Four golf clubs saved from going under

Four British golf clubs have all been saved from being closed down in the last few days.

It is thought that this is the first time ever that such a large number of venues have been rescued within such a short timeframe.

Redhill and Reigate Golf Club in Surrey, Tynedale Golf Club in Northumberland, Tamworth Golf Course in Birmingham and Keele Golf Course in Staffordshire have all been victims of the economic downturn in the last few years, and all looked set to go under.

Each has its own unique story.

Redhill and Reigate Golf Club is one of the world’s oldest private members’ golf clubs, but it has agreed to convert to proprietary ownership.

Members of the 126-year-old venue are selling the club, which was on the verge of folding, to a consortium led by a golf professional.

Chairman of the club, Tony Hallett, said: “It was fairly clear we could not continue. We had no money, we had significant debts, we had a VAT liability in excess of £20,000 we could not pay. As a result, we decided we would have to close.

“Before we did, we approached an industry professional with numerous links in the golfing world and asked him to see if anyone was interested in taking the club over.

“We made the decision that the best chance of continuing golf was to sell him the clubhouse and all the assets and for him to run a proprietary-owned golf club from this site.

“We are not going to be a club in decline any more, we are going to be a club on the way up.

“This club has been going for 125 years and we would like to think we can contribute to a golf club that is still going in 125 years – but to do that it has got to be run commercially.”

The club recently borrowed £120,000 from its members simply to keep it afloat, after what has been described as a ‘decade of financial woes’, the culmination of a 40-year period that has seen its membership drop by more than 50 per cent.

The new owners have vowed to transform the club into a community facility and will offer free membership to juniors and heavily discounted rates to women. The club is also reducing annual subscriptions for men.

Meanwhile, Tamworth Golf Course and Keele Golf Course were both run by Jack Barker Golf Company, which entered liquidation in February.

Tamworth closed down in February, but it has now reopened because Tamworth Borough Council, which owns the land it is situated on, has agreed to manage the venue for the next two years.

Chief executive of the council, Anthony Goodwin, said: “The decision to reopen and run the course under council management is an interim measure.

“In order to make the best use of public funds, to minimise the cost to the taxpayers of the borough and to protect frontline services, we will be looking at longer-term options for the future of the golf course.”

Club secretary Elaine Pugh said members were “delighted” and added that 90 new members have joined since the club reopened in April, thanks to an introductory offer.

“Feedback I’ve had from the members is that they are delighted at the council’s decision,” she said.

“The course still needs some attention, but the fairways have been cut and it is playing quite well.

“Overall, a very good start to the new era and we can now look forward to the future.”

Keele Golf Course stayed open in the days following Jack Barker’s fall, but the venue was on the verge of going under and had made eight employees redundant.

Its local authority, Newcastle Borough Council, has also taken control of the site and has pledged to keep it open until it sells it.

Dave Adams, the borough council’s executive director for operational services, said: “The council has stepped in to make sure that this popular public facility can continue to operate for the time being. We want it to be available for local golfers to enjoy. But, we would like to see if there is any interest from people who may want to take over the running of the centre on a more permanent basis. At this moment in time keeping the course open is the right thing to do.”

Head greenkeeper David Blank, one of the staff who lost their jobs in February, said: “It is great news the golf course is being kept open.

“It is a great facility and it is such a shame it has been allowed to deteriorate because potentially it could be one of the best courses in Staffordshire. For financial reasons it has been let down.

“Whoever takes it over next will have to spend a considerable amount of money to bring it to a playable standard again.”

Keele’s secretary, Lesley Harris, added: “The course could really go forward with someone else running it; it really has potential. There have been a few volunteers who have cut the grass and it is thanks to their hard work that people can still play here.

“For the last four years, we have lost about 200 members because of the way the course has been allowed to deteriorate. I really hope it can go back to its glory days.”

Finally, Tynedale Golf Club is a 105-year-old municipal venue that its local council was going to cut funding to by a potentially crippling £26,000.

However, the club has agreed a deal with two county councillors who control local budgets and a former town mayor regarding the purchase of course machinery.

Tynedale’s secretary, Alan Nelson, said: “In the past, Northumberland County Council has provided the labour and the machinery to maintain the course, but, because of cuts, that relationship has to change.

“Out of all the doom and gloom, Tynedale Golf Club has emerged more healthy and stronger than ever.”