Wentworth to charge £125,000 joining fee

Wentworth Club in Surrey is to raise its joining fee from £15,000 to £125,000 amid reports that it wants to get rid of its high net worth members because they are not rich enough.

Existing members will also see their annual subscriptions double from £8,000 per year to £16,000, and they will have to purchase a £100,000 debenture.

According to reports, the owner of the club, the Chinese billionaire Dr Chanchai Ruayrungruang, who bought it last year, plans to cull almost all of the club’s 3,000 already high net worth members, and replace them with a super rich group of about 600 ‘ultra high net worth’ individuals with assets of more than £20 million – such as Chinese, Russian and American billionaires who own properties in southern England.

One member, Sir Michael Parkinson, 80, has described the decision as “barmy”.

“It’s a cull and it saddens and angers me to see an iconic golf club treated in this way,” he said.

Peter Alliss, the BBC golf commentator who is an honorary Wentworth member, described the debenture plan as “an extraordinary step” commenting that “there are very few people who have £100,000 to piddle away on their pleasures”.

Another member added: “We’ve got some very, very wealthy people and we’ve got some people who probably struggle to pay their fees, but they’re happy to do so because we’ve got three great courses.

“This is very difficult for everybody.”

The debenture scheme and increase in annual subscriptions will come in to force in April 2017.

A spokesman for the club said: “Wentworth club is continually looking at ways of improving its facilities and the experience of its members to retain its position as one of the world’s most prestigious golf and country clubs. Any confirmed changes to the club will be communicated officially from the club to our members.”

A press release by the golf club made little mention of the membership changes, but talked of the improvements that the money will be spent on.

‘A vital part of the investment programme will see a major renovation of the West Course, carried out in association with Ernie Els Design,’ it read.

‘The improvements have been endorsed by chief executive of the European Tour, Keith Pelley, and will reinforce the West Course’s position as one of the world’s top golf courses.

‘Wentworth Club also plans to update both the Edinburgh and East Courses, again working with world-renowned golf course designers. The East Course will be restored to its original Harry Colt design. For the Edinburgh Course, Wentworth’s vision is to create a world-class golf course and state-of-the-art practice facility.

‘Together, these golf course improvements at Wentworth Club support Reignwood Group’s [Dr Ruayrungruang’s company] ambition to increase the competitiveness and quality of UK golf and country clubs on the global stage.

‘Further, as part of the commitment to providing an outstanding experience and service across all areas of the club, the investment programme will include a total refurbishment of both the main clubhouse and the tennis and health club facilities.

‘The plans for wide-ranging improvements to the club go together with a new membership structure to take effect from 1st April 2017. The current membership structure will be replaced with a family-based membership.’

St Andrews International Golf Club, currently in development, which will also be aimed at super-rich foreigners, is thought to be charging joining fees of £200,000, said to be the most expensive in the UK.