decided we would bid on it all."

Killough, successful and respected in the insurance business for 27 years before recently retiring, said he has never played golf.

"I have never even played a single round of golf in my life," he said.

Killough said he has been looking for something to do since retiring.

"I guess I have found it now," he said. "Don and I will incorporate in the next few weeks, and will sell parts of this property."

Killough said he has based his life on chance.

I've taken some bad chances, and also some good ones-if you don't take a chance, you won't ever get anywhere," he said.

Boutwell said he came in looking to make an inexpensive purchase."I just thought it would be cheap," Boutwell said. "I think that it will sell very easily."

Boutwell said he did not really intend on buying the entire property.

"This is a spur of the moment thing-I didn't plan on buying it all-spur of the moment is how I've done everything all my life."

When the papers were all signed, Killough and Boutwell were discussing contacting some of the competing bidders in the sale, to see if they would be interested in buying portions of the property.

On Sunday evening, Boutwell said he had met with a prospective buyer for the golf course portion of the property.

"This man came and looked at the property-he is professionally involved in the golfing industry-he said it would not take much investing to have the course up and running in a few months."

One thing is certain, whoever gets the golf course has gotten it at a steal, considering the entire property involved more than $3 million in investments to develop.